Young Tomato and Eggplants Dying

[Janibd]

Hi,

I’m in South Florida, so our vegetable growing season is now. These are plants that I started in August to be planted out in October. But they are all dying before or shortly after they are planted. Does anyone know what disease/insect issue I’m having? And can I bring them back, or do I have to restart my seeds?

Thanks so much!

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[Seven Bends]

You've got extensive caterpillar/worm damage visible in photos 2-7, with frass visible in several of them (see especially the underside of the leaf in photo #3 and the center of the plant in photo #2.) Looks like some caterpillar/worm damage in photo #1 also; not sure if the browning of the leaves in that photo is entirely due to that or if there's something else going on, too.

Examine all your plants carefully, including under the leaves, to find out what's eating them. Since the plants are small, you can hold them upside down under a faucet and scrub everything (worms, frass, eggs) off the leaves. Then I'd spray or dust them with something if you want to try to save them.

[pepperhead212]

The only time I ever had something like that happen to my eggplants, and it was was when they were larger, was the only time I ever planted potatoes, and the larvae of the potato beetle, and other beetles on the potatoes spilled out on many of the other plants in the garden. Strange thing, looking at the potatoes you wouldn't know anything was on them - they just outgrew it all! And certain varieties were hit harder, becoming web-like almost overnight, like in some of your photos. Flea beetles are all I have much of now, causing a lot of tiny holes. You have a lot more down there, than I have, as far as pests, and they have been living most of the year! Caterpillars are usually easy to spot, esp. as they get larger, along with slugs, but most of the other bugs I have had problems with, large or small, hang out on the undersides of the leaves. I don't know if some of those really bad plants you have you'll want to try to save, but try to figure out what is there, first, then, what I would do, even though I try not to use many chemicals, is spray a coating of pyrethrin solution, which kills just about everything, though it deactivates quickly. So I spray it late, when most of the usual pollinators are "going to sleep". Next day, wash off the dead insects and frass from the plants, esp. the undersides of the leaves. Then, after figuring out what the pest(s) were, try to prevent the same thing from happening again!

There are Bt treatments for many pests out there. And something that I use on most of my plants for most of the year, is I spray Surround on the plants, esp. the undersides of the leaves. That kaolin clay powder keeps most insects off the plants, including those flea beetles I mentioned, on the eggplants, which were a major problem before I started the Surround. And one good thing about the Surround is that it doesn't wash off easily - after a light rain, it's still mostly on the leaves, and after a heavy rain it will still be somewhat visible, though that's when I'd re- apply. And the undersides stay pretty much coated. Usually, once a week, I'd just have to apply to new growth.

[Seven Bends]

The frass in those pictures looks to me like excrement from caterpillars, not beetle larvae. I think if you examine the plants, you're going to find one of the species of armyworms, maybe the southern armyworm or fall armyworm, though there are other possibilities. See here for southern armyworm; scroll down to the "Damage" header for a picture of damaged leaves. https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/ve ... myworm.htm

Bt is a great control measure for various caterpillars, though it's less effective on mature ones. I think you need either Bt kurstaki or Bt aizawai, not sure. Maybe someone else here can point you to the right product. You'll have to apply it repeatedly for effective control. Spinosad spray is another option. Horticultural oil or neem oil could work. If you're not organic, Sevin dust or spray will work (best to use only on non-blooming plants to avoid harming bees). But start by hand-picking the worms and washing off the frass and eggs as best you can, if the plants are little.

[MissS]

I agree with the others that you have some sort of caterpillar at work due to the evidence of frass and webbing. I also think that you have another common pest at work, flea beetles. They are small shiny black insects that multiply rapidly and devour your plants. I circled what I think are two of them.

I think that given the severity of the damage that I would use Sevin and then follow up regularly with some neem oil spray.

[bower]

BT-k is the one to use for caterpillars. It will kill everything in the moth/butterfly family without affecting other beneficials, and leaves no toxic residue to worry about.

[MissS]

Check this enlarged image. The red is what I believe to be flea beetles and the yellow just might be your caterpillar.

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[Seven Bends]

Check this enlarged image. The red is what I believe to be flea beetles and the yellow just might be your caterpillar.image.png

Oh, good eye finding the caterpillar! I missed that. Looks like an armyworm instar to me. I think what you've circled in the red is frass.