I have seen quite a few threads about insects making a mess of some outdoor grows so I thought I would take a closer look. I had been checking them and had not noticed anything until today. These are on a NL photo.
Some type of borer. I also opened up a bud on a Jack Herer auto and did find a little green caterpillar / worm. It had the same brown stuff on it and is what drew my attention to it.
Uncertain if it is one or different critters causing the damage. I was going to spray with spinosad but not sure if that would take care of the borers. Same with insecticidal soaps. Recommendations.
Also, should I cut out all stems with bore holes? @Bow4Buck
Gonna have to remove the stem with the insect in it below the injury and the pest.
You have to get on a preventative program to keep pests away from your plant: they destroy flower and introduce disease and mold into your plant. Every bud with a caterpillar in it is toast.
@Hellraiser@Myfriendis410 Cut and eradicate. It will make a mess of the NL and hopefully the autos aren’t to bad. They about two weeks into pushing buds
I looked for the trails on the stems where they enter. Also, if a bud is wilted or browning, I knew it was damaged directly or from them entering below.
I tried to find the lowest entry point and then cut everything off below that point to the next node down.
NL before removing damaged stems (very hot and she needs a drink)
This is my first real attempt to grow outside. Lesson - besides expect insect damage, is preventative spraying. Even though I checked them regularly, I did not know they were there until it was to late.
Good luck to all with outside gardens. @Carol4486 I hope you are not having any issues. But then again, you have probably been here and take preventative measures.
I think I would. This is my first try outside so no experience. But given the damage and the amount of loss, I would certainly look into it. I generally don’t have insect issues with garden plants. Some black flying florescent thing eats the daylights out of the climbing bean leaves but that is about it. So it wasn’t a huge concern until it was to late.
That is what I used today. For plants not flowering, neem oil may be used. If flowering, Jacks is recommended. I am using preventative as, if they are there even though I don’t see them I want to get rid of them. It has some residual power but must be repeated. In that sense it is also preventative.
The autos I am not sure as it’s in flowering but ask @Myfriendis410 if that’s kosher. The photos hit them now every 5-7 days all the way through flower. Make sure you do a bud wash though. I’m 3 weeks in with some photos started late June doing them outdoors. I’ll start the preventative in the next 2 weeks.
When I sprayed mine for preventative I saw a small green caterpillar fall off my plant so I’m soooooooo thankful to @beardless for raising my awareness I wasn’t even thinking bugs. I treated my tomatoes too for dreaded hornworms
Awesome!! Make sure to keep doing it weekly. Caterpillars are killer. We don’t have a lot of them in my neck of the woods for me it’s more leaf eaters and little bugs. Hopefully you got to them early enough. Die
