Holes on leaves- no sign of bugs

Den75

Member
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I am growing 3 plants indoors on soil, the light mix organic of biobizz. Being on the 2nd week of flowering and some of the leaves started to show some holes that also dry and become brown. I looked the leaves with a microscope and no signs of bugs. I have been watering with tap water without leaving it to stand and have been using biobizz organic fertilizers.

could it be bugs that don't show on the microscope, could it be the chlorine on the tap water or a deficiency. I forgot to mention that I have sprayed them twice with neem oil when the lights were on. The holes appeared on older leaves and on a new growth leaf. I also checked my ph and is ok. Other than that my plants are healthy as you can see on pic 3.

Does se anyone have any idea of what the problem is?
 

RetiredMatthebrute

Well-Known Member
if it is bugs i wouldnt concern youself too much with it.. you did more damage to the plant taking the leaf off to take a pic of it than the bug (or whatever it is) did...at least they left most of the leaf to continue making food for the plant.
 

SableZen

Well-Known Member
If you aren't seeing any insects, my guess would be that it's from leaves damaging other leaves (either from a fan blowing or the plants being moved sort of thing).
 

Den75

Member
Thanks for the advice.
Retiredmatthebrute, I know that fan leaves are essential for the plants but I had to cut them to check them under the microscope. This is my second grow and I had a few problems with deficiencies on my first one. This time I feel wiser but I try to find solutions when a problem starts before it spreads all over the plant, like on my first grow. Thanks, anyway!!!
 

Nizza

Well-Known Member
earwigs like to hide under cool things (such as your grow pots) and come out at night when the lights shut off, and scavenge.
you rarely see them because of this
I used a product called sluggo-plus when i had this problem. It's basically a noodle laced with insecticide and will attract the earwigs, and kill them, it greatly reduced the problem outdoors. The instructions say to put it down after it rains , so that the noodle gets hydrogenated and will attract the earwigs and whatnot. If you do it and then it rains, I think the pesticide will get washed off

when using it indoors , I took a cap of soil (so it's easy for the bugs to get to ), wetted it with a spray bottle, and sprinkled a little sluggo plus in in and put it on the floor . swapped it out every 3 or so days and the problem stopped. I still see similar things from when i mistreat plants though, so that could be the issue also.
 

Bugeye

Well-Known Member
Do you have a cat? Mine sometimes does damage that looks like that when he sneaks into grow room.

As Nizza says, some bugs are also very hard to find as they eat at night and camouflage very well during day.
 

RetiredMatthebrute

Well-Known Member
i was by no means saying you harmed your plants by cutting the leaves...just saying taht whatever damage you have is minimal at most. I personally dont really care if a few bugs nibble on a leaf as long as it dosent turn into a infestation, spider mites are a huge concern but most other insects whom take a nibble wont infest like mites and usually mosey on thier way afterwards.

im also a idgaf kinda grower too and dont let the little things get to me, thats not to say you should have the same mentality but i will advise you not to let it drive you insane because sometimes the best solution to a problem is realizing it real isnt a problem at all :)

:peace: and happy growing
 

Den75

Member
Maybe you're right and I shouldn't worry that much. The only thing that worries is that my grow tent is near my balcony door and last summer I had spider mites on the various plants I keep in the balcony. Fortunately the holes that my cannabis plants are not serious at the moment and they don't seem to be of spider mites. I know nothing about earwigs, though. Can they get very serious trouble? I still have 6 weeks of flowering.... Retiredmatthebrute maybe you are right, I should freak out and see how it goes
 

RetiredMatthebrute

Well-Known Member
if it is earwigs, they will be under your bucket or tent..lift up your bucket and give a good look, if you dont see anthing try looking under your tent..earwigs can cause major issue, they can also be harmless..from the little reading i just did it appears that they are more of a threat to seedlings as they will eat the soft stems and this can kill the plant. as a plant matures the threat is much lessining unless you have a major outbreak...the more likely than not scenario is you have a rogue earwig or 2 that are just snacking to hold them over through the winter...but i cant say with 100% certainty that thats your case...take a look around first if you see any earwigs squash em..i have done some reading on these pests before and they are easily eradicated as they dont reproduce verry fast n furious and they are fairly large.

chances are if you have earwigs snacking on the plants they are close by, and chances are where you find one you will find them all so give a look squash some bugs and keep an eye out on the plants to see if the problem continues.
 

Den75

Member
thanks for your help. just checked under the flowerpots and didnt see any sign of earwigs. I have 3 plants and the issue I get affects the lower leaves of the 2 that belong to the same strain.the other plant is a different strain and shows signs of N deficiency. I reckon that the holes I get on the other 2 could probably be caused by a deficiency unless the earwigs hide really well and never see them or unless the earwigs attack only the 2 of the three. this is my second grow and this is my first attempt on this strain which is shiva skunk.
If the problem continues and spreads I think should get something for earwigs.do you have any suggestions? is neem oil any good for earwigs?
 

VTMi'kmaq

Well-Known Member
If i may, bear in mind that this plant dosnt mind a lil rough treatment, shoot man ive bent, tied down, accidently broke in half plants that flourished after the trauma or percieved trauma. Use your instincts in a k.i.s.s simplified mindset when trying to discern if anythings wrong. Your being careful and thats good but be aware that sometimes we just gotta leave em alone and let go. One time i avoided looking into my grow room for a month straight(had the wife water em) just so id keep my perspective on things.
 

RetiredMatthebrute

Well-Known Member
Yeah i gotta agrre with VTM, KISS you dont seem to have any real issues judging from the pics and thes plants can take ALOT of physical abuse. keep us posted.
 
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