Home › Forums › Over the Fence › The Kitchen Garden › Herbs

what eats basil?

VTzone4's picture

what eats basil? (post #12817)

VTzone4 on Fri, 06/19/2009 - 16:34
in

Something is doing a lot of damage to my basil plants (small ones); eating leaves in what seems to be from the center out.....I haven't found anything, went out after dark with a flashlight to look too.
The plants are being destroyed.........

Does anyone have any ideas?

ManY THANKS.................

-A +A
roxanna's picture

(post #12817, reply #1 of 6)

by roxanna in reply to VTzone4 [original] on Sat, 06/20/2009 - 12:57

might be grasshoppers or flea beetles, according to what i read when i googled.  flea beetles tend to be night-munchers, which would explain why you are seeing the damage but not them.  i have no ideas about controlling the critters, sorry.  good luck.

Catskill Deb's picture

(post #12817, reply #2 of 6)

by Catskill Deb in reply to VTzone4 [original] on Sat, 06/20/2009 - 21:05

Flea beetles leave a lot of little holes in the leaves, not just one.  Is that what you're seeing?

VTzone4's picture

(post #12817, reply #3 of 6)

by VTzone4 in reply to Anonymous [original] on Mon, 06/22/2009 - 18:27

No... I'm familiar with the look of flea beetle damage. This starts in the center of the plant and appears to eat outwards, leaves the plant looking skeletonized. I thought it might be earwigs, which like the new growth in small plants but I haven't seen any, even after dark with a flashlight......they like going out at night.

sigh....

Thanks for the response.

hortcollector's picture

(post #12817, reply #4 of 6)

by hortcollector in reply to Anonymous [original] on Mon, 06/22/2009 - 20:21

Could be slugs - my basil in pots is doing better than the basil that made it into the ground. With all the rain this year the slugs are in heaven!

1946's picture

(post #12817, reply #5 of 6)

by 1946 in reply to Anonymous [original] on Tue, 06/23/2009 - 03:48

I'm thinking maybe spider mites. Is there any webby looking stuff in the center of the plant where the damage starts? It is very hard to see these tiny critters, but the skeletonized leaves sort of suggest that to me.

VTzone4's picture

(post #12817, reply #6 of 6)

by VTzone4 in reply to Anonymous [original] on Tue, 06/23/2009 - 12:54

Hmmm...I will look into that. Many thanks......