What could have done this to my plant outdoor overnight? I have been growing outdoors for a couple years and have never had this happen.
I started using pots this year and also have plants with them to keep bugs away (this year).
I can’t tell if it is some bug or something else.
After I saw this I sprayed with “Safer” for caterpillars just to do something. I have 8 plants in different pots and this is the worst one. Two other have damage too.
Please advise.
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Looks like something has been eating them
What and how would I prevent this? I tried to show a close up of the leaf that has some kind of dark showing where the leaf is ate or where is looks like it was ate. How can I identify what it is and how to prevent it?
Possibly baby grasshoppers, real small ones, youd have to catch them in the act i suppose
Thanks, I live in Southern California and it is rare to ever see a grasshopper, if ever.
Do you have a new neighborhood cat that hangs out.? My gut was slugs, but they mow it off clean. They don’t leave those lines of uneaten plant matter. Plus socal that’s not as likely as somewhere wetter. That looks mammalian to me. Less like bug damage.
Trap cams are pretty cheap on Amazon……my kid got some for catching Bigfoot. All he catches is me tending the garden at night for slugs. But that’s another story.
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I have seen cats on my camera’s. I’ll put a small fence around the plants that will keep any cats away to see if it continues. Did you notice the dark are on the leaf where it is cut or chewed in my hand? Almost makes me think it is some small bug or some type of disease or fungus or something, I have no clue. At this time I’ll protect the plants will a small 3’ tall fence to keep anything like that out. I have had caterpillars in the past but it’s too early for that and “Safer” took care. of them. I hope it’s a cat, I can deal with that. If it’s some bug or disease, I would need to know what can help with that.
Thanks for the suggestion of a cat.
Yes I have seen the darkening from both dogs and cats chewing foliage. Same on grass or catnip. I hypothesize it is a reaction to the enzymes in mammal saliva. Where you see tooth puncture the leaf the left off bite gets dark.
The only insect that could do that would be a pack of roving locust grasshopper bastards. And they would eat that tomato just as happily. Not just the canna. I bet it’s the cats chewing the leaves. I have more than once seen cats have an interest in cannabis. Maybe lure them away with a catnip or 2 on the complete other side of your lot?
Or hang a motion activated Halloween ghoul to scarecrow them. Ha. Or a small fence like you were thinking; but that’s not as much fun. Once those plants hit 12” the cats chewing the larf off could be helpful. They will also grow above it no problem.