I just noticed this morning that a few of the basil leaves have small holes, like some bugs ate them.
What can I do so no bugs will eat them? (I couldn't find any insects in the container, but I might have missed them.) I didn't have this trouble last year, but then I moved this spring so that is probably why.
So far, my sweet basil has been grown organic so some organic remedy would be great (maybe there is something I can plant next to it to deter the bugs? Some organic solution I can use to repel bugs?) but if not, I will consider something else.
Thanks a bunch!
tmm
My sweet basil leaves now have little holes
I usually use insecticidal soap or rotenone for major insect problems. Both are organic (at least I consider them to be). Some of my basil got a little chewed up last year, but I actually didn't bother spraying it with anything as a few holes don't really harm the plant and are more of a cosmetic problem than anything.
Season after season this problem with the basil drove me "crazy". There were holes in my prized basil leaves. No sign of any insects, so hubby and I decided that it must be happening during the night. My husband made it a point to get up before dawn (with flashlight in hand) to check the plants.....and sure enough, there was a really tiny winged critter chewing away. Don't know what the name of this insect could be (have forgotten). The only way we kept them under control was for hubby to get up very early before the sun came up and hand pick them off the plants. These insects seem to come with warm, or hot weather. (Maybe some sort of a thrip.)
Perhaps if you have a regional agricultural agent, you could find out more on the subject.
IO1, found your post here just now.... "little winged creatures" does NOT sound like Japanese Beetles, which are at least as big as my smallest fingernail with dark irridescent wing covers.... I'm sure you can google a picture JBs. Sounds like you need to pop down to your LGS and pick up an insecticidal spray.... and maybe they can help you with the ID too.
Thanks for the info. I do have an insectaside that is safe for spraying, so I gave them a good spraying just a bit ago. I'll see if I can identify them. They don't bother any of my other herbs, and they are all right there together on the deck. What ever it is doesn't like Italian parsley/rosemary/oregano/arugula. (thank goodness!)
Japanese Beetles are highly visible, and do their "dirty-work" in broad daylight.
Critterologist gave a good description of them. The JB is very aggressive and attacks many other plants and trees......roses, fruit trees, etc.
tmm,
I've found basil to be a favorite snack of snails, slugs and cute little green worms that move like an inch-worm.
It's the little green worms that devastated my basil. If you take a real close look I expect you'll find some of the little buggers.
I get a little weirded out by bugs and hubby is color blind, so we work as a team...
I point and squeal - he picks and squishes (a marriage made in heaven)
good luck
Dovey
Yeah, my basil leaves had holes and parts of the leaves are sometimes left with shiny looking thing so it is quite possible it is snails who eat my precious basil.
Anyway, in another thread, someone suggested applying cayenne pepper on the leaves and stems (I wanted to do organic stuff first and go onto others if the organic means fail..) After the cayenne application (I diluted cayenne pepper in water and applied it to the leaves and steps with my finger), one leaf got attacked the next morning and nothing at all after that, so I am thinking whatever critter who used to eat the basil doesn't care for cayenne spiced leaves. (Maybe I forgot to apply the cayenne to one of the leaves, I don't know.)
I have purchased a water spray bottle, so after the expected rain this weekend, I am going to make a cayenne spiced water and spray it to the plant.
tmm
Hey 101.......are those catapillas in your parsley a lightish green and black color? They also get into the dill. I find them disgusting too, but eventually they turn into a black swallow-tailed monarch butterfly. I used to close my eyes and squash them with a stone (a bit squeamish about the whole thing).
Those small, white moth-like things that hover over plants also do a lot of damage. They lay their eggs (just about invisible to the eye) and the larva that hatch do the damage.
This message was edited Apr 22, 2005 2:55 PM
Mountain Valley Growers is an organic opperation http://www.mountainvalleygrowers.com
They also have a newsletter, you might find some tips on their site.
I've ordered from them before and just love 'em.
Dovey
umm, hedandan, I don't think there's any such critter as a black swallow-tailed monarch butterfly? The black swallowtail caterpillars are, I think, the ones we used to call "parsley worms".... green & plump, and if they feel threatened they stick an evil smelling pair of orange antennae up from their head. I'm not sure what a monarch caterpiller looks like, but I'm sure a quick google search would turn of a picture of both of these...
tmm, there are also various hot pepper spray products that contain some sort of wax so they stay on better, but you may not want cayenne to stick to your basil leaves too well, LOL! If it's slugs or snails, I highly recommend scattering a little slug bait (sold under various names such as Escar-GO), which has worked better for me than any home remedy, including the much-touted sauces of beer.
Thank you Critterologist!
In search of Escar-go, I've found an interesting page what shows different ways to deal with the snail/slug problem.
http://eartheasy.com/grow_nat_slug_cntrl.htm
Warning: Those slug photos on the webpage above may give you the willies.
tmm
critterologist.......This is what I mean.......every year I have an invasion of these caterpillars in my parsley and dill. Have a look !
http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/4DMG/Pests/parsley.htm
This message was edited Apr 23, 2005 7:52 AM
yes! That's definitely the caterpiller for the black swallowtail butterfly! Bother one, and you will see what I mean about sticking up a pair of evil-smelling "antennae." Maybe you could set aside a patch of parsley for them & just pick them off the part you're trying to save for harvest?
I'm putting in a butterfly patch of plants this year, and I'm going to toss some extra dill & parsley seeds into it.
Thanks for the slug link. I've tried most of those remedies, but many of them are useless in a rainy spring, which is when slugs are the biggest problem for me. I've never tried spraying with coffee, and it sounds like your cayenne pepper spray is also effective (at least until the next rain). I like the iron phosphate baits, as I just have to sprinkle them lightly once or twice in the spring, and -- voila! -- no slugs. It may add weight to my recommendation to note that Weezingreens also recommended these baits for keeping major slug infestations away from her myriad plantings when the subject of slugs came up on another thread... :-) The one I have on my shelf now is "Bug-Geta Snail & Slug Killer" by Ortho, and I think "Slug-Go" is another brand name.
Could this be what is chewing holes into the basil leaves ?
http://www.extento.hawaii.edu/kbase/crop/Type/adoretus.htm
This beetle is nocturnal in habit. However, they are attracted to lights at night. During the day they remain under leaves, loose bark, or are shallowly buried in the soil, and emerge at dusk to feed (Williams, 1931). Peak feeding and mating activity occurs about 30 minutes after sunset (Tsutsumi, et. al, 1993). Arita, et. al. (1993) reports that this beetle preferentially feeds on leaves and plant species that are relatively high in non-structural carbohydrates. It also prefers to feed on leaves with feeding or other types of damage (Pemberton, 1959). These leaves release ethylene gas which serves as an attractant to beetles (Arita, et. al., 1988).
This message was edited Apr 23, 2005 10:02 AM
Hey, those are the nasty little catapillas that clean out my parsley overnight! They can devour every bit of it if you don't stop them in their tracks. I hate to smash them, but I tried capturing them and taking them off in my woods only to find them right back munching away! I must say, though, my parsley came back beautiful and full. Didn't have any for a while, though. Guess this is nature's way of pruning for us, huh?