Post a reply

Image
May 10, 2014 7:34 AM CST
Thread OP
Orlando, FLORIDA (Zone 9b)
Region: Florida
I am finding small holes eaten into my top leaves of my Peppers. I have soaked the pot to make sure no slugs got in. Also they are in a screened in porch right now. No sign of Aphids or other critters. Any advice?
Image
May 10, 2014 9:18 PM CST
Name: Elaine
Sarasota, Fl
The one constant in life is change
Amaryllis Tropicals Multi-Region Gardener Orchids Master Gardener: Florida Irises
Herbs Region: Florida Vegetable Grower Daylilies Birds Cat Lover
Go out at night and look on the undersides of the leaves with a flashlight, Bill. I had this happening to one of my brug plants inside our pool cage and it was a small, bright green caterpillar. Couldn't see them in the daylight, but at night they showed up pretty well.

I just picked them off by hand for a few nights and solved the problem, but if it is widespread, you could try spraying them with Bt. It's available as a concentrate at any nursery or big box store, and is a naturally occurring bacterium that just affects caterpillars that chew the sprayed leaves. Safe for edibles.

If you don't see caterpillars, it could be Sri Lanka weevils, but they chew more on the edges of leaves. They are nearly 1/4in. and white so easy to spot at night, but in the daytime, they hide on the undersides of the leaves too - avoiding being eaten by birds, I think. They really do need to be picked off by hand, or shaken off the plants and collected for extermination. No chemical solution seems to work on them, at least as far as I've heard.
Elaine

"Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." –Winston Churchill
Image
May 10, 2014 11:28 PM CST
Thread OP
Orlando, FLORIDA (Zone 9b)
Region: Florida
Thank You!
Only the members of the Members group may reply to this thread.
Member Login:

( No account? Join now! )

Today's site banner is by IrisLilli and is called "Purple Crocus Mix"

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.