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Leafminers leave telltale tracks

Damage may not be pretty, but relax -- it's just cosmetic

Sacramento Digs Gardening
BY Debbie Arrington PUBLISHED AUG 24, 2020

This shishito pepper plant has evidence of leafminer damage on the leaves. (Photos: Kathy Morrison)

Some garden pests become a nuisance in hot weather. Their damage may not be pretty, but eliminating these little culprits can cause more harm than benefit.

Such is the case of leafminers. The larvae of little black flies, these worms cause serpentine trails on leaf surfaces as they tunnel (or mine) for food just below the surface.

The life cycle of this little pest is only two weeks, so there can seem to be sudden spikes in activity. As gardeners, we don’t notice the black flies – just the winding tracks on foliage left by the larvae.

According to UC Cooperative Extension master gardeners, leafminers attack a wide range of hosts, including cole crops (cabbage, kale, broccoli, etc.), cucurbits (squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, melons), tomatoes, peas, beans, asters, begonias, dahlias, impatiens, lilies, marigolds, petunias and verbena. This year especially, that list includes pepper plants.

Except for seedlings, this damage rarely harms the host plant. It’s cosmetic and really only is a problem for leaf crops such as cabbage, kale, chard and spinach. Protect those seedlings with crop covers. (They probably will appreciate a little shade, too.)

Treatment generally is not required for leafminer damage.

As for other crops, trim off and dispose of invested leaves. Pesticides aren’t particularly effective against leafminers; spraying has to be perfectly timed to actually work. And any spraying will kill the beneficial insects that feed on the leafminer flies and larvae, so it’s doubly bad.

For ornamental plants, systemic pesticides can dissuade the leafminer from munching (but it also makes the plant inedible for people).

Neem oil often is recommended as a way to generally treat any pest infestation. But applied in the heat of August, neem oil will fry the foliage, not save the plant.

Instead, here’s the advice from the UC integrated pest management website:

“Leafminers rarely require treatment in gardens. Provide proper care, especially irrigation to keep plants vigorous. Clip off and remove older infested leaves.

"Plant resistant species or varieties. Small seedlings can be protected by protective cloth. On plants such as cole crops, lettuce, and spinach, clip off and remove older infested leaves.

"Leafminers are often kept under good control by natural parasites. Insecticides are not very effective for leafminer control.”

So, if you see squiggles on leaves, reach for your scissors first. More on leafminers: http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/GARDEN/VEGES/PESTS/vegleafminers.html

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UC Cooperative Extension UCCE master gardeners gardening Sacramento pests vegetable gardening ornamentals UC IPM

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Garden Checklist for week of May 19

Temperatures will be a bit higher than normal in the afternoons this week. Take care of chores early in the day – then enjoy the afternoon. It’s time to smell the roses.

* Plant, plant, plant! It’s prime planting season in the Sacramento area. If you haven’t already, it’s time to set out those tomato transplants along with peppers and eggplants. Pinch off any flowers on new transplants to make them concentrate on establishing roots instead of setting premature fruit.

* Direct-seed melons, cucumbers, summer squash, corn, radishes, pumpkins and annual herbs such as basil.

* Harvest cabbage, lettuce, peas and green onions.

* In the flower garden, direct-seed sunflowers, cosmos, salvia, zinnias, marigolds, celosia and asters.

* Plant dahlia tubers. Other perennials to set out include verbena, coreopsis, coneflower and astilbe.

* Transplant petunias, marigolds and perennial flowers such as astilbe, columbine, coneflowers, coreopsis, dahlias, rudbeckia and verbena.

* Keep an eye out for slugs, snails, earwigs and aphids that want to dine on tender new growth.

* Feed summer bloomers with a balanced fertilizer.

* For continued bloom, cut off spent flowers on roses as well as other flowering plants.

* Don’t forget to water. Seedlings need moisture. Deep watering will help build strong roots and healthy plants.

* Add mulch to the garden to help keep that precious water from evaporating. Mulch also cuts down on weeds. But don’t let it mound around the stems or trunks of trees or shrubs. Leave about a 6-inch to 1-foot circle to avoid crown rot or other problems.

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