You step into your garden, coffee in hand, ready to admire your morning glory vines, only to find their leaves full of holes or disappearing entirely. It’s a frustrating sight for any gardener. Figuring out what’s eating your morning glory leaves is the first step to reclaiming your beautiful blooms.
These vigorous climbers are surprisingly tasty to a variety of common garden pests. The good news is that by learning to identify the culprits, you can choose an effective and often simple solution. Let’s look at the most likely suspects and how to deal with them.
What’s Eating My Morning Glory Leaves
This is the central question. The damage pattern on the leaves is your best clue. Chewed edges, holes in the center, or leaves stripped down to the veins point to different insects. Some pests are easy to spot, while others hide or feed only at night.
Common Leaf-Munching Caterpillars
Caterpillars are a primary suspect for large, irregular holes in morning glory leaves. They have hearty appetites and can skeletonize leaves quickly.
- Leafcutter Bees: Often mistaken for pests, these beneficial bees cut near-perfect circles from leaf edges to build their nests. They rarely harm the plant’s health, so it’s best to leave them be.
- Tortoise Beetles: These small, turtle-shaped beetles and their spiny larvae feed on the leaf surface, leaving behind a lacy, transparent layer.
- Army Worms or Loopers: These larger caterpillars can consume entire sections of leaf. You’ll often find them hiding on the undersides during the day.
The Sneaky Sap-Suckers
These pests pierce the leaf and suck out the plant juices, causing a different kind of damage. Leaves may appear stippled, yellowed, or curled.
- Aphids: Tiny, pear-shaped insects that cluster on new growth and undersides. They secrete a sticky “honeydew” that can lead to sooty mold.
- Spider Mites: Nearly microscopic, they create fine webbing on the plant and cause leaves to look dusty or bronzed.
- Leafhoppers: Small, wedge-shaped insects that hop away quickly when disturbed. Their feeding causes white stippling on the leaf surface.
Nocturnal Feeders: Slugs and Snails
If damage appears overnight with large, ragged holes and a tell-tale silvery slime trail, you’ve got slugs or snails. They love the tender foliage of morning glories, especially in damp, shady gardens.
Less Common but Possible Culprits
Depending on your region, other pests might be to blame. Grasshoppers and Japanese beetles can both cause significant defoliation during peak seasons. Even birds sometimes peck at leaves, though they’re usually after the insects on them.
How to Identify the Pest: A Step-by-Step Guide
Follow these steps to play garden detective and pinpoint the problem.
- Inspect the Damage: Look closely at the leaves. Are they chewed, skeletonized, or discolored? Note the time of day the damage seems to worsen.
- Check the Undersides: Turn leaves over. Most pests, like aphids, eggs, and larvae, hide here during the day.
- Look for Trails or Webbing: Silvery slime means slugs/snails. Fine silk webbing indicates spider mites.
- Visit at Night: Grab a flashlight and check your plants after dark with a flashlight to catch nocturnal feeders in the act.
Effective Control Methods for Each Pest
Once you know what’s eating your morning glory leaves, you can choose a targeted response. Always start with the least harmful method to protect beneficial insects.
For Caterpillars and Beetles
- Hand-Picking: For light infestations, simply pick off the pests and drop them into soapy water. It’s immediatly effective.
- Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt): This natural, soil-borne bacteria is a safe, organic option. Caterpillars ingest it and stop feeding within days.
- Neem Oil: A botanical insecticide that disrupts the feeding and growth of chewing and sucking insects. Apply in the evening to avoid harming bees.
For Sap-Sucking Insects (Aphids, Mites, Leafhoppers)
- Strong Water Spray: A blast from your hose can dislodge aphids and mites. Repeat every few days.
- Insecticidal Soap: A very effective contact spray that breaks down the pests’ outer coating. It must coat the insect directly, so thorough application is key, especially under leaves.
- Encourage Beneficials: Ladybugs, lacewings, and birds are natural predators. Plant a diverse garden to attract them.
For Slugs and Snails
- Beer Traps: Sink a shallow container filled with cheap beer into the soil near the plants. Slugs are attracted, fall in, and drown.
- Diatomaceous Earth: Sprinkle this powdery substance around the base of plants. It’s sharp on a microscopic level and deters soft-bodied pests. Reapply after rain.
- Copper Tape: Applying copper tape to pot rims or garden edges creates a small electric charge that slugs and snails avoid.
Preventing Future Problems
A healthy garden is the best defense. Prevention is always easier than cure.
- Practice Crop Rotation: Even with flowers, avoid planting morning glories in the exact same spot year after year to disrupt pest life cycles.
- Keep the Area Clean: Remove dead leaves and plant debris where pests and their eggs can overwinter.
- Inspect New Plants: Always check new plants you bring into your garden for hitchhiking insects before planting them.
- Water in the Morning: This allows foliage to dry by evening, making the environment less inviting for slugs and fungal diseases.
FAQ: Morning Glory Pest Problems
Are holes in morning glory leaves always bad?
Not necessarily. A few holes may not affect the plant’s overall health or blooming. Significant defoliation is the real concern, as it weakens the vine.
What is making my morning glory leaves curl?
Leaf curling is often caused by sap-sucking pests like aphids or leafhoppers. Check the undersides closely. It can also be a sign of herbicide drift or, sometimes, a viral disease.
Can I use chemical pesticides on my morning glories?
While possible, broad-spectrum chemical pesticides can harm pollinators and beneficial insects. We always recomend starting with the organic, targeted methods listed above first.
Why are my morning glories turning yellow?
Yellowing leaves can be a sign of overwatering, poor soil nutrition, or, relevantly, damage from spider mites or other sap-feeders draining the plant’s vitality.
Do morning glories attract good bugs?
Yes! Their flowers attract pollinators like bees and hummingbirds. The foliage also provides shelter for beneficial insects like spiders that help control pests.
Dealing with pests is a normal part of gardening, but it doesn’t have to mean losing your morning glories. By taking a close look at the evidence, you can identify the problem and choose a smart, effective response. With a little observation and these targeted strategies, you’ll be back to enjoying those vibrant, healthy vines in no time. Remember, a diverse and healthy garden is it’s own best defense, so keep encouraging those helpful birds and insects to visit.