something is eating the leaves in my garden

[Thirdward Gardner]

please help me save my garden.* I finally got it right.* This is my 4th year of trying to have a vegetable garden.* It is beautiful!* But, it is under attack.* Something is eating the leaves.* I don't see anything on the leaves but whatever it is, it is moving fast.* Every day more leaves are damaged or totally gone.* I put the product called "Sluggo" down but it not helping.* Please advise.

[Newt]

Hi Thirdward Gardener,

Unfortunately you don't say what veggies are effected and where you live.* If you think it's slugs try some of these remedies.
http://www.ghorganics.com/page13.html
http://www.nomoreslugs.com/

Newt

[Thirdward Gardner]

Thank you, for your response.* I am in Houston TX.* The veggies affected are collard and*mustard greens, my tomatoe plants (lot's of tomatoes but the leaves at the bottom are going fast),*a couple of the leaves of the cucumber plant are damaged.

I just discovered a bottle of "Green Light, Systemic Insecticide" on the shelf apparently from another attempt at gardening.* It containes Di-syston.* I haven't researched it yet.* Have you heard of it?

[Newt]

You are very welcome!* I did a bit of searching too.* I found this about Di-syston.* It says to me that you shouldn't use it.
http://pmep.cce.cornell.edu/profiles...ancel_802.html

More info you can read, most 5 years old.
http://pmep.cce.cornell.edu/profiles...ton/index.html

If the product is that old, the chemical makeup might have changed as well.* I would suggest you contact your local recycling center and ask how to dispose of this.

Both collards and mustard greens are bothered by flea beetles. It might be a bit early but cabbage loopers are also a possibility.
http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/hom...scene6f80.html
http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/hom...scene2b9a.html

It's often best, and safest, to use floating row covers to keep them off your crops.* You can also use some other organic ways to control them.
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/fleabeetle.pdf

Here's more handy sites with organic controls and to help you determine what your pest might be.* I always say, 'know thine enemy'.*
http://vegipm.tamu.edu/

You might find this site helpful for your tomatoes.
http://ftsg.ifas.ufl.edu/index.HTM

Newt

[Thirdward Gardner]

[align=left]Thank you, for your responses.* I took the leaves to my local organic store, Walbash feed store, and it was indeed, flea beatles.* Because it was raining daily, they gave me a spray product that worked great!* When we had a few (very few), dry days, they gave me a product to dust the garden and yard for fleas.* It worked great also.* I am at work right now and don't remember the names of the products but I will post them later.* Thanks again![/align]

[Newt]

I'd love to know what you used for the flea beetles.* Here's some ideas for organic controls.
http://attra.ncat.org/new_pubs/attra...leabeetle.html

Newt