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Friday, February 5, 2010

Collards update!

Well it looks like I have some type of Cabbage worms on my collard leaves (actually IN my collard leaves)! The get inside the leaf and burrow along eating, and it leaves white streaks of damage as you can see below!

I was going to try mixture of both soapy solution and garlic juice mixed together and spray on the plants, but then I also read that you can plant marigolds in your garden to keep them at bay! I got some planted today...so wish me luck! I really don't want to make garlic juice in my house...ewww...stinky!!! I am determined for them to be organic! Some of my plants are quite vigorous and I think in about 2 weeks I may be able to start harvesting the outer larger leaves! This is gonna be delicious!!!!!

11 comments:

Desert Swamp Dweller said...

It looks like Agromyzidae damage. Those are a the larvae of a type of fly.

Cindy said...

Julie, what you have are leaf miners. There are a few alternatives for their control, including removing/destroying the affected leaves, using beneficial parsitic wasps, and planting other plants nearby that the leaf miners might find even more desirable than your collards. Google around and see what ideas seem like they'd be right for you.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

I see those little leaf miners in my columbines. They make pretty patterns. They don't damage the plant but I wouldn't want to eat them.

Claude said...

leaf miners...

Marigolds will keep nematodes at bay, but here, marigolds actually get leaf miners.

These were the same things that attacked Pudgeducks sweet peas and I recomended Grandmas trick of garlic powder (NOT SALT) sprinkled around the plants and watered in. It worked for them... other people I know will plant onions and collards (Or any of the cabbage relatives) together, to prevent leaf miners.

Teri said...

Oh no! I hope the marigolds work. I always plant them in front of my plants to keep the deer and rabbits away and it sure works for that.
Good luck.

Julie said...

Thanks for the tips everyone! My Mom eats her leaves after cooking, anyway!!! LOL. I will probably cut off the damaged parts and pitch them! I think I will try Claudes idea with the garlic POWDER! That doesn't seem as stinky as the solution I was gonna cook up!!! I will do a bit more research on the leaf minors!!! Thanks all.

Unknown said...

Julie, good luck. The marigolds are pretty, hopefully they work and you wont have to use garlic :).

Hortist said...

Julie, I also like the Claude's idea ....so best of luck :)

My Little Family: said...

I, too, always thought you had to plant the marigold on the outside of the plant you are trying to protect

Deepa Gopal said...

I am no good at this...but i do hope u get rid of these pests soon..and ur plants become healthy again:)

Have a wonderful and healthy weekend:)

anjilala said...

don't they look good!