My very first time starting seeds cabbage disease

[Madison]

@Madison sorry, whatever black spots are being mentioned i can't see any in your picture. my eyes aren't the best and i do wear glasses, but when i can see a plant in person i am near-sighted so i can take the glasses off and look close up or get a magnifier out.

@Ridgerunner if damage happens to a leaf as it is growing the hole can get bigger, but yes, perhaps it is something else. without being there and seeing what is going on can't say for sure. i do agree with you that knowing general location would help as there are no butterflies/moths out here yet (no skeeters or midges either )...

If you look at the seedling in the center of the photo that has the most specks. I can try and take a better picture this weekend. However, whatever this thing is has killed every single one of my cabbage seedlings. Nothing else was affected at all.

 

[flowerbug]

I am pretty certain it isn't slugs.

good to hear, because by now you'd have seen a lot more damage and trails (edit, i guess i spoke too soon).

i did see my first cabbage butterfly Wednesday. was surprised they got started so early.

 

[Madison]

I also don't see black spots, I do see holes in the leafs where something has nibbled on them. Could be slug damage, and as mentioned above they will most likely recover from it once outside.

They didn't get a chance to recover, they all died. If you look at the leaves of the plant in the center of the photo that is where the concentration of the specks is greatest. They are tiny so if you don't know what you're looking for it can be hard to spot.

 

[flowerbug]

If you look at the seedling in the center of the photo that has the most specks. I can try and take a better picture this weekend. However, whatever this thing is has killed every single one of my cabbage seedlings. Nothing else was affected at all.

how can you get a better picture if they're all dead? (i'm confused)...

black specks may be aphids.

 

[Ridgerunner]

What is BT?

Bacillus thuringiensis (or Bt) is an organic approved insecticide. There are a few different types, that's why you need to know the pest, but in general they give the pest a stomach ache so they stop eating and starve to death. It doesn't take long. The most common one targets caterpillars.

Since you are in Texas, why not send a good photo and description to Texas A&M, your land grant college. Or even better, call your county extension office. This link should help you find them. This is the kind of stuff your extension office should be able to handle.

https://counties.agrilife.org/

 

[Madison]

how can you get a better picture if they're all dead? (i'm confused)...

black specks may be aphids.

I haven't thrown them away yet.. And they're still covered in black specks. They never had any aphids on them. Some of my other seedlings have aphids but not these

 

[Madison]

Bacillus thuringiensis (or Bt) is an organic approved insecticide. There are a few different types, that's why you need to know the pest, but in general they give the pest a stomach ache so they stop eating and starve to death. It doesn't take long. The most common one targets caterpillars.

Since you are in Texas, why not send a good photo and description to Texas A&M, your land grant college. Or even better, call your county extension office. This link should help you find them. This is the kind of stuff your extension office should be able to handle.

https://counties.agrilife.org/

Does this insecticide harm other, good bugs as well? Or livestock?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Does this insecticide harm other, good bugs as well? Or livestock?

It is very species specific. The caterpillar one can kill many different kinds of caterpillars, some you might find beneficial. But it will not harm beetles or other insects. It will not harm bees.

 

[catjac1975]

What is BT?

Bacillus thuringiensis, often abbreviated as Bt, is a naturally-occurring bacteria that makes pests sick when they eat it. There are two strains commonly used as natural pesticides.

Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki (Btk) gives excellent control of leaf-eating caterpillars such as cabbage worms and tomato hornworms, but has no activity against insects that do not eat treated leaves. After the insects eat the bacteria, their guts rupture and they die. Bt is therefore one of the safest natural pesticides you can use in terms of controlling caterpillar pests of vegetables or fruits without harming beneficial insects.

 

[catjac1975]

They are black spots. I can wipe or dust the black spots off of the leaves.

Do they look like bugs?