Desperate for help with leafminers

elight · November 6, 2015

I have a variety of in-ground and container plants that have been consumed with leafminers this fall. I keep removing affected foliage, but it doesn't seem to slow them down and some plants are almost bare at this point. The container plants seem to be the hardest hit. I am guessing that some past insecticide spraying in a previous season or at the beginning of this season (honestly can't remember) might have killed a natural predator; lesson learned.

What's strange is that I also have two containers with lettuce and herbs planted away from the tomatoes, on my pool deck and inside my pool enclosure. I've just noticed some leafminer activity in those as well.

So, some questions:

1. Is it possible the leaf miners came from my grow media? Although none of the ingredients in my raised beds (compost/vermiculite/peat) are shared with the containers (pine bark/perlite/peat-based mix).

2. I ordered some parasitic wasps out of desperation. Has anyone had success with these? Do I need to do more than one release of them to be effective?

3. Is there anything else I can do this season, or anything I can do for the spring season, to prevent this from happening again (other than not using the insecticide)?

Thank you!

coastal bend · November 6, 2015

Spinosad will get ride of them. It is a BT and will penetrate the leaf and kill the nymph and also take out the adult and egg. It will not go into new growth. It will be under brand name Monterey the one I use there some other brands. Works good on worms too.

elight · November 6, 2015

Thanks, coastal. After Googling the topic and spinosad, I found the following previous discussion here on TV from 8 years ago:

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=4845

I'm placing an order right now on Amazon - fingers crossed!

ginger2778 · November 6, 2015

Spinosad is great, but even easier and last all season would be yellow sticky traps. The flys that lay leaf miner eggs are strongly attracted to the yellow color. Since I have been using them I wont say I am leaf miner free, but I am virtually leaf miner free. The tiny flies are whiteflies, they are strongly attracted to the yellow too. Caution, only this brand is very sticky to flies, but humanely not sticky enough to trap lizards and birds. Don't get the $1 cheaper brand, or you will regret it like I did. About pulled out all the wing feathers on a poor bird.

http://www.amazon.com/Yellow-Sticky-...w+sticky+traps

elight · November 6, 2015

Thanks, Marsha! I'll try these too. At this point, I think I need to try everything simultaneously if I want to save this season. Question: it seems to indicate that this is a pack of 15? Is that correct? If so, how many cards should I put out? I have two EarthTainers, 3 5-gallon buckets, and two 4x4 raised beds.

Barb_FL · November 6, 2015

I'm a convert this season. I had horrible leaf miners at the start; but wouldn't use the yellow cards because I bought a different brand and lizards got stuck.

Make sure you buy that brand; I've never had a bee or beneficial caught on one either.

I use them now on everything; even tiny seedlings still in cells; the amount of bugs stuck is amazing.

I use 1 card per EB.

ginger2778 · November 6, 2015

I put them out every 5 feet. Barb cuts them in half and puts the sticky side towards the plant, I think. Is that right, Barb? I really should start doing that too. So they will go a long way. And 1 card is all you need for a whole season, even our very long ones. They dont go bad, so a pack of 15 should last a long time. I move them up as the plant grows to keep them near the tender more susceptible parts of the plant. Can't live without them!

Barb_FL · November 6, 2015

I just use 1 side for seedlings and clamp it down. I did a few like that for single plants, (non-EB) but found after awhile they tore at the hole so I just use both sides now.

For seedlings (I'm talking small young just sprouted seedlings), I can't believe how many bugs it has caught. Those nasty fly looking leaf miner plus others.

Too bad Moths aren't attracted to it.

elight · November 7, 2015

I'm placing my order now. The punched hole looks perfect for hanging from a tomato cage!

I just released the Trichogramma parasitic wasps last night (although who knows how long until they hatch). I ordered the spinosad (went with Captain Jack's brand - was the cheapest per ounce, and the ingredients were the same), too.

Do you think that the spinosad and sticky traps will also kill the wasps? If so, I wonder if I should wait a week until after the hatch before using those... on the other hand, I feel like the spinosad and sticky traps have a higher likelihood of working and I shouldn't delay using them.

ginger2778 · November 7, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by elight

I'm placing my order now. The punched hole looks perfect for hanging from a tomato cage!

I just released the Trichogramma parasitic wasps last night (although who knows how long until they hatch). I ordered the spinosad (went with Captain Jack's brand - was the cheapest per ounce, and the ingredients were the same), too.

Do you think that the spinosad and sticky traps will also kill the wasps? If so, I wonder if I should wait a week until after the hatch before using those... on the other hand, I feel like the spinosad and sticky traps have a higher likelihood of working and I shouldn't delay using them.

Yes, they even supply the twist ties to go through the holes. I have never seen a wasp on them, but maybe because I am looking for full size wasps. Aren't parasitic wasps small and fly like. I know sweat bees look like little green fly thingys.

kurt · November 7, 2015

You will be shooting yourself in the foot using both(traps/wasps)the wasps will inadvertently go after prey if caught on the trap.Here in the enclosed screened pool I use the sticky lures because I have found when I go in and out some of those pests will follow or get blown in.I even think that they can get through screen when small enough.Outside the area I keep a regimen of Wasps,Ladybugs,Lacewings that keep the pests at bay for the fruiting trees I have.

So after reading Coastal Bends report I surmise/ suppose Spinosad will be a great soil drench.Spinosad will affect the wasps,miners,whiteflys and including any beneficial flying insects on flowering plants from what literature reads.Kinda like being between a timing,life cycle of one predator,life cycle of a pest,where they live and breed,where to spray(leaf,soil)Tough decisions there.If it was my dilemma it would be Spinosad and sticky traps inside screened areas,wasps outside.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMG-LWyNcAs

coastal bend · November 7, 2015

parasitic wasp or small like a gnat really good for controlling aphid and also on worm egg. The spinosad will last 10 days or more depending on weather the main reason I use spinosad is for worms I always have heavy worm pressure in my tomatoes . I have to spray it ever 10 days to 2 weeks. I doubt I could raise toms without it. plus it has the extra benefits of controlling miners and find a few dead white fly but don't know if it would control a heavy infestation also I don't see many aphid on the plants but not sure if that is due to the spinosad or I just never have heavy populations. Now if I could figure out how to stop stink bugs in the late season.

elight · November 13, 2015

Well, the parasitic wasps went out last Friday. Today, I put out the sticky cards and sprayed with Spinosad for the first time. I hope it's not a case of "too little too late". Most of the plants are a mess of disease (pruned off what I could) and insect damage. I fertilized with MG (usually wouldn't use this late in the season - I've move on to TTF once the plants start fruiting) in the hopes of spurring some new growth and improving overall health. I was hoping to have fresh tomatoes for Thanksgiving, and I'll have a ton - but now I wonder if the plants will live much past that.

If it was a month later, I'd throw in the towel and get ready to plant seeds for the spring (February), but I'm going to try to salvage this season.

Bipetual · November 13, 2015

Another vote for sticky traps. I'm awfully glad I bought the right kind, since when they were new I forgot they were there and got my hair stuck to one.

Mine were very full before my short season was over, but hopefully being in Florida your experience will be more like
Marsha's and Barb's. Good luck, hope you don't catch too many wasps.

elight · December 12, 2015

I wanted to give a 1-month-later update. Thankfully, some combination of the sticky traps, the parasitic wasps and the Spinosad did the trick. There has been almost no new leafminer activity, and with the weather still very nice and a good fertilization program, I've been able to achieve new foliage growth and a second round of fruit set.

My guess is that the Spinosad was the most effective of the treatments, although the sticky traps are certainly catching lots of flying pests.

Thank you everyone for your assistance!

November 6, 2015	#1
elight Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Allentown, PA Posts: 349	Desperate for help with leafminers I have a variety of in-ground and container plants that have been consumed with leafminers this fall. I keep removing affected foliage, but it doesn't seem to slow them down and some plants are almost bare at this point. The container plants seem to be the hardest hit. I am guessing that some past insecticide spraying in a previous season or at the beginning of this season (honestly can't remember) might have killed a natural predator; lesson learned. What's strange is that I also have two containers with lettuce and herbs planted away from the tomatoes, on my pool deck and inside my pool enclosure. I've just noticed some leafminer activity in those as well. So, some questions: 1. Is it possible the leaf miners came from my grow media? Although none of the ingredients in my raised beds (compost/vermiculite/peat) are shared with the containers (pine bark/perlite/peat-based mix). 2. I ordered some parasitic wasps out of desperation. Has anyone had success with these? Do I need to do more than one release of them to be effective? 3. Is there anything else I can do this season, or anything I can do for the spring season, to prevent this from happening again (other than not using the insecticide)? Thank you!

November 7, 2015	#11
kurt Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Homestead,Everglades City Fl. Posts: 2,501	You will be shooting yourself in the foot using both(traps/wasps)the wasps will inadvertently go after prey if caught on the trap.Here in the enclosed screened pool I use the sticky lures because I have found when I go in and out some of those pests will follow or get blown in.I even think that they can get through screen when small enough.Outside the area I keep a regimen of Wasps,Ladybugs,Lacewings that keep the pests at bay for the fruiting trees I have. So after reading Coastal Bends report I surmise/ suppose Spinosad will be a great soil drench.Spinosad will affect the wasps,miners,whiteflys and including any beneficial flying insects on flowering plants from what literature reads.Kinda like being between a timing,life cycle of one predator,life cycle of a pest,where they live and breed,where to spray(leaf,soil)Tough decisions there.If it was my dilemma it would be Spinosad and sticky traps inside screened areas,wasps outside. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMG-LWyNcAs __________________ KURT Last edited by kurt; November 7, 2015 at 03:18 PM. Reason: New info.

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November 6, 2015	#2
coastal bend Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: south texas Posts: 114	Spinosad will get ride of them. It is a BT and will penetrate the leaf and kill the nymph and also take out the adult and egg. It will not go into new growth. It will be under brand name Monterey the one I use there some other brands. Works good on worms too.

November 6, 2015	#6
Barb_FL Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Indialantic, Florida Posts: 2,000	I'm a convert this season. I had horrible leaf miners at the start; but wouldn't use the yellow cards because I bought a different brand and lizards got stuck. Make sure you buy that brand; I've never had a bee or beneficial caught on one either. I use them now on everything; even tiny seedlings still in cells; the amount of bugs stuck is amazing. I use 1 card per EB.

November 6, 2015	#7
ginger2778 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10 Posts: 9,283	I put them out every 5 feet. Barb cuts them in half and puts the sticky side towards the plant, I think. Is that right, Barb? I really should start doing that too. So they will go a long way. And 1 card is all you need for a whole season, even our very long ones. They dont go bad, so a pack of 15 should last a long time. I move them up as the plant grows to keep them near the tender more susceptible parts of the plant. Can't live without them!

November 13, 2015	#13
elight Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Allentown, PA Posts: 349	Well, the parasitic wasps went out last Friday. Today, I put out the sticky cards and sprayed with Spinosad for the first time. I hope it's not a case of "too little too late". Most of the plants are a mess of disease (pruned off what I could) and insect damage. I fertilized with MG (usually wouldn't use this late in the season - I've move on to TTF once the plants start fruiting) in the hopes of spurring some new growth and improving overall health. I was hoping to have fresh tomatoes for Thanksgiving, and I'll have a ton - but now I wonder if the plants will live much past that. If it was a month later, I'd throw in the towel and get ready to plant seeds for the spring (February), but I'm going to try to salvage this season.

November 13, 2015	#14
Bipetual Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Illinois, zone 5a Posts: 579	Another vote for sticky traps. I'm awfully glad I bought the right kind, since when they were new I forgot they were there and got my hair stuck to one. Mine were very full before my short season was over, but hopefully being in Florida your experience will be more like Marsha's and Barb's. Good luck, hope you don't catch too many wasps.

December 12, 2015	#15
elight Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Allentown, PA Posts: 349	I wanted to give a 1-month-later update. Thankfully, some combination of the sticky traps, the parasitic wasps and the Spinosad did the trick. There has been almost no new leafminer activity, and with the weather still very nice and a good fertilization program, I've been able to achieve new foliage growth and a second round of fruit set. My guess is that the Spinosad was the most effective of the treatments, although the sticky traps are certainly catching lots of flying pests. Thank you everyone for your assistance!