A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Plant pests and problems Do you know what causes this on leaves of fruit & veggie?

I'm going to try to cut and paste the picture of the leaves in question. I don't see any kind of critter on the leaves, but all of a sudden, there is this spiral looking brown path, then the leaf will shrivel. Do you know what causes it and how to prevent it? It happens mainly on my grapefruit tree (doesn't hurt the fruit), but now, I have cucumber seedlings that are showing the same signs on the only 2 leaves that one of them has. (It's only an inch high and very new)

I'm trying really hard to start my first garden, completely organic. So, any help would be appreciated... Also, I bought a few pepper and butternut squash plants from a local Home Depot garden center. They looked beautiful when bought, but now are showing signs of yellowing. Am I over or under watering? I water them every day, as they get dry so fast. They are in one of those peat planters.

Thanks so much...

Joyce

PS..I couldn't copy the photo that I took. It has to be sent as an attachment from the Kodak share. If you email back, I will send it...thanks again.

Hiya joyce I also live in florida and my grandma has some trouble with the leaves on her grapefruit oranges etc... I think what you got there is called a leaf miner... I posted one with pictures of the leaves on the fruit forum... I don't know how to get rid of them the ag center and the master gardeners people in my county i wrote them an email they said they are darn near impossible to get rid of... You can however try horticcultural oils... thats what they told us... Or you could call someone to spray them... my grandma lives in lake placid tons of orange groves and she knows one of the owners so when they spray there trees next time hes going to do hers as well...

The yellowing on your veggies can be a lack of nutrients are you fertilizing them? I use a liquid fertilizer on mine any should do just make sure you can use it on vegetables but you want to be sure not to over fertilizze as they will get fertilizer burn... Happened with my grandmas marigolds... Oh sorry i overlooked organic idk if there is oranic fertilizers out ther but you can try compost coffee grounds maybe but when you boil veggies or steam them save the water let it cool and its great for plants... I don't like the peat things like that maybe you could repot them or create a raised veggie garden outside it will be easier than in the ground i think that way you can do the soil better with alot less digging, etc...

I would like to see the pics of your leaves on your grapefruit and i will send you some info more about leaf miners in a message it would be way to long for this....


-scott h

Thanks afgreyparrot and toposh...

Here are the 2 photos. I hope they come through, as I'm just looking at the link right now. The first is from my baby cucumbers. I have 20 of them planted in those little peat starter pots and getting ready to put them in the garden. First, I want to make sure that they don't get ruined by whatever is on them. 10 of them now have this spiral thing on them and I don't know how to get rid of it. (because I don't know what it is and can't find anything about it on gardening sites)

The second shows it larger, as it's on the grapefruit tree leaf. It seems to happen quickly overnight, then in a few days, the leaves will shrivel and die. It has never affected the fruit, but I would just love to get rid of it if I can.

I'm also trying to do everything organic, so I would rather not use insecticides if I don't have to. I'd rather buy lady bugs and praying mantis' if they would help.

Thanks...

Yes joyce What you have there is called leafminers... There is no real way to get rid of the ones that cause the trails like that you see the adult leadminer looks like a little white moth (the information i sent you just check you messages on here) will explain more about them... any ways the adult leaf miners lays its eggs between the layers of the leafs and those trails are the babys getting out... Their is really no way you can kill the leaf miners while there inside of the leave... You can try to kill the adult leafminers but theyll fly away... What i do when im at my grandmas around nitetime or in the morning i will use a blast of water from the hose to cler it out... but with baby fruit being on the tree it will knock some off... So... I don't think youll be able to get rid of the ones on your grapefruit... im sorry... I know its a eyesore... Ive asked many people ive asked the ag center for my rgandma and the master gardeners class in my county...

The cucumbers did you start them inside your house? Or outside? If outside thats where the leafminers got to them idk really what to tell you about the cucumbers i know my tomatoes have ssome of them but ti really dont hurt them... see you really just have to kill the adult cariiers.. Maybe you could go to the store and look at the organic sprays they have and try some of those?? but the baby leafminers when they get out of those leaves theyll spread.... so youll want to try and get rid of the problem but their really aisnt a way like i said...

what you should do is look for some organic horticultural oils i guess??? I think they may make them organic...

I dont know if i could post this link here but it tells you about horticultural oils


http://www.ext.colostate.edu/PUBS/INSECT/05569.html

i hope this helps a little bit more.. I know i hate those leafminers they are little devils!!!!

-scott

Leaf miners are little pesky critters and very hard if not impossible to get rid of naturally. I don't think hort oils or insecticidal soaps will not to the trick to the larva, since they are not on the surface of the leaf, and will not be smothered by the application. An application of either would help to control the adults that are present on the plant, but like Toposh said they just tend to fly away. Your best bet is just ensuring the plant does not get stressed out by other factors which you can control, such as watering and fertilization. You can pick off the infected leaves on a mature plant, and dispose of them. Becarful about taking off too many leaves on younger plants though.
If you do choose to go the pesticide route, there are some on the market that will take care of the problem. Just make sure that you read the (date to harvest) info on the label, This tells you from point of the application how many days it takes for the fruit to be safe for eating.

Thanks... I'm not sure as to what I will do. The cucumber plants are only 2 weeks old (since sprouting). I see that they have now affected my new butternut squash plant too.

I have all the new seedlings on my patio table. Since the weather here has been so beautiful, I figured I could start them all outside on my lanai. I normally don't get too many pests there, as it's semi-covered with screening (there are a few panels out right now. They get the benefit of full sun through the screen and I water them every day, because they tend to dry out pretty fast.

I bought these 2 plants at Home Depot garden center about 2 weeks ago. They, too, now are showing signs of those miners! However, what I want to know is why are they turning a lighter shade of green and yellow on the bottom? Is it from over or under watering? The container says to keep moist. They are in those peat pots and lose all the water every day. I want to replant them soon, but I just finished getting the soil in the garden ready. Is the problem that they need to get out of these pots asap?

Thanks,
Joyce

Idk really know much about the yellow leaves... but i when you are able to plant them outsidei would do it as soon as possible... Yes I very much hate those darned peat things!! either they dry out to fast or when you start seeds in them it pormotes fungus i had lost a bunch of flower seedlings to them any more i just start my seedlings in potting soil or topsoil with peat moss in old containers like cottage cheese cool whip, etc... Your not over watering if it loses the water... Maybe their rootbound? IDK but i would try and get them planted when you get the things ready... Im soo sorry about your leaf miner problem though IT SUCKS! Have you tried fertilizing them with a weakned liquid fertilizer?

Companion planting of lamb's quarter, velvet leaf or columbine may minimize the activity of the leaf miners; these plants will attract leaf miners away from your grapefruit and other plants you want protected from leaf miners. Try not to remove all the leaves that were affected by leaf miners, the undamaged portion of the leaves can still provide food for the grapefruit tree.