something is eating my radish tops

First guess, slugs, second guess, a caterpillar type worm; look under the leaves, maybe even bring a magnifying glass with you, you might even try looking at night. Good luck!

I showed this to my daughter and here is her reply:

It looks to be some kind of moth caterpillar. Which one, can't say for sure since they molt several times from hatching to forming the cocoon and with each molt they look different from the previous stage. Its color (not green) excludes several possibilities. The caterpillar pictured looks close to forming a cocoon so if one could keep it in a container while it metamorphoses then one could see the adult moth (which would be easier to ID but still not full proof as there are several thousand species of moths in a given state. The Cutworm moth is a possibility though.

I've included some links below which have radish pests pictured.

http://extension.entm.purdue.edu/publications/E-65.pdf

http://www.extension.umn.edu/yardandgarden/ygbriefs/e253caterpillarpests-cole.html

Sorry I can't be of more assistance

Susie

Try googling pictures of armyworms and see if those look like what you're seeing. We're having a bad time with the armyworms around here because of the mild winter.

Please use any pesticides following the label instructions. I bet you want to have honey bees keep coming to your garden.

doneal wrote:

camprn wrote:Please use any pesticides following the label instructions. I bet you want to have honey bees keep coming to your garden.

Yes, I agree! And I will add only use it when you really have to and with moderation.

can you find cutworms under ground?

so far i have found two fat grub looking things

one under ground when digging to plant something

and the second one down deep in a lg pot from last year with left over MM in it
they didnt look like they had any legs.....
thanks

rose

doneal wrote:Went back out and found another one here a better picture.

Could someone help me identify this worm?

See this fact sheet: http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/m1225.html

I'm using the time honored coffee can cut out at both ends to protect my oldest tomatoes. Unfortunately, I don't have enough coffee cans, so I'm using plastic cups and popsicle sticks placed around the plant stems. And I'm reminded that my wife put aluminum foil around our plants last year which must have worked because we had zero damage.
Additionally, I have a bug zapper that works 24/7 on the shed next to the garden. Since the moths that lay the eggs that turn into larvae are nocturnal, the bug zapper hopefully gets the moths before they can lay their eggs. And in case they don't, I have laced the ground all around and in the garden with Milky Spore Disease. While Milky Spore (http://www.stgl.us/gstore/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=44&idproduct=4006) is specific to Japanese Beetles, I'm hopeful it will have the same effect on cutworm larvae. If not, I'll go to BT.

Tom

Today I found tiny (the size of a large flea) bugs overrunning what's left of my baby radishes. They have chewed holes in all the leaves. This is my first SFG & the second time I've replanted it. The first time, the plants got leggy & fell over & never made bulbs. We had made covers out of green shade cloth for all of our boxes, so I figured they weren't getting enough sun. This time I left the boxes open & now we have these bugs. They look like a beetle of some kind, but very small & brownish. Sound familiar to anyone? There are also carrots planted in the same box, but so far these little pests are concentrating on the radishes.

flea beetles. Cover the bed with tulle is how I handle those nasty wee beasties.

I found this while searching for inexpensive tulle to prevent little pests next spring. It's $16 from rei.com. It measures 84 inches by 63 inches and about 5 ft tall.

It's already sewn and the perfect size to cover part of a garden for my plants that don't rely on bees. And it's green!

woo hoo. I can see this thrown over a PVC framework.

Kay

I know, right? But my question is, there are two of them from the same store; one at $16 and the other one at $26. Try as I might, I cannot find a difference in the description to warrent the different price. The weight and size is the same.

But either way, they would be so easy to make a cheap frame and create a portable screen room affect. I'm sooo looking forward to spring planting now. I won't be afraid to grow leaf veggies!

binfordmj Today at 8:23 am

.I know, right? But my question is, there are two of them from the same store; one at $16 and the other one at $26. Try as I might, I cannot find a difference in the description to warrent the different price. The weight and size is the same.

Looks like the $26 one has insect repellent on the netting. The specs say the repellent will last for 6 months. The $16 one does not mention any type of insect repellent on the netting. I think.

coffee grounds on the soil around my eggplants kept flea beetles away this past summer.

we used sluggo plus for the flea beetles, they left in a day...never had one since!