My family is experimenting with growing a few crops for home consumption organically, but we are absolute beginners. We have a crop of spinach, tomatoes, okra (ladies finger), brinjals and chillies in pots on our rooftop.
Lately, our okra and tomato plants have been severely infested, by the looks of it, by several pests. Could someone please help out with identification of these pests, and measures to manage them (preferably organic, but other methods are welcome too). i tried doing some reading, but am confused with the symptoms, and i’m guessing it requires some experience. i’m attaching the pictures below…
This is some sort of white fungi like thing on the okra (suspected powdery mildew?)
This bugger was sitting on another leaf - this plant had many wilting leaves
Here are some other symptoms on the okra
And finally on the okra, there are these black eggs here and there
Apart from these, i also found a fat black caterpillar munching away into one okra fruit - it had already made a hole into it. Sadly i tossed it off before i took a picture, but i suspect the black eggs and this caterpillar are somehow related?
Yep, pics are too small, but it does look like powdery mildew + some kind of a leaf folder. Do I also see mealy bugs?
As Sri suggested, a few members have reported success with milk and buttermilk for powdery mildew; the insect might need a neem oil spray - since you wish to go organic.
Dear Member,
Try spraying neem water available in markets(in any nursery etc) with an spray bottle below the leaves.
All insects hate neem and its leaves.
You can also prepare if you have source of neem leaves nearby by soaking and grinding its leaves .Mixing with water and then filtering this water gives neem water.
The residue serves as an good insect repelant also and can be laid a few feet near plants as its smell drives even ants-carriers of these insects etc from vicinity.
Regards
A.R.VENKAT
