So I planted these about a week ago, and they were beautiful and healthy. Now...not so much. Everything else in the bed (admittedly not much, still working on placement...maybe a strike of luck) is looking healthy. I had a few more basil seedlings I was going to put it, but now I'm very hesitant.
[img]https://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u3/berru_photos/2011-10-25165249.jpg[/img]
The worst struck..
[img]https://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u3/berru_photos/2011-10-25165258.jpg[/img]
About 50 cm away...
[img]https://i164.photobucket.com/albums/u3/berru_photos/2011-10-25165327.jpg[/img]
And again...
You can sort of see the bugs, I hope. They're pretty small and numerous, black in colour with a bit of that rainbowy glint to them. What are they and what can I do to get rid of them? Basil is probably the thing I use the most of out of my garden D:
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elizaaabeth
- Full Member
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2011 10:08 pm
- Location: Brisbane, Australia
Do flea beetles eat basil? I don't remember that problem . . . usually they are all over radishes and those sorts of things. But, you don't see the bug there, Elizaaabeth?
Does this bug leap and disappear when you approach? Flea beetles are beetles but jump around a lot. Since they are beetles and not soft-bodied, soap doesn't really work for them.
I have long sprayed flea beetles with Rotenone/Pyrethrin to protect the cole crops and have had to use it on the tomatoes at times. That product is now hard to find. It worked fairly well for a number of different bugs.
Last year, I used Spinosad for most everything. And, it worked for most everything.
I have to say that my first thoughts were that the plants were shocked from transplanting, too much cold, or fusarium wilt. Most basils have real problems with fusarium at times. There are resistant varieties . . . but, it looks like the stems might be okay and fusarium works it's way up from the bottom of the plant. And, you say "bugs."
. . . not sure if that was any help.
Steve
Does this bug leap and disappear when you approach? Flea beetles are beetles but jump around a lot. Since they are beetles and not soft-bodied, soap doesn't really work for them.
I have long sprayed flea beetles with Rotenone/Pyrethrin to protect the cole crops and have had to use it on the tomatoes at times. That product is now hard to find. It worked fairly well for a number of different bugs.
Last year, I used Spinosad for most everything. And, it worked for most everything.
I have to say that my first thoughts were that the plants were shocked from transplanting, too much cold, or fusarium wilt. Most basils have real problems with fusarium at times. There are resistant varieties . . . but, it looks like the stems might be okay and fusarium works it's way up from the bottom of the plant. And, you say "bugs."
. . . not sure if that was any help.
Steve
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elizaaabeth
- Full Member
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Tue Aug 16, 2011 10:08 pm
- Location: Brisbane, Australia
Thanks for the reply 
Funnily enough, there are radish not far away and they're not affected as such. And a quick google of flea beetles and I'm pretty sure that's not them. I've sprayed them (with something I'm pretty sure is mainly pyrethrin) and that has slowed them down, but not stopped them. Spraying them with the hose seems to be equally effective, guh. But the last two plants are still persevering, so I'll take that as a good sign.
Thick headed as I am, transplanting shock didn't even cross my mind! I'm fairly sure it isn't too much cold as they've been out in the same area since they germinated/our minimums at the moment are like 16-18 Celsius. And another quick google of fusarium wilt, as you say doesn't seem likely. (Gosh, it's scary how much I have to learn!)
So I'll keep spraying and hope for the best (and plant the rest of the basil elsewhere), thanks again!
Funnily enough, there are radish not far away and they're not affected as such. And a quick google of flea beetles and I'm pretty sure that's not them. I've sprayed them (with something I'm pretty sure is mainly pyrethrin) and that has slowed them down, but not stopped them. Spraying them with the hose seems to be equally effective, guh. But the last two plants are still persevering, so I'll take that as a good sign.Thick headed as I am, transplanting shock didn't even cross my mind! I'm fairly sure it isn't too much cold as they've been out in the same area since they germinated/our minimums at the moment are like 16-18 Celsius. And another quick google of fusarium wilt, as you say doesn't seem likely. (Gosh, it's scary how much I have to learn!)
So I'll keep spraying and hope for the best (and plant the rest of the basil elsewhere), thanks again!
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gardencook
- Full Member
- Posts: 22
- Joined: Sun Oct 30, 2011 5:54 pm
- Location: San Diego, CA
My basil got hit by powdery mildew, which looks like this fine black dusting on the underside of the leaves, and ended up looking chewed up like that. Take a look on the underside of any leaves that still have some green to them and see if there's anything there.
I've been told that once your plant gets hit by this stuff, it's pretty much a goner and you'll want to sterilize the soil or pot it was in. However, a local nursery has since told me there's a certain kind of spray you can use to help prevent/eliminate, which I haven't had a chance to try out yet.
I've been told that once your plant gets hit by this stuff, it's pretty much a goner and you'll want to sterilize the soil or pot it was in. However, a local nursery has since told me there's a certain kind of spray you can use to help prevent/eliminate, which I haven't had a chance to try out yet.