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Caterpillars or Flea Beetles on Coleus? Organic Controls That Work

First-year container gardener. Aphids on sweet potato vine (soap+oil spray worked but hurt eggplant). Now "King" coleus has holes. Found a green inchworm-like caterpillar — likely cabbage looper. Need organic fix.

Two Suspects, Different Treatments

Caterpillars (loopers, hornworms): Use Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) — sold as Dipel or MVP. Dust or spray. Non-toxic to humans/beneficials. Kills only caterpillars.
Flea beetles: Tiny, jump, make hundreds of pinhead holes. Love eggplant. Treat with pyrethrum + rotenone combo (organic). Spray foliage AND soil (they hide there).

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ID the pest first (check leaf undersides at night), then target precisely. Broad sprays kill allies.

Annuals: Caterpillars and Aphids on Petunias: Hand-Picking and Spinosad; Building the Perfect Raised Bed Soil Mix in Palm Desert; Organic Fertilizer for Orchids: Types and Application; Organic Scorpion Deterrence in Arizona: Herbs Lack Proof, Focus on Exclusion; Organic Lawn Care: Weed Control, Soil Amendments, and Seeding Strategies; Indoor Growing with Artificial Lights: A Gardener's Experience; Organic Gardening: A Complete Guide to Chemical-Free Growing; Organic Mulch: The Complete Guide to Natural Soil-Building Mulches; The Science of Composting: How Organic Waste Becomes Soil Gold; Caterpillar Pests: Identification and Control

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