Discussion: Are the leaf miners

... Flavoursome?

They look pretty gross actually. I'v probably eaten a couple unwilling to no advers effects!

Protein!

Nom!

I guess they'd count as paleo.

I've seen signs of leafminers on my columbine. I thought they were snail trails, but could be miners. I was just reading that they especially like columbine. The flowers don't seem to mind them much - blooming like crazy now in their second season (started from seed). Will try to get a pic of the leaves tomorrow. No sign of them on the beets though.

Early blight has arrived on the potatoes. Sooner than I was expecting. I've sprayed with neem oil (extract, avail at lowes) hoping to at least slow it down, but wish I had started with that earlier. No idea if it will actually work as a fungicide as advertised. I used it on the tomatoes last year, but they were pretty far gone already. I've used neem on the ivy this year and so far no spider mite induced dieback. Only time will tell though - will have to use it for a full season. Spider mites would kill all the ivy if left untreated. I've been using a commercial miticide on the ivy, but trying to switch to an organic solution. Would rather not use anything, but the alternative is large areas of dead ivy (groundcover on slopes).

Its crazy, because the potatoes are in brand new containers with new soil - mostly compost from a llama farm. Maybe it came already contaminated, but the llama farmers haven't had blight problems that I know of. I sterilized all the tools and tomato gear last year, including removing an inch of soil and spraying bleach solution directly on the bed and the frame. Last year was the first season with tomatoes in that bed. Lousy blight spores are everywhere. As soon as it turned warm and humid it attacked! I pre-treated the tomatoes with neem yesterday as well. I gather that neem is most effective when used preemptively.

Looks like neem is indicated for leafminers. Perhaps worth a try...its cheap and organic.

I should give it a go - thanks Eddie! I hope you are triumphant in the battle of the blight!

Ok, took some close-ups of the Columbine leaves. Bottom of page 3 and page 4. Does indeed look like leaf miners. They don't eat enough to kill each leaf though - no completely dead leaves. These are in front of the house over the driveway, but there are also some in a large pot on the back deck. All have signs of leaf miners, but the nearby beets in the back yard are untouched. The columbine leafed out long before the beets sprouted though, so maybe it was just timing? Either way, perhaps columbine is a good bait crop. I did see some damage like this last year when the columbine came up, which was later in the summer.

Eddie, your leaf miners are quite pretty! I hope the columbine survives - it looks strong regardless. I'm hoping this day of chill sets the beasties back a little. I also bought some Neem, might give that a go if they return!