What Pests Cause Holes In Kale Leaves?
- Aphids. Aphids are extremely common pests and if you’re growing plants outdoors, then the chances are at some point...
- Flea Beetles. Flea beetles are tiny, so you wouldn’t expect them to do much damage to your kale. However, the sheer...
- Harlequin Bug. Just like aphids, harlequin bugs suck the sap from your kale leaves creating...
What are the holes in my Kale leaves?
Holes in the plant leaves are a common sign of insect infestation. Aphids, worms, and Harlequin bugs are three common pests that you’ll find feasting on your kale garden.
Why is my Kale dying at the base?
Something is eating your kale (besides you) if it is cut off at the base. The first culprit is the cutworm. This worm will chew the plant off at the base. You’ll come outside one morning, only to find the leaves laying on the ground in a heap. Collars are a fast, effective solution for protecting your plant.
Why is my Kale leggy after sprouting?
A common problem gardeners experience when growing kale from seeds is that as the kale starts to sprout, they become leggy. You end up with pale, thin stems and few leaves. Leggy plants can grow up to have stunted growth, weakened stems, and vulnerable to disease, harsh weather, and pests.
Why are there holes in my plant leaves?
Some holes on plant leaves start with diseases, not insects or gastropods. Unlike freshly chewed edges or oozing holes, these leaf holes usually begin as spots. Once disease is active, spots can spread quickly.
How do I keep bugs from eating my kale?
Mix water and a few drops of nontoxic dish detergent and put it into a spray bottle. Spritz the kale leaves with the soapy water. This coats the leaves with a bitter residue that repels bugs, while also suffocating any existing pests.
How do you treat holes in kale?
Two: prune away damaged leaves Pests focus on the bigger outer leaves of your kale plants, so the newer leaves at the center of the plant usually won't have any holes at all. Take the holy leaves inside, wash them, and eat them.
Is it safe to eat kale with holes?
Treat Your Leafy Greens Carefully If you are pretty sure the holes in your leafy vegetables were caused by insects or slugs, they should be safe to eat, as long as you wash them thoroughly, and remove any damaged portions.
What makes tiny holes in kale leaves?
Flea Beetles (Chrysomelidae family) These little beetles like to chomp on your kale, leaving tiny pits and holes in the leaves. Although these beetles are small, they often arrive in large numbers, and can do a lot of damage.
How do you treat holes in leaves?
Leaf miners burrow twisting tunnels across leaves. For both, treat with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil. Sucking insects poke tiny holes in leaves and draw the juices out of them. Common sucking insects include aphids, squash bugs, and spider mites.
How do you keep bugs from eating your leaves?
1:213:58PETITTI How to Stop Insects From Eating Leaves In Your Vegetable ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAfter your pollinators have gone to bed. And that's really the best time to do it and what you canMoreAfter your pollinators have gone to bed. And that's really the best time to do it and what you can do is spray it on the tops and the bottoms of the foliage as you go through the garden.
Should I cut off leaves with holes?
If the leaf is more than half damaged by the bug, then you should cut it off the tree or plant. The same is true if the leaves have become yellowed or brown because of damage from bugs. Cutting the affected leaves off will direct needed nutrients to the other healthier leaves and allow them to thrive.
Why do my plants have holes in the leaves?
Holes From Chewing Insects Chewing insects eat leaves and make holes by biting or tearing leaves and grinding them with their tooth-like mandibles. Few plants — or plant parts — are safe from damage by chewing insects. Day-feeding Japanese beetles skeletonize the leaves of hundreds of plant species.
Can you eat leafy greens with holes?
Leaf-eating insects don't leave behind any resides that could harm humans, so if your plantings are small and your harvests limited in size, go ahead and eat the good parts, even if there's a hole or two involved.
What insect is eating my kale?
In North America, harlequin bugs wait until the weather warms in summer to appear on kale plants, and there is no mistaking them because they are so colorful.
How do I protect my kale from worms?
1:523:47Is Green Cabbage Worm Destroying Your Kale? How To Get ... - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipTool cloth which I am going to go by and make you a video on exactly how to do that where you canMoreTool cloth which I am going to go by and make you a video on exactly how to do that where you can actually cover each of your trays. And containers.
How do you keep flea beetles away?
Dusting leaves with plain talcum powder repels flea beetles on tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and other plants. Use white sticky traps to capture flea beetles as they jump. Insecticides may be used early in the season, but are generally unnecessary in the control of flea beetles on adult plants.
How do I keep caterpillars off my kale?
One of the simplest methods for controlling caterpillars is to pick them off plants and drop them into a bucket of soapy water or squish them. This method takes time and persistence, and everyone may not like to take such a hands-on approach to pest control. Another option is to cover crops with insect barrier fabrics.
Why do my plants have holes?
Holes From Chewing Insects Chewing insects eat leaves and make holes by biting or tearing leaves and grinding them with their tooth-like mandibles. Few plants — or plant parts — are safe from damage by chewing insects. Day-feeding Japanese beetles skeletonize the leaves of hundreds of plant species.
What are the green worms on my kale?
If you see small green worms on the undersides of your kale or other brassica plants, you've got cabbage worms, the larvae of the cabbage butterfly.
What eats little holes in plant leaves?
Slugs are the most common cause of holes in leaves, but they often remain unseen because they feed at night. Sometimes larger slugs eat leaves from the edge inward, but small slugs make irregular holes inside leaves, as shown in the chard leaf on the right in the above photo. Slug holes always have smooth green edges.
1. Leaves Have Holes
Those small, simple white butterflies ( Pieris rapae) hovering around your garden are a common cause of holey leaves (slugs and cabbage loopers are the other two). All those pretty butterflies unleash a horde of green caterpillars into your garden when they lay eggs. These little caterpillars are the cabbage white butterfly worm.
2. Stunted Growth and Ragged Holes
If your plants seem to be stunted and you see ragged holes throughout the leaves, it might be cabbage loopers ( Trichoplusia ni ).
3. Weak Plants and Yellow Leaves
Almost every list of garden pests includes aphids. No matter what you’re growing, indoors or out, aphids are one of those kale growing problems you’re bound to see. Cabbage aphids ( Brevicoryne brassicae) are a particular problem for kale.
4. Crisp, Brown Leaves and Thin Spots
Harlequin bugs are bright, colorful pests that come out in force once the warm weather hits. If you’re growing kale all through the summer, harlequins might become a problem from midsummer through August.
5. Tiny Shotholes in Foliage
If you’re noticing a lot of tiny holes in the leaves of your kale, it’s likely you have an infestation of flea beetles. These little pests tend to thrive in gardens where fall cleanup is minimal and regular weeding just doesn’t happen.
6. Rotting Leaves
A bacterial infection caused by the pathogen ( Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris ), black rot is as disgusting as it sounds. This disease starts out as small, papery, brown spots on the leaves, but it quickly escalates. Soon, all your kale leaves are turning black and falling off to rot on the ground.
7. Brown and Gray Spots on Leaves
Alternaria is a fungal disease caused by Alternaria brassicicola and A. brassicae that results in brown and gray spots on kale leaves. Again, fungal diseases take hold when the weather is damp and humid. When the rain is pouring down, check on your kale. If you see signs of Alternaria leaf spot, treat with a fungicide as soon as possible.
Kale Leaves Turning Yellow
Yellowing leaves could be a sign of Bacterial Leaf Spot caused by bacterial pathogens (Pseudomonas syringae pv. maculicola) in the Pacific Northwest in daytime temperatures of 65℉ to 75℉ (18.3℃ to 23.8℃) or Xca (Xanthomonas campestris pv. armoraciae) if you live in a Southern state with a hotter climate.
Kale Leaves Drooping
Kale requires cool weather to grow, meaning less than 70℉ (21.1℃). There might be times when a warm spell comes through with fall crops, causing your leaves to droop. If this is the cause of our wilting plants, the leaves should rebound once the weather cools off.
Kale Leaves Turning Purple
If your kale leaves are turning purple, the first thing you should do is make sure you didn’t plant purple kale instead of green kale. If so, the problem is solved.
Kale Leaves Turning White
Some gardeners have a problem with kale leaves that turn white. One possible reason could be that your plants have white leaf spot caused by fungi Cercospora or Cercosporella spp. White leaf spot causes small circles ¼” to ½” diameter (0.635 cm to 1.27 cm) on the tops of kale leaves.
Kale Leaves White Spots
If your kale leaves have masses of small, white spots, you could be dealing with a white blister case caused by the fungus Albugo candida. Multiple strains affect a variety of vegetables, including kale.
Kale Leaves Black Spots
If you’re noticing black spots on your leaves, there could be multiple reasons. First, you could be dealing with a fungal condition Alternaria Leaf Spot, also called Black Spot or Gray Spot.
Kale Plants Not Growing
If your kale plants don’t seem to be growing, it could be that you’ve planted your garden in the wrong location. Try relocating your plants to a new spot to see if growth improves.
Why Are There Holes In My Plant Leaves?
The most common reason plant leaves get holes is pests eating them. However, this cannot be said for all plants because most pest attacks are specific to certain plant families or species within that family. Some other causes are diseases, herbicides, weather, and even pets.
How Do You Prevent Holes In Plant Leaves?
The best way to protect your leaves is to prevent the holes in the first place. I recommend checking on your plant leaves every day as part of your routine.
How Do You Control Leaf-eating Insects?
There are different leaf-eating insects, so you first need to figure out which one is attacking your plant. Some such insects include caterpillars, sawflies, slugs, and snails.
How Do You Control Animals And Birds Eating The Leaves?
I like to have birds and pets around my plants. They make the place lively and protect plants from some of the pests.
What Deficiency Causes Holes In Leaves?
Potassium deficiency can cause holes in leaves. The lack of this nutrient will cause yellowing in the leaf which may develop into holes.
What Disease Causes Holes In Plant Leaves?
Shot hole disease or Coryneum blight is one that will cause holes in plant leaves. This fungal disease creates holes in leaves, fruits, rough areas on fruit, and lesions on branches.
Should You Remove Leaves With Holes?
You should remove leaves with holes if they are caused due to a disease. This will help prevent spread of the disease if it’s a fungal problem. You can also remove leaves with holes if you are growing the plant for aesthetic appeal. You should remove leaves with holes if the major portion of the leaf is damaged.
Holes From Slugs and Snails
Slugs and snails belong to a class of animals known as "gastropods." Roughly translated, that scientific name means "stomach-foot." If these voracious pests hit your garden, you understand the name suits them well. If you find holes in leaves but no bugs, visit your garden with a flashlight at night.
Holes From Caterpillars
Caterpillars are the larvae of moths and butterflies. A diverse group, these hole-making pests range from tiny inchworms to hornworms 4 inches long. Some types are nocturnal; others feed around the clock. In addition to leaves, these pests often chew on other plant parts, including stems, roots, buds, flowers and fruits.
Holes From Chewing Insects
Caterpillars are chewing insects, but their leaf holes end with adulthood. Plenty of other chewing insects continue their damage as adults. Chewing insects eat leaves and make holes by biting or tearing leaves and grinding them with their tooth-like mandibles.
Holes From Sucking Insects
Some hole-making insects prefer liquid diets, made possible by specialized mouthparts. Aphids and squash bugs are examples of what's called piercing-sucking pests. They pierce leaves and suck plant sap through tubular mouthparts that work like straws.
Holes From Fungal Diseases
Some holes on plant leaves start with diseases, not insects or gastropods. Unlike freshly chewed edges or oozing holes, these leaf holes usually begin as spots. Once disease is active, spots can spread quickly. Hole-causing fungal diseases include anthracnose, Cercospora and shot hole disease.
Healthy Plants and Leaves
Keeping your plants well-nourished goes a long way toward preventing leaf holes from all types of hole-causing pests. Healthy plants are better able to resist insects and diseases — and the holes they cause — which means more beautiful leaves and plants for you.
Learn how to use organic solutions to protect your leafy green garden plants from damaging cabbage worms
Learn how to use organic solutions to protect your leafy green garden plants from damaging cabbage worms.
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Noelle Johnson is a horticulturist and certified arborist who lives and gardens in the desert Southwest. When she is not writing or helping other people with their gardens, you can find her growing fruits and vegetables, and planting flowering shrubs and maybe a cactus or two.
Slugs and Earwigs
Slugs are the most common cause of holes in leaves, but they often remain unseen because they feed at night. Sometimes larger slugs eat leaves from the edge inward, but small slugs make irregular holes inside leaves, as shown in the chard leaf on the right in the above photo. Slug holes always have smooth green edges.
Cucumber Family Foes
The coarse, hairy leaves of cucumbers and squash repel feeding by many pests, including furry four-legged ones. Despite their prickly defenses, squash and cucumbers are often damaged by striped and spotted cucumber beetles (see damaged seedling on left, above), squash bugs, and squash vine borers.
Tomato Tribe Troubles
Flea beetles make tiny round pinprick holes in tomato, eggplant, pepper and potato leaves, but while eggplant needs the protection of a fabric barrier, tomatoes, peppers and potatoes usually outgrow flea beetle damage. Leaf spots caused by fungi are a much bigger threat to tomatoes.
Frog-Eye Spots on Chard
Warm summer rains often give rise to cercospora fungi, which cause spots and holes in leaves of chard, beets, carrots, celery and a few other crops. Different cercospora strains infect the two plant families, but in both cases blister-like spots form that often crack open in the center.
