I think my broccoli is suffering from flea beatle...also my swede seedling. I can't see any but i can see there tell tale holes on the leaves. I don't want to use chemicals as i like to be organic as much as possible....but is my only option to spray...if so what with...or do i need to dig my plants up?
pls help
Derris is permitted under organic rules if absolutely necessary, and unfortunately I find that it is!
Fine enviromesh or fleece will keep the beggars out but you have to put it down at transplanting stage. I've got lovely red cabbs under the mesh but terrible white ones cos they aren't...
moonbells
You might only need one puffa application of Derris. Puff it on to the leaves and the soil around the plants after a wetting - natural or with watering can.
If you really don't want to treat, tough plants will outgrow the beetle eventually, but a bad invasion can slow them down. I use Derris if FB strikes, but only once :)
Mesh is great against FB and birdies if you get it on quick! My kale and cavalo nero were pigeoned because I left them one day before netting - thankfully they are recovering under mesh now, but in future I'll do it straight away like moonbells says :-[
(http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e220/supersprout/IMG_0032.jpg)
yes - those look fabulous. My kale still aren't at five leaf stage. Mostly cos of the slugs eating them in the cold frame :-(
Here's one of my dinnerplate-sized red cabbages under ultra-fine enviromesh covering a "Geoff Hamilton" blue waterpipe cloche frame. Very pleased with them so far!
(http://www.moonbells.com/A4Apics/meshedRedCabb.jpg)
moonbells
Where do you get that fine net from?
forget which ???
Harrod Horticultural or LBS Horticultural Supplies, but it was through the Web, delivered.
Thanks for advice all.
I'm going to use the mesh next time...how long do flea beetle stay around...all summer?...will they still be around when i plant my winter cabbage?
read in a old book smear a bit of yellow card with grease hold it a few inches over plant beetle jumps up and is trapped should give someone a laff if nothing else
I have now read about spreading grease on a plank of wood and leaving next to cabbages..but i like your version better with yellow card.........it would then feel more like sweet revenge!
Quote from: kippers garden on June 11, 2006, 22:06:09
how long do flea beetle stay around...all summer?...will they still be around when i plant my winter cabbage?
Not sure about flea beetle, but the cabbage whites are a bother with overwintering brassica.
Last year (my first year using mesh) I covered my PSB from July when the seedlings went in. By the end of September they had outgrown the mesh, so I put in stakes and rigged up a 'rising' cover using elastic bands. This seemed to work well - no cabbage white damage (the butterflies had gone by late Sept) and no pigeon damage later. Here are the broccoli with their 'rising' covers ;D
(http://img214.imageshack.us/img214/4020/plotsep054broccoli7kh.jpg)
My broccoli are still seedings yours look great supersprout hope i'm not too late for mine to get like that.