Eroding leaves? Any ideas on what's causing this and how to fix ? Could this still be caterpillars/skipper butterflies

LaTrelle F
by LaTrelle F
erroding leaves. Thanks to the folks here, I think I have the 'eaten leaves' issue resolved using BT, but last week I noticed this on some of my leaves and it is getting worse. Seems focus on the cabbage, collards and starting on the cucumbers
Eroding leaves, maybe 1.
Eroding leaves, maybe 2
Eroding leaves, maybe 3
Eroding leaves, maybe 4
Eroding leaves, maybe 5
just a bragging moment - cucumbers
just a bragging moment - tomatoes finally turning red
just a bragging moment - not sure what this is, but it is growing.
  11 answers
  • KMS Woodworks KMS Woodworks on Jun 10, 2012
    Looks like something is eating them...have you crawled about doing some serious looking? many times you can find the hungry beast hiding under some of these leaves...once you know who is eating you can treat accordingly.....BT does wonders for many pests.
  • Walter Reeves Walter Reeves on Jun 10, 2012
    The cabbage has black rot....a common and serious disease. There is little you can do about it other than making sure you buy disease-free transplants. You also should eliminate weeds in the garden....some in the crucifer family can harbor the disease. Use a light layer of mulch under plants when you plant them.
  • Walter Reeves Walter Reeves on Jun 10, 2012
    Keep a sharp eye out for Mexican bean beetles. Their feeding often looks like it's eroding a leaf.
  • Douglas Hunt Douglas Hunt on Jun 11, 2012
    Congratulations on the tomatoes and cukes (and what looks like a cantaloupe to me).
  • LaTrelle F LaTrelle F on Jun 11, 2012
    Walter is it ok to just dig up this crop and replant them? Do we need to treat the ground or just be sure to use the mulch once replanted as you suggested?
  • LaTrelle F LaTrelle F on Jun 11, 2012
    Thanks Douglas. We suspect that it is a cantelope, but since we didn't plant any, we were surprised to see this pop up. We're assuming we picked up the wrong seeds or the wrong seeds were packaged with the cucumbers. Quite exciting though.
  • LaTrelle F LaTrelle F on Jun 11, 2012
    Also Walter - will the BT take care of the "Mexican bean beetles" also?
  • Walter Reeves Walter Reeves on Jun 12, 2012
    The black rot bacteria survives in soil for at least a year. Plant something else there for at least that long. Bt will not kill bean beetles. Try products with spinosad.
  • LaTrelle F LaTrelle F on Jun 12, 2012
    Ahhh, thanks a lot Walter!!!
  • Look for the tomato horn worm early in the mornings, as the sun comes up. check the back of the leaves