Holes in leaves

[Dman]

Hi everybody, I am new to growing and have encountered an issue on three of my plants. I am putting 4 plants in my backyard this summer and have started them indoors under a 54w cfl light with sunlight from a window they sit next to. they seemed to be growing very nicely up until i noticed a few holes on three of my plants. I did my due diligence and checked for bugs and cannot find any at all. Is it possible that it could be a ph/nutrient, light, or wind problem? they were staring to creep pretty close to my light and i did have a fairly intense fan for a coulple hours a day. Also have put them on my back deck for a couple hours on warm days to harden them off a bit. Ive been giving them unfiltered well water that im pretty sure has a ph around 7.0 with some cali pro nutrients but have been very light on the nutrients. only giving about 1/4 of the manufactures recommended amount. Im hoping ints not bugs because if it is they are not visible to the human eye lol.

here are some pics

Thanks

 

[Rwise]

I grow outside too, we just had 80 mph winds and yes some leaf damage. I use ladybugs to help with pests (will be added praying mantis also), we have many bugs to fight with, grasshoppers, stink bugs, on and on. I keep Captain Jacks Dead Bug and Spinosad to spray with as needed for pests.

 

[dphipps1020]

I had a grasshopper problem last time I tried an outdoor grow. Kept watching my leaves disappear and couldn't figure it out for the longest time because I wasn't seeing any pests. Sometimes it would be holes in the leaves, and sometimes the whole leaf was damn near gone. That combined with a short Autumn pretty much crushed my outdoor dreams, at least until I build a greenhouse.

 

[golfnrl]

@Rwise...had the same winds the other night. Ugh. The grow shop I use has ladybugs. How do you apply them? Dump them on the plant? I'll check out the Captain Jacks and Spinosad. Neem oil hasn't deterred the bug(s) that is eating my plant.

 

[Dman]

Okay, im going to order some good organic bug spray to have on hand and move the fan further away and keep a close eye on them. hopefully no more new holes. last time i put them outside it was around 15 celsius or 60 fahrenhiet for my american friends and pretty darn windy so that couldve been the cause. hopefully warm weather soon!! been a chilly spring so far in my part of the world!

 

[Rwise]

golfnrl Just turn then loose on and around your plants. One can also build them a hotel

 

[Rwise]

Grasshoppers and stink bugs do a lot of damage, and can travel a fair bit to get to your girls.

 

[Rwise]

A note on grasshoppers, one can use all purpose flour (not self rising) and dust the plants around the girls with it. The hoppers eat it as they would wheat, but it being ground gums up their chompers and they starve to death.

 

[dphipps1020]

Yeah it was terrible. Weird part is that they ate the leaves but didn't seem to like the buds. Was mainly an experiment plant anyway to see what kind of issues I'd run into. Planted her straight in the ground but I didn't pay enough attention to her so she didn't get very big. Oh well, it's not like I paid for the seeds anyway.

 

[duckman]

just a note of caution on the bug spray: I just sprayed one of my girls with Safer's Soap (fatty acid insecticidal soap at 2% strength) and it burned my baby budlets! they seem to be coming back from it but be cautious, I thought the Safer's was pretty much harmless but after researching (after the fact, of course!) it turns out you gotta be careful. didn't burn the leaves, though...