I have some spearmint and peppermint planted, and something is eating my spearmint (peppermint is left alone). I went outside the other day just after dark and there was a caterpillar on the plant (which I removed), but I've not seen any since, yet the damage continues. I've also noticed some slight damage to a basil plant and some damage to a cucumber plant.
Any ideas what might be causing it and how to fix it?
This message was edited Jun 8, 2010 11:31 PM
I gave my peppermint a haircut so I could make some mint tea. Once I removed the top growth I could see many slugs underneath. Their coloring matched the the stem of the plant and brown of the soil. They were brown and black striped. They did not appear to be eating much of my peppermint but instead hiding there and then coming out at night attacking lettuce, basil, peppermint sage. You might check in there & see if you find some BEFORE they multiply. Good luck.
I did not look at the enlarged pic before and I see that it is growing in a pot not the ground - look under the pot - they could be hiding there or in antother plant or damp hiding spot nearby.
I just went outside and checked everything (it's 10PM here). I saw some tiny black specks that jumped away when I looked under the leaf, I killed a few, don't know what they were. I also saw an egg sack on the back of a leaf (on another plant), looked like a spider egg, it was all white and fluffy and sticky. A few other really tiny things flew away when I was moving around the plants but I don't know if they're a problem or not.
When I lifted up the pot for mint all I saw was roots coming out of the drainage hole (and I just planted it there a few weeks ago! From a pot less than quarter that size). What should I do? I have a neem oil spray, but I think it's damaging the basil (causing yellow spots).
I had a similar problem last year. I planted mountain mint behind our trailer. One day I woke up to find my mint gone! Something destroyed it right from the ground! Then it grew back all nice and purty and it happened again!!! The culprit turned out to be my neighbor. The driveway to his trailer runs behind mine, so he pulls out the weed wacker every now and then. Maybe I should tell him they're not weeds. . .
I think you might have a different problem though, but hey, you never know, right??? XD
Haha, no I don't think that's it. But I planted some mint by the fenceline, I've got to mark it so my roommates don't mow over it!
