ok.. i've got little datura tatulas in little pots on my patio
and i went out today to check on my plants, and everything else is perfectly fine, except my daturas
they're all covered with holes and there is *no* leaf unchewed
any ideas what i've got eating my plants? lol
anything that just targets daturas?
any clue how to get rid of it?
Kim
something eating my datura?
I'd like to know too.
Snales? Have had it here,too.Last summer.
Take a flashlight and watch at nights.
Ludger, is that the same as slugs?
Sorry, yes:-)
Slugs!!!
I always mix them up..
well, looking at the leaves, it really screams "bug" of some sort to me.. but i suppose it could me slugs
i've got all of my plants mulched with oak leaves (isnt that supposed to be a slug deterrent?
hrm...i suppose i'll get my flashlight and go look tonite :)
Kim
Sorry to say:
Here I watched that wet oak leaves are a very good day home for slugs.
Ludger, not oak leaves - other kinds of leaves, surely. Oak leaves are a slug deterrent ...some say it's the tannin, others say it's the acid. Everything I've read and my personal experience says oak leaves deter slugs. It doesn't kill them, just makes them not want to be there.
http://www.qc.ec.gc.ca/ecotrucs/solutionsvertes/insects.htm says "To repel slugs and snails, plant some delphinium, foxglove, primrose or garlic. Mulches of oak leaves or pine needles will also keep them away. ..."
More of the same at:
http://www.haywardm.supanet.com/barriers.html
http://www.thegardenhelper.com/slugs.html
Or do a google search for "oak leaves slugs" and find several mentions.
I mulch with oak leaves for this reason (and the fact that I've got 8 oak trees ... LOL). I don't have much slug damage in my garden, just in my containers. Apparently the nasty little beasts get onto the plants where the leaves touch or come close to the edge of the pot ... grrrr. The same can happen in the garden, and they can cross from plant to plant ... gotta watch them sneaky critters.
Cheri'
Pine needles sure didn't keep them away from any of my plants
here's a scan of a leaf that's been chewed on...just hoping someone can possibly tell me what's eatin my datura so i can irradicate it and have healthy plants! :)
Maybe a green horned tomato worm? I hate those things...and they can eat so much in such a short time! They love my datura.
those are those big ugly nasty lime green worm things, arent they?
i cant believe i wouldnt see one... lol
hrm, i suppose it's possible...
*ponders*
thanks for your input! :)
Kim
Sundry, I am happy for you:-)
My slugs can not read:-)....may be because the leaves are mixed.
you know I had a massive white catapillar from out of nowhere appear in my cuttings, the little monster mowed huge leaves down to skeletons, and then made a cacoon right there on a brug like he owned the place.------in december???? how crazy is that?
You are right...they are those lime green worm things!
A couple of weeks ago, I went to check my brug cuttings that are in my kitchen and I had leaves eaten to the veins. I couldn't believe it. I knew it had to be a green horned tomato worm...and yes, it sure was. I have no idea how he could have gotten in the house and on the plants. He had to have hatched inside. But from where??? I hate those things....they are disgusting!!!
I do not think your Daturas are being attacked by slugs, if they were you would see the "slime" trails that they leave and when they eat the leaves, the start on the edges and work in, they generally do not leave holes in the leaves, it appears you have some kind of beetle, that flies in, has a meal and flies away. Try putting up some yellow or white cards with a coat of "Tangle-Foot" on them so when the bug lands on the card, it is trapped and then you can identify.
I collect bags and bags of Oak leaves in the fall and by the time I use them, I have some of the biggest slugs I have ever seen, well so much for oak leaves being a deterant for me.
weird..
well, everything in my yard (sundry's yard too, since she's my mom.. lol) is mulched with oak leaves... we've got enough trees to keep us and everyone we know supplied with leaves.. .lol
and we dont have slug problems.. other than the occasional really determined slug...
so i guess it doesnt work for everyone.. but it definitely seems to do the trick for us :)
i think you must be correct with your flying culprit theory..
because i keep checking and searching and hunting for the offending critter here, but i just cant find anything.. no bugs or anything suspicious, just chewed up and holy leaves like the one i scanned in and posted a couple of posts ago
i think i'll have to try your suggestion... a fly trap would work the same way, right?
i think i've got some of those lying around.. i dont happen to have any tangle foot lying around, though
if i dont catch anything, i suppose i'll try bringing the plants inside until they're large enough that losing a few leaves to pests wont really be that big of a deal for them
these are, afterall just seedlings i'm talking about currently
thanks for all the input :)
Kim
well ok.. i'm confused now
lol
do datura seedlings commonly have flower buds?
this is just a little pathetic looking bug chewed seedling.. but it's got a bud on it
is this normal? lol
i was slightly freaked out when i went out and looked at the plants today, and saw that there..
Miss Kitty: Some Tatula's bloom early in life. Sounds like you have a good bunch of datura's.
lol..
i suppose it'll be some sort of a miracle if these plants make it, though..
they dont even really have leaves anymore, due to some still unidentified bugs
but since i've found this bud, i've moved the plants into the house, in hopes to save it from the bugs long enough to see it bloom (and take pictures!)
i really wish they would make new leaves..
i'd much prefer new leaves to a bud right now (though i'm not gonna complain about the bud.. i just have a feeling the plant's throwing a bud out in hopes of making seeds before dying.. lol)
Kim