Something cutting off pepper leaves?

jim4065 4/22/2012, 2:44 pm

First the Golden Cayenne and now the Mexibell, something eats the leaves at night, or maybe just cuts 'em off and then steals 'em. Very few partial leaves left and I hate to lose these pepper plants. I haven't used any insecticides yet - if I need one, which is best for veggies?

Perhaps as a corollary, something is digging deep holes here and there. The holes are perhaps 2" across and 4 inches deep. There are 3 or four of them every morning. Kind like crayfish holes but without the mounded mud. My SFG is raised up 3 feet off the ground and I haven't spotted any critters in it. Perhaps a night bird? The plants don't seem damaged, so I just fill in the holes every morning. Still.........

Any ideas would be appreciated. Sad

**camprn** 4/22/2012, 2:49 pm

Have the tomatoes suffered the same fate? Could be a number of things any thing from slugs to caterpillars like hornworms. Can you post a photo?

martha 4/22/2012, 2:50 pm

It kinda sounds like chipmunks to me.

Are you left with just the stems of the bean plants? When mine got eaten off, they did grow back. I don't remember when they got eaten. I know mine didn't have time to bear fruit, but hopefully it was later in the season.

**walshevak** 4/22/2012, 3:45 pm

Possibly vole holes? Send pics.

Kay

jim4065 4/23/2012, 11:50 am

Something cutting off pepper leaves? Img_1812

Something cutting off pepper leaves? Img_1813

Something cutting off pepper leaves? Img_1814

Something cutting off pepper leaves? Img_1815

Hope these work - I followed the directions from "How To Post a Picture Located on Your Computer".
At any rate - no holes today, but the leaf eater is now attacking several other pepper plants but no tomatoes.

Hoggar 4/23/2012, 12:05 pm

Before you use Chemicals try Cyan Pepper sprinkle it around
the plants on the soil its inexpressive and will stop lots of critters
naturally and keep your garden organic.

$11.00 for a 5 lb container.
Something cutting off pepper leaves? Regal-ground-cayenne-pepper-5-lbs

Something cutting off pepper leaves? Regal-ground-cayenne-pepper-5-lbs

**walshevak** 4/23/2012, 4:37 pm

Birds maybe? Caught the little varments nipping the blossoms off my petunias today. Try just putting some frost blanket over the plants at night (or just a sheet) until the plants get more growth. Pepper won't hurt either.

BTW, that is one good looking set of tabletops you got there.

Kay

jim4065 4/23/2012, 4:54 pm

Ya know, I think ya'll are onto something. There's a mighty suspicious looking Blue Jay that sure seems to like to perch on top of the Tomato cages. I know - "Innocent Until Proven Guilty" and all that, but still.... :scratch:

**camprn** 4/23/2012, 7:42 pm

What to do?? Maybe hang some old CD's in the garden, the flashing light may keep the birds at bay.

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