black- fly

[dewisfamily]

my nasturtiums have black-fly will it be ok to put the leaves on the compost heap?

[dewisfamily]

[sarah]

Nasturtiums attract black fly and a lot of people use them as a distraction for the flies so they keep off the beans etc. Not sure about this myself as I wonder if the nasturtiums weren't there whether the flies would be either.  Anyway, they will be fin on the compost heap the black fly will die soon.

[dewisfamily]

thanks for that  :)

[earlypea]

I hate to disagree, but having been afflicted really badly by black-fly last year on masses of broad beans, I can tell you if you put them on the compost they fly out and infest every other plant on your plot.  Although I suppose it depends on your compost bins - mine are very open and airy.

This year I suffocated them by putting the plants in bin liners and leaving them to cook in the sun and my other crops are thankfully clean.

[Larkshall]

Nasturtiums attract black fly and a lot of people use them as a distraction for the flies so they keep off the beans etc. Not sure about this myself as I wonder if the nasturtiums weren't there whether the flies would be either.  Anyway, they will be fin on the compost heap the black fly will die soon.

I have broad beans growing and no sign of blackfly on them, but nasturtiums that are within 10 meters of them are heavily infested.

[chriscross1966]

Hmm... I might have to try the nasturtium technique./... both my broad beans and the giganda beans are attracting blackfly  (and ants to farm them).... To the extent where I'm soaping them off nerarly every night (it'sll be on one plant, get that one clear and they're on another.... if the nasturtiums pull them in I'll be happy, then I can kill em with something horrible that I can't eat.....

chrisc