Need more details. Why do you want to use lime? Do you have low soil pH? Lime should be incorporated into soil well before planting. What do these bugs look like? Can you provide a picture?

Agree. Lime for what reason and what are the bugs? If you can't provide a photo can you at least give us a detailed description of their appearance? Color, size, stripes, spots, beetles or flies, type size of holes, etc.

Dave

I honestly don't see any bugs, there's holes in the leaves so that's what I'm assuming is happening.

Haven't tested the soil but tomato plants have some brown leaves, just didn't know if that would cure. I guess I could always use fertilizer.

I don't mean any offense but may I ask if you are new to gardening or not? The reason I ask is there are some issues in your questions that are very different from common practices and I simply don't know how much detail to go into in explaining it all.

For example, why would lime cure, or even have any effect, on brown tomato leaves? Dusting plants with lime is a very 'old school' practice and yes I am old enough to remember doing it and all the reasons we were given for why it should be done. :) But that was when we had no other options and it has long been proven to have no practical benefit, especially when compared to the much more be ineffective treatments available today. About the only thing it can do if used inappropriately is have a negative effect on the soil's pH.

Why if you haven't seen any bugs have you been using Sevin Dust?

Many things can cause holes in leaves - slugs, snails, birds, various caterpillars, etc. none of them wouldn't be affected by Sevin dust anyway. Meanwhile bees and other beneficial insects would be killed. Also , holes in plant leaves often pose no threat to the plants unless the damage is severe enough to destroy more than 50-60% of the leaf surface.

So could you please provide us with some more details and an explanation of the reasons for your original question?

Thanks.

Dave

This is my 4th year having a garden. My first 3 years have been successful. I will provide a pick of the green bean plants Friday and hopefully I won't get scolded. Thanks

You shouldn't feel scolded. These good people are patiently trying to help you with very little information from you. You need to be something of a plant detective yourself so that you can provide clues to us. In other words, help us help you.

Experienced gardeners know that lime should only be used IF the pH of the soil is too low. Lime will slowly raise the pH.....not a good thing at all unless the numbers are very low.

We also know that pesticides, especially toxic broad spectrum chemicals such as Sevin, should never be applied if the pest hasn't been identified. Sevin is a chemical that kills beneficial insects, is harmful to birds and amphibians, deadly to earthworms, and very hazardous to you, your family, and pets.

And an experienced gardener also knows that fertilizer should never be used as medicine. Fertilizer can pose problems if used needlessly.

Inspecting your garden carefully after dark can be a good way to see pests that might not be as active in the daylight. Look for slugs, caterpillars, earwigs, pillbugs, beetles, and others. They may be active in the daytime, too. Pictures of the holes may actually help for ID purposes, too.

Thanks for the info, i'll see what I can find out and send photos in the next day or so.

Pic 1 of 2 of green beans. Any diagnosis would be appreciated.

Pic 2, yes I need to pull a few weeds. Been raining off and on for 2 weeks here in so Illinois.

The first pictured plant isn't too bad but the second one is bad indeed. Lots of slug damage is what I see. You'll have to go out at night with a flashlight to see them and from the size of the holes they are likely very small slugs.

Any of the iron phosphate-based slug control pellet products like Slug-Go or Slug Away should take care of the problem. If you want organic controls then beer traps or DE (diatomaceous earth). My personal favorite is a flashlight and a salt shaker to sprinkle them with. :)

Dave

I'll try it. Is it too late to save the ones in pic 2? I have more seeds I can plant. Thanks Dave!

This post was edited by soilgarden on Fri, Jun 6, 14 at 15:37

I can't tell from the pic if it has any new growth or not. If it does then it should recover. The one in first pic will do ok.

Dave