Bugs and yellowing on Leaves

I went out to check on my ladies. While I was out there I noticed that there were some holes in the leaves and some chew\bite marks on the outsides of leaves. I have 6 in the same general area and this is the only one like that. I was curious as to what had caused this and how can pests be avoided outdoors in the pacific northwest forest.

Another thing that I have been noticing was the yellowing of the leaves on the edges and in the center of some leaves.

On another note this is my first post on this forum and I'd like to say "Hi!" to everyone!

? any help? Is my plant ok?

My plants have been getting munched on too. At first it was ants farming aphids on the new tops and fan leaves. I bought an eco friendly insecticide soap solution at a local hardware store and that took care of those little punks. I'd suggest trying the same, a few bites here and there isnt going to hurt your plant too much. Based on your pics she still looks healthy and green. Now I just have to figure out what the hell is eating my baby's leaves at night time, Im thinking jubne bugs but I cant be sure.

Thanks for the reassurance. I think I’ll do that. Go and getsome neem oil and see if it stops. Hoping my baby's thrive

Yeah I got bugs eatn on my biggest plant which is like 8 imches maby a foot idn never measured it but they leave theyre little holes an it just browns at the bite marks and she" I say with hope" is still green an thriving

How about that yellowing? Over watering? I did use some fert only used 1/4 the dose... There in fox farms soil. I give them about 1/6 a gallon if water. U can see the size in the picture..... The fert is Schultz plant food plus 10-15-10

I'm using vigor it's a home depot rand and its 24-4-16 I think and I cu t I'm half and idn only one of my plants is yellow idn y it is but it's always been like that and all the new growth is fine on it and ts never beenby a bug

I like to fill a spray bottle with cold water and a few drops of dawn dish soap. Then I spray the undersides of the leaves early in the morning. For most of the year this is all I need and my backyard looks like an untamed field. Try not to get worked up over a few holes in the leaves. If it's just a bug here and there, and you don't do anything rash, predator bugs will soon come and take care of the leaf eaters.

Now if you start to notice an infestations or your worried about excessive damage, lightly dust the plants in food grade diatomaceous earth. This works best early in the season and no matter how sensitive your plant it, it will never have a bad reaction. The downside to diatomaceous earth is that it's non-specific, meaning it will kill any small pests, even friendlies like spiders, lady bugs, and bees. To address this I like to follow up with a pyrethrum based insecticide. This stuff is very safe around pets and people, it breaks down fast, and kills on contact. Also while it's active, it's a big pest repellent. If any pests are still dumb enough to nibble on the leaves, they get a double slap in the face. The DE works by acting like glass, cutting them up and dehydrating them, while the pyrethrum attacks the nervous system.

Neem oil is okay, but it's not my first go to product. I know lots of growers use it and love it, so it's worth looking into. The way it works is by effecting the reproduction cycle. That means pests have to consume it for a longer period of time before it really starts to work. Its not really a contact killer, but it does kill some pests because the oil (and this is true with any oil based product) can suffocate small pests. To make the most out of neem, apply dish soap to break up the oil, which also helps it soak into the plant, and apply it once a week for several weeks.

Another option besides neem is Sevin 5% dust. It kills small insects as well as larger ones like grass hoppers and beetles. Its safe for veggies and fruits, as long as you follow the directions on the bottle. Its also safe around people, dogs, and cats. When nothing else seems to work, I use this. To be safe, I only apply it no more then two times a year and only during the veg. Its not organic. It's a true pesticide (not an earth friendly insecticide), but it works so good that you don't need to keep reapplying it.

Spinosad works well. Its safe for all edible plants and safe around fish and mammals. Its derived from a bacteria and basically cause the insect to work itself to death.