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spearmint pests

18 years ago

I tend to ignore my herb garden, other than the occasional drink when I change the water in the birdbath, it's pretty much on its own. So today when I notice the spearmint drooping in its pot I went to water it. Many of the leaves are bug-eaten, skeletonized. But that I mean that the "flesh" of the leaves have been eaten, but the "veins" are still there, hanging.

Any thoughts what could be doing this? I was under the impression that mint didn't have serious pests.

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Comments (2)

makalu_gw
18 years ago
I usually get that kind of damage from four lined bugs. Both my mints and salvias get eaten from mid may to the end of june and then the plants recover and grow fine for the rest of the season. I'd bet that there is a control for them but the mints are so vigorous that they grow through it fine.
pieheart
Original Author
18 years ago
If it's four lined plant bugs there's usually no control necessary. I've never seen that type of damage on mint before, though. Four lined bugs usually leave lines of "dots" on the leaves of flowers in my experience. Could be, I don't exactly watch mint like a hawk, and as you said, mint is vigorous. I was more curious than anything else. Thanks for the reply!
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