Greetings. I have 5 large gardenia shrubs that form a hedge of sorts on the side of my house. Unfortunately, the leaves look very sad, having been ravaged by some sort of pest or disease. Can anyone identify what's destroying the leaves? I know it isn't slugs or snails, since the holes are actually parts of the leaves that sort of dry up and fall off - not eaten. I'm posting 3 pics total. Thanks in advance!
Front view of hardest-hit shrub.
Top of affected leaf.
Bottom of affected leaf.
I don't really know what you have but it is some type of sucking insect. If it is snails or slugs go out at night with a flash light and check them. If now I would give a good spraying with some type of poison.
Something is definitely munching on it.
Thanks for the replies. I spread BT around the area often. I thought it was odd that the holes you see in the leaves are actually parts of the leaf that has died, browned, and flaked off...not exactly "eaten". What could this be? Those brown spots you see will fall off and become more holes. I've already cut this thing to the ground and had a year of no problems, and now it's 7' tall again and getting ravaged again!
The problem is probably snails or slugs, they make holes in the middle of leaves like that, insects eat the leave usually from the edge inward, put a shallow plat with some beer in it just when night starts to move in close to the trunk of the plant, snails and slug that are close are attracted to it and they get dead drunk from it. Next morning go out and check, if you find any, that's what is causing the holes on the leaves.
Came by this tread while looking for one of your tread that would contain your name in it, I like to address people by their names Grantman31.
Your Friend Wilfred
It didn't turn out to be snails or slugs. I treated it frivilously and found many dead snails but no progress on the shrubs. It lost all of its leaves due to what I believe was some sort of fungus or disease. We ended up pulling them out of the ground because they were on their way out the door. It's sad because they were 20 years old, with trunks almost 2' in diameter. They were in a bad spot and didn't get much sun and were dying off, so we're going to do something else in that spot (right against the house). Thanks for the suggestion Wilred. By the way, my name is Grant.
Were the roots dead when you pulled them up?
No, the roots weren't dead. Everything but the leaves looked healthy. I cut the thing down to stumps 3 times and each time it emerged strongly, forming new branches and growing like a weed; however, its fate was always the same. We're going to put down some grass so the dogs have somewhere to pee in the back lol...
Sounds like they got hit by a leaf-miner. I'd have to see the plant in person to know for sure. Horticultural oil will sometimes help plants with that type of pest problem. Next time you see this type of damage on a prized or valued plant, contact a professional gardener a.s.a.p.
Thanks for the advice. My wife hated those plants (even though I liked them) and it was not really much of a choice lol...we are putting in grass for the doggies so I guess some good can come out of it!
I planted 2 artichokes and something is eating them I have put down slug bait twice went out at night no signs. I tried soap and water all over the plant leaves. no good still munching going on so I went to home depot question them and purchased a product called seven it is not stopping the problem either!! help please.
Sulyn
Sulyn,
You need to start a separate thread so others see your question.
