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raceskier

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My little ones are growing up fast. However yesterday I found something small has been nibbling, so far on my Crystal only. I can't see anything there, even under 5X magnification. Any ideas?

Wait! Now that I look at the picture, Is that the varmint right there in the lower left?

Varmints.jpg
 
I don't think that is your culprit in the bottom there. They like dark, damp places, usually. However, I'm no bug expert. According to this site, they do minimal damage to vegetation and aren't pests.
 
Naaa, the pillbug prolly didnt do that, they like dead stuff. The holes are tiny. Don't worry about it unless they get a lot worse. Look under the leaves and see if anything is hanging out. Knock 'em off with a spray bottle, or just let it be.
 
Looks like Slug damage. Tbh, you shouldn't worry about that much damage. If it gets significantly worse, you can put out beer traps :D (just make sure you don't wander out into them in the middle of the night :fro:). The other thing (and you should probably do this anyway) is to pull that mulch back about 2" away from the base of the plant. You can also buy some Sluggo.
 
Grasshopper! I had the same S#@$ going on and finally cought the lil some bitc#.Jump in eat, jump out. Lil bastids.
 
What about aphids? any little white guys on the undersides of the leaves? They make holes like that.
 
What about aphids? any little white guys on the undersides of the leaves? They make holes like that.

I think this One Should Have A Sticky!!!


Its probably one of two things if you can't see the bugs. Very likely spider mites or aphids.

To keep them away do one of the following;



Option 1
Mix ~1tsp of soap with one quart of water. The soap should be non detergent type. Like softsoap. Fill a garden sprayer with this blend of soapy water. Then thoroughly spray your hops.​
A well cleaned out garden sprayer is the best for this. But a used glass cleaner bottle could do the same job.​
Caution! - Trial test this on one leaf for 1 or 2 days to make sure your soap selection won't kill it first!!

Option 2 (More Serious Course of Action)
Wet the leaves, or do this with morning dew present, then sprinkle Diatomaceous Earth on the vines & leaves. The dust dehydrates the bugs and kills them.​
Caution! - The dust is very irritating to your lungs use a mask & gloves.
If you see lady bugs on your hops leave them be. They eat aphids.

If you see beetles you will need pestacides.

You can spray all the way up to cone formation, after that begins stop using these bug deterents.

:fro:
 
Aphids weaken plants by attaching to the stem and tender areas and suck the sap, thus draining the plants life, from what I have ever seen they do not eat the plant matter itself. The round holes in the leaves look like the effect of the rasping feeding method of Slugs, but I see no slime trails...but that can be washed off. If you see glistening slime trails it is Slugs or Snails. Best way to find out, if you eat a Melon take half the shell and place it cut side down overnight at the base of the plant. In the morning turn it over.
 
I also have had something eating the leaves of my baby Cascades. I suspected slugs but had never seen any evidence. This dark and dreary morning I found several small slugs sleeping off their late night meal around my plants.

My first instinct is to ring the plants with salt, but I don't know what that will do to the soil around my plants. I guess this means a trip to Lowes this evening for some Slug-Be-Gone or something like that.

:drunk:
 
My first instinct is to ring the plants with salt, but I don't know what that will do to the soil around my plants. I guess this means a trip to Lowes this evening for some Slug-Be-Gone or something like that.

:drunk:

DO NOT use salt. Salt is toxic to most plants and is cumulative in the soil. They sell Sluggo which I believe is Iron Phosphate.
 
Some of the slugs killers are simply diatomaceous earth (silica shells of ancient diatoms). To a slug it is the equivalent of "walking" on broken glass. What you don't use in the garden you can use to filter your beer (its what the BMC boys use, or at least used to use)
 
Thanks for all of the replies. I know there are snails around. I have put out a lot of snail bait for them. I would assume that would take care of slugs as well, although I have never seen any of them. There are some big ass black beetles that hang out in my apple tree behind the hops. I didn't suspect them, as they are probably big enough to finish off a hop leaf in a single meal. I know there are ladybugs in the area, but I haven't seen any in my yard. I did look for mites and aphids under the leaves with a 5X magnifier, without finding anything. If it keeps up, I picked up some supposedly fruit and vegetable safe insecticide from HD and will try that. I will also look into the diatomaceous earth.
 
You saved me the trouble of posting pictures. I have the same problem on all my babies. Just a couple minutes ago i was inspecting the leaves and noticed a little green F*&k*r jump away from the bine. I kept wondering what the problem was for the last couple of weeks and finally got my answer. Can't wait to kill the bastard! By the way this is my first post. Thanks to all for the useful info on the site!!!!
 
Try my earlier soap suggestion in a garden sprayer. There is nothing to loose doing this. It'll also keep other critters away.

My source of info is from the book "Hombrewers Garden" This is a well known hop growing text.
 
Its probably one of two things if you can't see the bugs. Very likely spider mites or aphids.

Wow! That's a pretty bold yet firm assumption.

Is it not a possibility that the bug isn't seen because it isn't there? For shame, to drop in for a hop salad buffet and not tip the waiter.
 
Wow! That's a pretty bold yet firm assumption.

Is it not a possibility that the bug isn't seen because it isn't there? For shame, to drop in for a hop salad buffet and not tip the waiter.

You are correct. However, the Hop Book I have claims these are the two very small common insects that eat hop plants. Beetles are also listed japanese & the cucumber. So it also a possibility that its there and you can't see it too.

Maybe its someting else. The important thing is the means for getting rid of them and others is spraying the plant with something that keeps them from eating. Soap is quick easy way for doing this.
 
Thanks for all of the replies. I know there are snails around. I have put out a lot of snail bait for them. I would assume that would take care of slugs as well, although I have never seen any of them. There are some big ass black beetles that hang out in my apple tree behind the hops. I didn't suspect them, as they are probably big enough to finish off a hop leaf in a single meal. I know there are ladybugs in the area, but I haven't seen any in my yard. I did look for mites and aphids under the leaves with a 5X magnifier, without finding anything. If it keeps up, I picked up some supposedly fruit and vegetable safe insecticide from HD and will try that. I will also look into the diatomaceous earth.


Most Black Beetles are your allies as they eat other insects. I don't necessarily think they are discriminating, but they won't eat your plants. The DE is good, but you have to reapply after it rains.
 
You saved me the trouble of posting pictures. I have the same problem on all my babies. Just a couple minutes ago i was inspecting the leaves and noticed a little green F*&k*r jump away from the bine. I kept wondering what the problem was for the last couple of weeks and finally got my answer. Can't wait to kill the bastard! By the way this is my first post. Thanks to all for the useful info on the site!!!!

If this was green and jumped away and not yellow/black and ran away, then is is likely a leafhopper, and is probably not the cause of holes in the leaf. Leafhoppers feed by sucking the juice out of leaves, like a mosquito on an animal. The big issue with them (and aphids - also suckers) is that they are major vectors for transmitting viruses. Damage for the leaf hoppers will starts as small yellow spots that get bigger and can turn brown or black. They usually don't cause much damage themselves, it's the viruses they can potentially carry that are the big issue with them.

Whichever it is, treatment is the same. With insecticidal soaps, they work best when you can get the spray on the bug itself (contact activity), not just on the plant which is then eaten by the bug (residual activity). Other things like sevin and malathion have more residual activity which can help if the little F*&k*rs jump off the plant when you go to spray it. Oil sprays work well on soft bodied insects (aphids, mealy bugs) and scale, but is strictly a contact "poison". It basically coats the little buggers and suffocates them.
 
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