New member with lots of questions

[frontiergirl53]

Hi, I am a gardener from Arizona (also a chicken raiser, so I'm on BYC), and I have been gardening for 7 years. We recently moved, and I am having lots of trouble with my pots. (My raised beds are doing fine) First I have gotten lots of little yellow aphid-looking things (and they aren't aphids) on my winterbor kale. Does anyone know what those are and how to treat them? Row covers didn't help. They have decimated almost 7 out of the 10 kale plants I planted. Second of all, my other pots have little brown mushrooms and black sprouts that came about almost overnight. They turned my sweet potato seedlings black. I've never had such a bad garden, and I'm thinking it has to do with my new location. Any help is greatly appreciated, as this is the first time I've had them!

 

[TheSeedObsesser]

I've never heard of/seen such pests, sorry that I can't help.

Just wanted to jump in and say .

 

[Ridgerunner]

Welcome to the forum! Glad you found us!

Why do you think those yellow aphid-looking things are not aphids? Aphids can come in yellow? Photos of something that small can be rough but maybe that would help us. Or contact the Ag or Entomology department at your state land grant college, probably Arizona State, and send them some of the bugs for identification. Your county extension agent may be able to help you with that or you can try contacting them directly.

With the mushrooms and black sprouts it sounds like the pots may be pretty wet. That can led to damping off. Did you use a sterile potting soil?

 

[Smart Red]

Hi, I am a gardener from Arizona (also a chicken raiser, so I'm on BYC), and I have been gardening for 7 years.!

How-dee! @Smart Red here from south-est, central-est Wisconsin welcoming you to The Easy Garden. You will enjoy this site! We have the nicest, most helpful group of gardening friends on the internet.

I wish I could help you with your problems, @frontiergirl53, but I'm in withdrawal from growing things as the snow falls and the wind blows. My garden challenges -- so far -- don't include yellow bugs or fungi. Glad to have you growing with us.

 

[journey11]

Hi there! Welcome!

Is this what you have on your kale?

or...

Cabbage moths might be getting through your netting somehow.

The fungi might be something just decomposing plant matter in your potting soil. It does sound like maybe too much water.

 

[baymule]

Welcome to TEG!! I came from BHC too. Friendly folks here, hope you stick around!

 

[sumi]

Welcome to TEG Sorry to hear about your problems! I'm afraid I'm at a loss as to what it could be. If you can post some pics and give us some more info re your potting soil, conditions etc, we'll try our best to help.

 

[digitS']

Welcome, @frontiergirl53 .

That plant family can be a great attraction to bugs.

Have you done anything to try to get them off the plants? Just a strong jet of water should help. The kale should be able to take it ... but not too many bugs can.

This year, i was pleased to grow 3 different types of kale , 4 if you count both white and red Russian. I don't think I will have that white Russian again. It is just a tremendous aphid attraction!

I use organic sprays and don't mind giving things a 1-2 punch by showing up the next week with something different. Usually, the organic sprays have little persistence, can't kill insect eggs, and tiny bugs reproduce quickly. Back they come!

The curly kales offer lots of hiding places for bugs.

Steve

 

[canesisters]

 

[Nyboy]

Welcome from NY sorry can't help with your problems