vegetable garden's

[american spirit]

first year had no pest problems. this year and the last year have something eating the leaves of my spinach and green beans. i've got chicken wire around the whole thing so likely not rabbits or squirrels. some kind of insect i think.

any help out there. i would like to keep the garden pesticide free.

[ecduzitgood]

Take a look at night and be stealthy (low light) because I have found beetles at night that when I hit them with a flashlight just surry away for cover.

[The Dad Fisherman]

How far down you got that chicken wire??? ground hogs and other critters burrow their way in.

[american spirit]

chicken wire is touching the dirt, but not dug in below. it's getting annoying. wondering if some scarecrows would do the trick or plant some owls in the garden.

[Raven]

i put mine in an L_ shape so if they dig down to tunnel under they still hit wire... then i purchase additional wire fencing to reach the desired height.

One of the Best tools you can use in the garden IMHO to stay away from the use of pesticides is a shop vac

Grab a leaf and photograph it , so we can see the pattern of chewing.

[FishermanTim]

Are the leaves chewed OFF or just chewed full of holes?
Chewed off could be a wiley critter that worked its way UNDER the fence, or a group of insects like earwigs that feed agressively under the cover of darkness.

If it's just holes in the leaves, check both day and night for insect culprits. Also check for slugs and snails, although if that were the case you would have already seen their slime trails.

Good luck!

[american spirit]

check it. what's your diagnosis and treatment plan?

[luds]

Originally Posted by the_shocker

check it. what's your diagnosis and treatment plan?

Treatment plan is to stop worrying about your fargin garden and go fishing. Call me if you want to hook up this weekend.

[justplugit]

If there are fuzzy webs on the under side of the leaves it could be Mexican Bean
Beetles, sounds early though. You can control by just picking them off the plants or use Rotenone dust.
Looks more like slugs on the spinach. Put a board down and pick it up in the AM
to see if there are any under it. Use a beer can, open end 1/2 inch off the ground and they will go in and drown.
Hope it helps.

[Raven]

the holes are in the center of the leaves

looks like caterpillar damage to me...

they hide in the soil right beneath the plant

one sure way to tell whether or not its a caterpillar

is to look for the evidence...on the ground
that being little dark green cylindrical turds
because the spinach goes thru
their digestive tract pretty fast.

[ProfessorM]

damn caterpillars, winter moth I am pretty sure as it is too early for gypsy right now, are doing a number on all my stuff right now. Every year I get more and more depressed as to how hard it is to grow anything anymore without chemicals. Fruit trees you can forget it , no chems. no fruit. My blueberries took a beating this spring from winter moths, the buds, and then it will be the gypsy moths that start to eat what is left with the foliage. Will have to lay on the Sevin to get them if I want fruit. Royal PIA.

It is almost at the point now if I want to get blueberries I have to spray the bushes every spring just assuming there are winter moth eggs in there as they attack the bud stage of the plant, not foliage, and you really can't see them until the damage is done. May have to soak them down early to avoid the friggin damage. As the buds open and the flowers come out you can't spray them then as the bees are working and you will kill them, which is where I am at this year. Now I wait to see if the gypsy moths come knocking and start to eat the foliage and then I will apply the Sevin early enough so that I can eat the berries when they mature. Reason I grow them as I like not having my fruit covered with chemicals but nowadays it is really difficult to do that in the fruit category. Sorry, no crying allowed in gardening.

[american spirit]

all my beans are pretty much gone now. some kind of fly eating the leaves. whatever.