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Posted: Jun/24/2007 1:44 PM PST
Something is eating the leaves on my zinnias so that they look "lacy". Does anyone know what insect/bug is responsible? Most important what can be done besides using an insecticide? Megan Dolan |
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Posted: Jun/24/2007 2:13 PM PST
It would be hard to say what is doing the damage to your zinnias, maybe a caterpillar. If you inspect your plants very closely, especially the undersides of the leaves maybe you will find the culprit, or maybe not. If you do find the bug that is bugging your flowers you can spray them with soapy water. Fill a spray bottle with water, add a little bit of dish soap(like Dawn) then shake. You don't need too much soap. I usually spray when the sun is not going to be beating down on the plants. Like late afternoon or early morning, so the soapy leaves can dry. The damage may not effect the flowering capabilities of your zinnias, just the look of the leaves. Here is a pic. of the leaves of one of my Hibiscus that had caterpillars eating on it earlier this year. They still bloomed beautifully. Attachments:   |
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Posted: Jun/26/2007 8:49 AM PST
Thank you AngelsGarden for your input. The picture of your hibiscus leaves is about how my zinnia leaves look. I'll try the soapy water. I haven't seen anything on the leaves. As long as the flowers keep blooming, I'll be happy. MeganDolan |
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Posted: Jul/14/2007 8:42 AM PST
This looks like the work of Japanese Beetles. You should be able to see them on the plants during the day. They are easy to catch and squeeze with your fingers if you don't want to use pesticides ( I wear surgical gloves for this). Otherwise, Sevin (Carboryl) will control them if sprayed regularly. There are many sites on the internet describing Japanese beetles, if you do a search. |
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Posted: Jul/15/2007 12:26 PM PST
Oh my! I couldn't squish 'em with my fingers. lol I take a coffee can and put some water with a couple squirts of dish soap in it. I hold the can under the stem with the bugs on it and just tap the leaf and they fall in and drown. That's the method my grandma used. They're on all sorts of plants in my yard right now. I'm going to use some Grub-X on the soil to kill next years Japanese Beetle larve. |
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