What is eating my sweet potato vine?
Any idea what is eating my sweet potato vine? Not only are there holes throughout the leaves, the new leaves look strange. Sort of rusty and crinkled and deformed. I suspected slugs initially because of the shape of the holes, but I've never seen a slug or heard of one in these parts. None of the gardeners I know have ever seen one here.
Why are there holes in my sweet potato leaves?
Keep an eye out for: Holes in your sweet potato plant vines’ leaves result from bugs chewing on them. You may tell which insect is causing trouble to your crops by inspecting the underside and the ground to look for telltale signs. Try not to use chemical pesticides to treat your sweet potatoes unless necessary.
What's eating the leaves on my new tree?
Looks like aphids on your new leaves, which would explain the ants. The large holes are probably from paperwasps, they bite the leaves, chew them up and make paper for their nests. The damage is pretty much aesthetic and wasps eat bugs so I leave them alone.
What eats holes in potato vine leaves?
A: There are a number of pests that can chew holes in the leaves of the fast-growing potato vine; beetles, looper caterpillars, slugs, snails and grasshoppers can all nibble holes of small to enormous size.
What bug is eating my potato vine?
A. Tortoise beetles, or sweet potato beetles, are often called "gold bugs" because of their color. They are turtle shaped, flat underneath and slightly squared at the shoulders. Common tortoise beetles include the golden tortoise beetle, the mottled tortoise beetle, and the striped tortoise beetle.
Why are there holes in my sweet potato vine?
Holes in leaves are the sign of an insect feasting on your sweet potato vine, likely tortoise or flea beetles. To get rid of beetles, shake them off into a bucket of soapy water. Spread diatomaceous earth around the plant. You can also apply neem oil to the affected area.
What is eating the leaves off my sweet potato vine?
Holes in the leaves of morning glory and sweet potato vine may be the first clue your plants are infested with goldbug. This 5 to 7 mm long bright gold beetle is also known as the golden tortoise beetle. Both the adult and larvae feed on the leaves of all members of the morning glory family.
What causes holes in potato plant leaves?
Flea beetles usually don't damage tubers, but their feeding does result in many small holes throughout leaves. These small “shot holes” can make potato plants susceptible to bacterial and fungal diseases such as Verticillium wilt and Fusarium rot.
What do you spray on sweet potato vines?
Insects to watch for Sweet potato whitefly can be controlled with Year Round Spray Oil (spray under the leaves in early morning when it's cool), bifenthrin or Malathion.
Should I trim my sweet potato vines?
Can I trim them to keep them in bounds? The vines of sweet potatoes tend to ramble far and wide, which is why many home gardeners don't raise them. If vines are wandering out of bounds, try turning them back into the vegetable garden. It's best not to trim vines; they help feed the potatoes.
Do sweet potato vines attract bugs?
Purple sweet potato vine plants also attract flea beetles and potato wireworms. Between early May and June, these pests come out of the ground to feed on the foliage. The field will serve as their breeding ground and their eggs will fall just beside the plant.
Who is eating my sweet potato vine?
Habits of Chewers. Voles (Microtus spp.), ground squirrels (Spermophilus beecheyi), and gophers (Thomomys spp.) have a common taste for sweet potato vines. Voles look similar to mice and are about 6 inches long. Their damage is concentrated near to the ground.
Do rats eat sweet potato vines?
While sweet potato vines have few pest problems, rodents rank as one of the most serious pests in a sweet potato patch. The animals often burrow near the roots, chew on the plants and cause general havoc.
What animals will eat potato plants?
However, humans aren't the only creatures that enjoy potatoes; several animal species also eat them.Wild Boars. Wild boars are covered in brown hair and can weigh up to 300 pounds. ... Field Mice. ... Raccoons. ... White-Tailed Deer.
What could be eating my potato plants?
1:4110:52What's Eating My Potato Plants - How to make a safe and organic pesticideYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipNow this is the Colorado potato beetle here I've got these stripes on it now this will lay a smallMoreNow this is the Colorado potato beetle here I've got these stripes on it now this will lay a small larva underneath the underside of the leaf and they're yellow. And the little larvae they look like
Do sweet potato vines attract bugs?
Purple sweet potato vine plants also attract flea beetles and potato wireworms. Between early May and June, these pests come out of the ground to feed on the foliage. The field will serve as their breeding ground and their eggs will fall just beside the plant.
What kills potato bugs?
Vinegar. The acidity of the vinegar will kill potato bugs and all kinds of bad plant pests. Therefore, combine one cup of vinegar, one teaspoon of liquid soap, and three cups of water in a spray bottle. Shake well and use it to spray your plants to kill nymphs and adults.
How do you control potato beetles?
Pick beetles off plants Handpicking in small gardens can be effective. Drop adults and larvae in a pail filled with soapy water. Remove or crush the yellowish orange eggs on the underside of leaves. New adult beetles can fly into gardens so be sure to check your potatoes regularly.
What is eating my plants?
When something is eating my plants it is usually deer, who leave more ragged torn edges, or rabbits, who nibble down to the stalks. I don't have a lot of squirrels, though, and the dogs generally keep them away from the cultivated portions of our property.
How to tell what pest is eating my SWP?
The easiest way I know of to figure out what sort of pest is eating your SWP is probably to scatter flour or talcum powder on the ground around the plant and see what kind of tracks are left behind the next morning. Of course, if it is raining where you live, this probably won't work.
Do squirrels eat pecan trees?
Young squirrels don't have much to eat at our place in the summer and they will even resort to eating bark from young pecan trees.
Do God's children eat sweet potatoes?
All of God's children gotta eat, but they don't have to eat my sweet potatoes. Its been 4 years since I used my electric fence, but it may be time to dig it all out and hook it up. This rain should start new growth in a lot of areas and they can tasty food near the woods.
Do wild things eat pepper plants?
All the wild things that eat in my garden will often select one plant over the other. For example, they will eat one pepper plant but not another. Or, they will ignore the hybrid sunflowers growing OUTSIDE the fenced-in garden and then jump into the fenced-in garden to eat the hybrid sunflowers that are growing there.
