Massacred turnips

[Icyberjunkie]

Do I need to give up on turnips.  Couldn't understand why I never saw any result from a first sowing so stuck a second row in as a catch crop between cauliflowers around a week ago.  All nearly came up and two days later (today)  :-\all nearly dead from what looks like flea beetle.  Do I give up, try planting elsewhere or is there a non-chemical solution?  Its not slugs for they are pelleted and no sign of slime trails.

[Icyberjunkie]

[Doris_Pinks]

I lost half a row of mine to slugs!  >:(    To solve the flea beetle prob, sow the seed then immediately cover with fleece, it works!  DP

[cleo]

Sound advice there-flea beetle is a sod

[redimp]

Being a newbie, I lost my first sowing of peas to flea beetle.  A whole row sown quite thickly.  I now sow into paper pots because I have not got any guttering yet - did not want to buy any - we are getting our gutters done soon so I will then have loads.  They go in when they are big enought to withstand a bit of an attack - and they get fleeces as well.

[Icyberjunkie]

Also as a newbie what on earth has guttering got to do with peas?  To cover them or to make tubes for them to grow inside?   

[redimp]

Sorry.  Peas do not like their roots disturbing much (hence the paper pots) and you have to sow lots so pots are impractical.  You sow the peas in the guttering and when they are big enough, you slide the whole lot out into a trench.

[Mothy]

I have used Derris powder on my Radish, Turnips & swede...supposed to be organic etc. Bought mine cheap from Wilko's.

[Sam Spade]

Derris does the trick. Having lost rows of radishes and turnips to the flea-beetle, I tried a precautionary covering of derris second time round and no problems at all.

[Icyberjunkie]

Thanks for that will try the derris powder and give up if that fails!

[ina]

I just googled flea beetle, I think we don't have them here. Never heard of them. Is it possible they are not in Holland? Would anyone know the Dutch name for them?

[Robert_Brenchley]

If you don't have them you're lucky! They've never been a major pest on my plot, but they're always there. I think they're pretty ubiquitous in the UK, so Imagine you have them as well. I tried doing a search and found plenty of US flea beetles, but nothing on ours.

[Merry Tiller]

I know Fleabeatles attack Brassicas big style, especially Swedes & Pak Choi on my plot but I've never known them to try Peas, is this a new strain? Maybe a cross breed with Pea Weevils, aaaarrggggggghhhhhhhhhh where's that lump of wood with a nail through the end, I'll get the $%;>#@)'s   >:( >:(

[Robert_Brenchley]

It's usually my peas which get chewed. I remember my father using paraffin to deter them from pea rows when I was a kid.

[Gillian]

I've had flea beetle on turnips, cauliflower seedlings, radish and rocket up to now. Derris does the trick - you have to keep adding it every other day or so though.

[Sarah-b]

I get pea and bean weevil on the peas and flea beetle on the brassicas. Radishes and rocket are almost not worth attempting cos of the flea beetles. They don't like the rain - so get worse during dry spells. Fleece certainly helps as does a bit of derris (but that also kills anything friendly too). Moonbells suggests a yellow sticky thing to catch them on.

I have heard that the flea beetle problem has got worse since the farmers are growing more rapeseed than they used to. So unfortunately if you are in a rapesaeed area  - it may be worse for you.

Sarah.