I have a small raised bed garden. Something is eating only the pepper plants. Over the past few nights, whatever it is, has eaten every leaf off one of my jalapeno plants, and pretty much decimated the other jalapeno and a different type of pepper. Its eating the leaves whole. Its also not touching anything else. I have tomatoes, beans, strawberries, herbs, different types of flowers, carrots, etc.

I didn't have this issue last year.

There is no way its a deer (you'd laugh if you saw my back yard). I've seen a possum, but its been a long time. Would they do this? There are no prints around or in the raised bed. rodents?

Do you have sandy soil?

nope.

You're battling bugs, not four-legged critters. Sprinkle some Sevin dust around the base of each plant.

Heavy clay? Are the leaves sheared off right at the stem? I'm narrowing down the potential culprit(s)....

B-1 83 said:

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Heavy clay? Are the leaves sheared off right at the stem?

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yes, sheared off right at the stem. nothing left behind.

honestly not sure exactly what soil is under the back yard. seems to be some sort of clay mixture if i had to guess, but definitely not sandy.

GSS said:

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You're battling bugs, not four-legged critters. Sprinkle some Sevin dust around the base of each plant.

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i have to go get new plants today anyway, so i'll give it a shot.

I found Harleguin Cabbage Bugs on my mustard yesterday. Been leaving holes in the leaves. They've only been on the mustard.

Sounds like leaf cutter ants..... They can be SUPER specific about what they eat at any given time. Have your neighbors ever had any plants (not just peppers) stripped?

B-1 83 said:

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Sounds like leaf cutter ants..... They can be SUPER specific about what they eat at any given time. Have your neighbors ever had any plants (not just peppers) stripped?

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not that i know of, but no neighbors of mine seem to be trying to grow/plant anything. In a section of townhouse/condos with pretty small back yards.

and appreciate the help btw.

You can also sprinkle some diatomaceous earth at the base of the plant.

I have this problem every year and it's cottontail rabbits that do it to ours. They are all over our neighborhood.

FSGuide said:

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I have this problem every year and it's cottontail rabbits that do it to ours. They are all over our neighborhood.

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that was a thought, but i've never seen one in the neighborhood and i see no tracks.

going to put down some sevin dust and see what happens.

GSS said:

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You're battling bugs, not four-legged critters. Sprinkle some Sevin dust around the base of each plant.

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directions say to apply directly to the plant. better to put at the base?

before or after watering?

thanks again everyone! fairly new to the gardening thing. Did a little bit last year. Will be in a house, instead of the condo, by this time next year and hope to put in a much larger garden.

Dust on the leaves after watering - don't want to wash it off. Will kill caterpillars when they eat it. Probably won't even touch leafcutter ants.

so if its leafcutter ants, sevin dust won't do anything? am i reading that correctly?

Look up diatomaceous earth. Diatomaceous earth is made from the fossilized remains of tiny, aquatic organisms called diatoms. Their skeletons are made of a natural substance called silica. The edges of these fossilized diatoms are extremely sharp and will lacerate the exoskeleton of nearly any crawling insect that comes in contact with them.

I think that's what you are looking if you are battling ants or insects on food plants. I am not a big organic guy, but if there is an organic alternative that works, I am all for it, but to each his own.

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I am not a big organic guy, but if there is an organic alternative that works, I am all for it, but to each his own.

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Amen

Back to Lowes.

MROD92 said:

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NOTHING works on cutter ants, God have mercy on your soul if that's the cause

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FSGuide said:

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I have this problem every year and it's cottontail rabbits that do it to ours. They are all over our neighborhood.

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I've got a cat I can rent you, that bad boy is hell on little cottontails.

Deer love pepper plants. Put up an electric fence around them and you'll be fine.

Nm

AggieOO said:

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I have a small raised bed garden. Something is eating only the pepper plants. Over the past few nights, whatever it is, has eaten every leaf off one of my jalapeno plants, and pretty much decimated the other jalapeno and a different type of pepper. Its eating the leaves whole. Its also not touching anything else. I have tomatoes, beans, strawberries, herbs, different types of flowers, carrots, etc.

I didn't have this issue last year.

There is no way its a deer (you'd laugh if you saw my back yard). I've seen a possum, but its been a long time. Would they do this? There are no prints around or in the raised bed. rodents?

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Yes

i'm very convinced its a possum now. i went out this morning and my somewhat small blackberry bush was eaten down to the ground.

Get a flashlight & pellet gun.

Set out a couple of those big spring far traps. Sounds like field rats. When I lived in Houston, I had field rats from the wooded property behind my home hit my garden the same as yours. I killed 5 in the first day, baiting with pecans. And

I checked on my jalapeo plants today and one of them looks like the leaves are getting eaten away? Anyone know what's causing it and how to fix it?

Peter Piper

not sure what's doing that to your japs, but i would guess some sort of caterpillar and would put Sevin dust on them.

turned out, i was battling a 4 legged critter, and not insects. I enclosed the raised bed in plastic fencing and netting, as well what was left of my blackberry plant. Since doing this, I've lost no more plants/leaves, and everything is starting to sprout new leaves.

should have gone with my gut instead of asking you idiots

Well the diatomaceous earth would have made his feet bleed (not serious), and the seven dust would have given him cancer. So long term, our recommendations might still have worked...

Whitetail said:

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Well the diatomaceous earth would have made his feet bleed (not serious), and the seven dust would have given him cancer. So long term, our recommendations might still have worked...

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