Knowledgebase

Help my begonia #877481

Asked July 16, 2024, 1:45 PM EDT

We have a very old beefsteak begonia that we are trying to bring back to its former glory. It seems to be growing well on the back porch, but something is happening to the leaves. They develop holes and spots on them (pictures included). There are no visible signs of pests. Can you tell me what is causing this and how to correct it? Thank you

Chittenden County Vermont

Expert Response

Good Morning Michelle,

Thanks for reaching out!

It's tough to say precisely what's causing the damage without catching the culprit. The holes look like slug/snail damage, is there a chance they're getting in at night? You can check with a flashlight after dark or look for the distinctive slime trails.

There are a few other pests which are active at night, but snails and slugs are the most common. 

Alternatively, if water is left on the leaves during watering, it possible that what your seeing is the result of sunscald. The solution to this is to make sure that you're watering only near the base of the begonia. 

If it turns out to be slugs, our friends at The University of Minnesota have a great resource to help deal with them! You can check that out here: https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-insects/slugs

Hope this helps!

Hi Rick,

Concerning my Begonia problem, it’s not sunscald because we only water at the base, never the leaves. I would think if slugs were the culprit I would see them around the plant. No sign of slugs or slime and the plant is on a table on a covered and enclosed back porch. I can’t detect any type of pest on the plant at all. It’s frustrating these big green leaves with holes in them. What other pests are active at night? Should I Brian it into the house every night? We do have a ton of large black ants. Could they be eating the leaves? Should I try Neem oil and if so, is it okay to spray the leaves?

Michelle
Sent from my iPad

On Jul 17, 2024, at 7:21 AM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:


The Question Asker Replied July 17, 2024, 1:27 PM EDT

Hello Michelle,

Thanks for the update! I've reached out to our resident houseplant expert and she thinks there's a good chance that you've got earwigs.

Judy's advice is:

1. Reduce moisture
2. Use Diatomaceous earth
3. Consider Beer traps (not to be confused with bear traps)
4. Keep your area very clean

You can learn much more about them here: https://extension.umn.edu/nuisance-insects/earwigs

Hope this helps!

Thank you, Ricky and Judy.  Earwigs do seem the most plausible explanation. I will followup with these measures. 

Michelle 
Sent from my iPad

On Jul 18, 2024, at 11:40 AM, Ask Extension <<personal data hidden>> wrote:


The Question Asker Replied July 18, 2024, 1:15 PM EDT

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