Hello Elizabeth.....

Can you please send us pictures of the leaves that have been eaten? These should be sent with the form so that we can see what you are seeing.

Thank you

Hello Elizabeth:

As Sean explains, without seeing photos of the damaged plants, 
it is difficult to say what it could be.

Wildlife could have eaten any of those, or it could be slug or snail damage, possibly a leaf chewing beetle. Diatomaceous earth is probably helpful for any insects or slugs. There are products on the market that act as slug repellent too. You could set up a bait trap with fruit using an old yogurt or cottage cheese tub to see if you get a lot of slugs. For any rabbits, deer, squirrels, or other critters that may eat the leaves, either caging or netting the plants would probably be the easiest way to keep them off. Usually wildlife will leave basil and other strongly scented plants alone, so that could be a slug as well.

It could be flea beetles. Take a look at this resource to see if it matches what you are seeing - https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-insects/flea-beetles

If you send images, we will take a closer look and see if we can nail down the exact problem you are facing.  

Hello Elizabeth:

Thank you for sending the photos.

We don't know for sure. It could be slugs, could be asiatic garden
beetle, could be earwigs. You should look for slime trails and also go out at night to see if you see slugs or asiatic garden beetles (https://ag.umass.edu/landscape/fact-sheets/asiatic-garden-beetle) since they hide during the day and feed at night. Sluggo works for slugs, and pyganic or entrust you could try for the others.

Hi Elizabeth:

Milky spore works best when soils are warm - so there is some debate as to how effective they are in VT. With warming climates, and in some warmer 'microzones' they may be effective, however. You need to be sure the grubs you have are the larvae of Japanese beetles and not some other insect as they only work for these. You also need to treat for a few years to achieve good results.  Here is a link to an article that will help with identification - https://www.uvm.edu/~entlab/Landscape%20IPM/WhitegrubsinsoilJune2023.pdf

Nematodes are also an option for grub control. Nematodes are microscopic worms, and some species of nematodes can work very well for controlling grubs in home lawns. To successfully use nematodes for grub control, you should keep the following principles in mind:

• The lawn needs to be well watered and the soil can’t go dry while the nematodes are getting established.

• The nematodes need to be viable (living) when applied. Purchasing nematodes from a reputable supplier and applying them right away are important.

• You need to apply the appropriate species of nematode at the appropriate time of year.

• Nematodes are sensitive to light and can be killed within a minute if exposed to intense direct sunlight – it’s generally advised to apply them on an overcast day or in the early morning.

• Some species of nematodes only control certain species of grubs, so just like with milky spore, identifying what species of grubs you have is important. Nematodes also need to be applied when the species of grubs they control are active in the soil.

• If nematodes are being used curatively, they may need to be applied every 2 weeks until the infestation subsides. For those who use nematodes preventatively, they should be applied 2 to 3 times a season.
  
  Aribico Organicsis one company I know that sells beneficial nematodes and there are probably others as well that you can compare.
  
  Lastly, here are some additional ideas on how to keep grubs from becoming a problem for your lawn in the future:

• Testing your soil every 2-3 years and follow the fertilizer and amendment recommendations.
  
• Keep grass mowed high – at least 2”, and ideally 3” or more – which means that your grass will have a deeper, healthier root system that can tolerate more sub-surface insect feeding.
  
• Over-seed bare or sparse areas in the spring or fall (preferred).

Both of these suggestions are non-chemical control methods.

If you wish to have chemical control products, I can reach out to the Plant Pathologist for recommendations as Master Gardeners are not certified in pesticide recommendations. 

I hope this is helpful.