This is my first time to post here and my first vegetable gardening year. All started so well and the cucumbers and cantelope were growing like crazy! Totaly grew out of the beds and looked like they were poised to take over the world! Then I noticed this stuff, this fine bigger than powder but smaller than a grain of rice stuff all over the underside of some of the leaves. Now it's all over all of the leaves under and on top. I have no idea what it is, but my leaves are wilting and curling in on themselves. I've tried organic pesticides, soap and water, and some kind of "Jungle Rain" that had a bunch of different essential oils and smelled like cloves. I also used something called a foliage wash, not sure, just desperate. Leaves don't look eaten on at all.

I live in Dallas, TX and let me tell you it is HOT! Was 104 yesterday. I have a 12'x25' garden that we brought in 2 feet of organic composte and then mulched everything in. This stuff seems to only be on my cantelopes and cucumbers. I've got 2 different kinds of cukes on opposites sides of the garden and both have this.

Any suggestions or identifications would be great!

Thanks!

Welcome to OG, Traci!

What you describe sounds like aphids. Is there a fine, sawdust like powder on the ground under the leaves? This would be from them molting non-stop. Seems strange that what you have tried hasn't worked, though maybe it did, and they came right back! One of the problems with these things is getting the spray under every leaf, as just a few missed, and they are still there, to spread tomorrow. Some recommend spraying a strong stream of water on the plants to wash them off, but, again, when you have vines as long as these things can get, this can be difficult, esp. to wash the undersides - easier to do with a potted plant!

I had a major aphid infestation with my eggplants, and I sprayed them with an oil mix with neem oil, clove oil, and a few other things, and it worked to kill them, but a couple weeks later they were back. So I repeated it, then the next day sprayed the plants, esp. under the leaves, with Surround, which is a clay compound which makes the leaves feel unpleasant to the bugs, and, so far they have stayed away.

Dave

Ladybugs would enjoy munching on aphids. Planet Natural sells ladybugs: www.planetnatural.com

Aphids!!!! No doubt

Thanks so much for the reply, all. I re-sprayed with an organic pest control mixed in a hand pump tank sprayer and realy went to town on the underside of every leaf. Unfortunately, I think I overdid it and now much of the leaves are burnt. This is just not my year.

Unfortunately many pest controls - even the organic ones - have temperature maximums as to when they can safely be used in order to prevent burnt foliage. It should say this somewhere on the container. Most of the ones I've used say never to spray when the temps are going to be 90 or above. Your best bet would be to try to spray early in the evening, while it's still light out & temps are a little cooler.