Worms on Abyssinian
 

Hey y’all

Been worried about one of my Abyssinian bananas, the new cigar leaves start off growing well but just before they completely unfurl they develop brown spots sized between a dime and a half dollar.
Attachment 3590
Attachment 3591

Until today I had thought it was windburn or sunburn on the unfurled cigar leaves. But I found this little worm on the newest cigar leaf

Attachment 3592.

Unfortunately it had already done its damage

Attachment 3593
and it will probably turn brown and dead by tomorrow. Now that the sun is down I’ve sprayed the whole garden with neem oil, but I haven’t had any luck looking up info as to what this little worm could be and how to prevent them from coming back. Stranger yet is that there is another Abyssinian right next to it that hasn’t had a single issue ??

Re: Worms on Abyssinian
 

I could be off base here but for what its worth, those spots don't look like bug damage to me.

Re: Worms on Abyssinian
 

Maybe they all aren’t, but I found that little worm right in the damaged patch of leaf in the last picture.

What would your guess be as to the other spots?

Re: Worms on Abyssinian
 

Have you been slamming it with fertilizer?

Re: Worms on Abyssinian
 

It hasn’t been getting more fertilizer than any other banana in the garden. The garden bed did get amended with last winters compost pile, so maybe it’s getting too much with regular fertilizing and the organic material breaking down?

Re: Worms on Abyssinian
 

I'm in my sophomore season at Banana U so please wait for some others to advise but my ensete will do something similar if I overdo it with the cheap 10-10-10. I'm pretty well stocked up with Fruit Fuel now so things are a bit more stable. What you have going on could certainly be something else.

Re: Worms on Abyssinian
 

Appreciate the response!

Yeah this is just my sophomore year too, started off with all basjoo last year and they are dummy proof and growing well

Re: Worms on Abyssinian
 

I am sorry I don't have a good answer to what those spots may be, I think we are all in the same class ;)

How composted was the compost you mixed in? I don't really think organic material, even if raw, would cause individual spotting on the leaves like that. Too much uncomposted organic material mixed into the planting hole could certainly damage the plant, don't get me wrong, but I think it would likely be a more severe looking problem....from what I can see from the pics, the plant looks pretty healthy otherwise......please correct me if I am wrong on this point.

And the little worm you found I doubt is an indicator of a pest problem, although I don't know what kinds of issues you have to deal with in Savannah. I think its pretty normal to get the odd muncher checking out the offerings.

Until someone with more experience chimes in, if it were me I would stop fertilizing it for awhile, and just watch it to see what happens. If things start looking worse, re-post.

Re: Worms on Abyssinian
 

Just my op.......graduating in the fall.
This plant will show you many "looks" before it becomes established.
Many growers (me included)feel the need to "fertilize real good" in spring when they think the plant should grow only to hobble the plant for a month or too.
I switched to organic for the first fert so I will not do what I say not to do.:)

Just my other op.

Many insects (butterflies) will do an egg drop and the caterpillar will do a taste test before it moves on.....and then others seem to have found the best plant ever.
I have had single caterpillars do a weeks taste test before moving on and a tent type caterpillar that was destined to eat a whole 16 foot basjoo in one sitting.

Now that you found a pest and removed it...... observe the next few months.

Re: Worms on Abyssinian
 

I’m starting to think that is the problem :(
The Abyssinian right next to it started out smaller and has since overtaken it in growth. They both have been fertilized the same amount, and yet one is going crazy while the other is getting burnt.