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leaf miners

R

Rob

What is the best way to control leaf miners? I have them on roughly 20% of my leaves. I am trying to avoid using a strong pesticide but they seem to be getting out of control! :( Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
 
I had heard that neem wouldn't be effective against the larvae because they are inside the leaves. I will go ahead and try it though. Thanks for the replies.
 
Leaf miners? What is that??? Are they the same thing as Aphids? OMG, how do you know if you've got them? As if I'm not paranoid enough...:rolleyes:
 
just pick off the affected leaves and put sticky traps around to keep new ones from being laid. there's very little you can do to stop the larva already in the leaf, i think there are a few predatory insects that'll get 'em out (not ladybugs, which sucks cuz those are the easy ones to get) but if it's not a really big portion of the leaves just pick them off, more will grow back.
 
GrumpyBear said:
...if it's not a really big portion of the leaves just pick them off, more will grow back.
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They are in roughly 1 out of every 5 leaves. Is it ok to remove that many? most of the plants have only 4 leaves as it is.
 
so long as it's not every single leaf on a plant it should survive, it'll just look like the plant is naked ;)
i just have never heard of any way, other then some kind of wasp, to get them out once they're already in. we had them on a maple in the yard, tree guys came and sprayed dormant oil and removed the branches with the damage. neem should do the same as dormant oil (and, y'know, be safe for indoors...) but that's just to keep them from laying new eggs, like the sticky traps.
 
i think the only way you can be absolutely sure to kill them is with a systemic pesticide and I don't know any organic pesticides for systemic use...
 
Rob said:
They are in roughly 1 out of every 5 leaves. Is it ok to remove that many? most of the plants have only 4 leaves as it is.
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yep - rip the leaves off & bin them. Most chilli plants can survive being cut right back to the stump. Theres a few pics around the forum of people over-wintering like that.
 
Good to hear you got rid of them!!!! It sucks to have your plants ruined by them.

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