Flea beetles

[allotmentering westie]

Hi, i am new to all this grow your own, but my husband got us an
allotment at the end of last year, and after several months of hard work we have started to see things
grow, i was up checking things last night and found some beasties on my turnip shoots, after a bit of
looking i found they are "flea beetles", i went back this evening and found them on the rocket. Can
anyone tell me how to get rid of them please.

[allotmentering westie]

[allaboutliverpool]

They are essentially harmless, just making small holes in the leaves. The problem is that my wife hates things that have evidence of beasties.
I have found derris dust which is derived from plants, hence organic, is pretty effective. A puffer pack goes a long way. The best thing to do is puff along the row of seedlings.

http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments1_homepage.html

[Tin Shed]

I cover everything in fleece until the seedlings are big and brave enough to cope with the odd nibble from the flea beetle.

[dandelion]

Flea beetles  >:(  ! ( It will only get worse as the weather gets warmer and drier! If you're growing radishes or turnips it's not that much of a worry, but rocket and Mizuna full of holes does not look very appetising!
You could use derris, but if you don't want to use insecticides the only option is to grow under fleece or ULTRAFINE enviromesh.http://www.harrodhorticultural.com/HarrodSite/product/Garden%20Netting_Insect%20Netting/GDN-056.htm.
I tried net curtains first, but the beetles are so small they jumped through the holes! Now I grow all my oriental greens, rocket, turnips and radishes under fine netting (which also protects my carrots against carrot root fly).

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

they're only a problem on turnips if you were planning on eating the leaves. Otherwise they're pretty harmless

[allotmentering westie]

Wow you guys are quick, thanks, where can i get derris dust from?

[dandelion]

Any garden centre. But note: although it's made from an organic source, it is indiscriminate= will kill all insects good and bad!

[BAK]

I have found that it depends on how well established the plants are, as to whether the flea beetle causes any harm.

In my case I sow sprouts directly into the soil in a seed bed (no greenhouse and all the window sills are occupied with other plants!). The sprouts are subsequently transplanted in May to their final quarters. However, at the seedling stage (now) they are attacked by the flea beetle and some plants have previously had their growth stunted so badly that I have had to get rid of them and re-sow.

Nowadays I give them a quick puff with ant powder (cannot remember where I heard that tip). Enviromesh is obviously better - I will be moving to that myself "manyana".

[Robert_Brenchley]

I protected my peas with Poundland cloches last year, and whereas they'd previously been riddled, they didn't get a bite.

[tim]

As Tin Shed says, they get less susceptible.

But I prefer not to spray/puff anything I 'm going to eat - doesn't help the flavour.

Fleece is foolproof.