A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Food Garden Forum Vegetable Gardening Mystery bug!!

Hello everyone!
Most of my garden is doing just fine.
I have problems with something eating the leaves of young pole beans and sunflowers.
All the rest of the garden (cukes,tomato,cabbage,squash, and peppers) are mostly untouched.
I have in the past been using 7 dust. This year I switched to an Ortho spray that seems to have no effect on whatever is chewing on the beans and sunflowers. I'm not organic yet so please don't beat me up!
I have a large crop of beans and will not lose them all but I still wish to protect as many as possible.
I estimate that 75 of 150 plants are being chewed up pretty badly. Someone help me save my beans and sunflowers please!
I am in east Tennessee if that helps pinpoint the problem. Thanks.
Dean E

dean, we won't beat you up for not being organic. most of us are mostly organic but rely on other stuff when we have to. it's just life.

i'm not sure what your bug is, but i'm hoping someone else comes along to tell you!

I always think of slugs first when I think of leaves being chewed up.

Especially when it's been very wet like it's been here, the slugs are out in hordes.

BTW, don't feel bad....I'm not organic. :wink: To each his own I say!

Welcome to the forum!

I'd love to be organic but I'm still pretty new at this veggie thing (4th year) so it will take time.
I have slug traps baited with beer in the strawberry patch and they work very well. I'll put some in the beans and see if I get any takers. :) Thanks.

you could also take some time to really look your plant over. see if you can spot any bugs. then find out what bug it is. some are 'good' bugs, some 'bad'.

If there are holes or the leaves are skeletonized, the bug could be Cucumber beetles or flea beetles if the holes are tiny.