What should I do with pepper plants that are not planted but something is eating the leaves?

unmadecastle 5/16/2011, 8:42 pm

I bought green pepper and jalepeno plants at our local nursery 5-6 days ago. It has been to cold (had frost this morning) and rainy to plant them yet. I have kept them in the house. Today when I went to water them I saw that some leaves had been eaten. Yesterday I saw little black flys/gnat looking bugs around my flowers and pepper plants. Do you think this is what is eating my peppers?

Will I be able to plant these peppers or should I get some others?

I appreciate any input!

Ann

Nonna.PapaVino 5/16/2011, 10:58 pm

Check under and around your plants' pots for slugs. They do infest even the best nurserys, coming in on plants, supplies and even under the fence. Any sign of slime?

unmadecastle 5/17/2011, 6:16 pm

I didnt see any slime. Are slugs little? I have never seen them.

Nonna.PapaVino 5/17/2011, 6:27 pm

Some slugs are indeed small, especially baby slugs. Here in the Pacific Northwest, we have all sizes, from 1/4" to 9" or so. You certainly would have noticed the banana slug pictured below, so it could be a tiny "milk" slug (so-called because it secretes a milky looking fluid when injured). Hmmm, though if you don't see any slime, it could be something else, a cutworm perhaps. Are these peppers in individual pots or a communal tray where a cutworm larva could be hiding in the soil?

What should I do with pepper plants that are not planted but something is eating the leaves? Z

What should I do with pepper plants that are not planted but something is eating the leaves? Z

unmadecastle 5/17/2011, 6:42 pm

They are in individual pots.

If its a worm can it be hiding in the dirt until it gets hungry?

Nonna.PapaVino 5/17/2011, 8:10 pm

Whoa, you have a real mystery. A cutworm would only be working on one pot, not several--they don't travel well. There must be some other culprit, though I still suspect slugs. Have you tried waiting a couple of hours after dark, then checking the plants with a flashlight? There are a couple of things, cutworms and slugs, that would show up then. Are the plants open to the outside during the day? If so, it opens up a whole different world of possibilities. Only diligent observation is likely to spot the evil doer. Can you set a timer tonight for, say, 10:30 PM and check for villians? After that, look into an organic pest control for daytime chewers. Good luck. And, let us know what you find out.

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What should I do with pepper plants that are not planted but something is eating the leaves?

What should I do with pepper plants that are not planted but something is eating the leaves?

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Re: What should I do with pepper plants that are not planted but something is eating the leaves?

Re: What should I do with pepper plants that are not planted but something is eating the leaves?

Re: What should I do with pepper plants that are not planted but something is eating the leaves?

Re: What should I do with pepper plants that are not planted but something is eating the leaves?

Re: What should I do with pepper plants that are not planted but something is eating the leaves?


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