| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| cab |
What's eating my pulses?Down on the plot, the sheer number of little nibbles around the leaves of my pulses (peas and beans) and, to be honest, even my brassica seedlings, is quite disconcerting. Am I suffering from vine weevils? What's the solution? |
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| judith |
Did you notice any vine weevil grubs as you were digging the soil? They are generally easier to spot than the adults.
If they aren't already netted, birds would be my first suspects, though. |
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| tahir |
It'd be nice to get pics of bugs (insects etc, not our own bugs) for the glossary | ||
| nettie |
My peas have little nibbles on them too. They are in a mini polytunnel. Had a good look round for the culprit but no luck. | ||
| Treacodactyl |
I think I could get some pictures of garden pests and their damage as the season progresses. We often get nibbled leaves but it doesn't seem to affect the pea plant. It the cabbage rood fly I will have to battle with this year. 
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| tahir |
Well, I'd love piccies of anything that could potentially go in the glossary | ||
| Treacodactyl |
In case I've missed something, do we need pictures of anything in the glossary? Even, for example, something like nettles? If so I can certainly provide quite a few and it's something I'm thinking of spending a little more time on. Is there a min/max size that's good? (Please point me in the direction of another thread if I've missed it) |
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| tahir |
Nettles would be good, in fact anything, there are very few photos in there. No hard and fast rules on image size but 160w x 180h would be the maximums I reckon. | ||
| Treacodactyl |
OK, I'll see what we can do. I'll concentrate on what we know and if anything special crops up run it past cab, you or others to make sure it's correct. 
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| cab |
Didn't see any larvae, but I have found some adults. The damage doesn't look like bird damage, the damage is too small and semi-circular if that makes sense. | ||
| mochyn |
Are the plants under cover? Otherwise it sounds a little early for them, to me, otherwise semi-circular does sound like vine weevil, Cab. Time to send for some Nemasys! Quick! | ||
| cab |
They aren't under cover, but this is Cambridge, the city where things grow miraculously early.
How good is nemasys against vine weevil? |
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| mochyn |
There are several Nemasys products: one is a specific anti-VW thing. I don't use it, because we don't get a lot of trouble from the little dears, but it is reputed to be good. Have a look on the Greengardener site. And good luck! | ||
| cab |
Cheers, I'll look into it.
I'd use a chemical pesticide if absolutely necessary, but it's a last resort. |
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| gavin |
If the damage looks like this, I'd suspect pea weevil 
Did any of your pea seeds have tiny holes bored in them? They may have been harbouring over-wintering weevils. Joy Larkcom recommends spraying with derris as soon as the problem appears - but if it's not too serious, the plants can grow through the first damage. But then I wouldn't save any of the pea crop as seed for next year! All best - Gavin[/img] |
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| nettie |
Eek yes mine look like that, Gavin!  Thanks for that.
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| cab |
Gavin, it looks just like that. None of the peas had holes in, they were freshly bought this year, and it's appeared on two varieties.
Might spray, but I'll also look at biocontrol. Ta very much for that. |
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| gavin |
If they don't look any more damaged than that, they could well "grow through" the problem without any spraying. Mine usually do - depends a bit on how big the seedlings are.
Did some digging around - little sods can over-winter on the seeds of all sorts of legumes  . By the way - a good source of info on beasties and bugs http://www.inra.fr/Internet/Produits/HYPPZ/RAVAGEUR/6sitlin.htm - bit scary, though. NO, not the French  - scroll down to the union jack for the English files .
I'm just wondering, reading http://www.inra.fr/Internet/Produits/HYPPZ/RAVAGEUR/6sitlin.htm, if hoeing around the peas and beans would upset their life cycle in the next few weeks --- there's still enough hungry birds around in April and May? Back to your first post cab, - it's probably flea beetle going for your brassica. Again, with any luck the seedlings should survive - but I've read of people holding a vaseline covered piece of card over the seedlings, as they brushing plants. Beetles jump --- beetles stick to vaseline 
All best - Gavin PS I find that sowing brassicas direct in the bed under fleece cuts flea beetle damage to almost nothing
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| judith |
Don't flea beetles make little "shot holes" all over the leaves, rather than nibbles around the edge? | ||
| Res |
They did on my cabbages and cauliflowers last year ("shot holes" that is). Ever time I walked passed they all started hooping about like tiny mad things on speed! Richard |
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| judith |
I was reading an American book on organic pest control last night. For one type of beetle (cucumber beetle IIRC), they suggested the following recipe:
Collect 50 or more beetles Put in blender with 2 cups of water. Blend. Spray on and around your cucumbers or whatever. Apparently the beetles don't like the smell of dead beetles It occurred to me that it might be effective with vine weevils too.
OK, you might never want to use your blender again, but then again, if it works... |
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| gavin |
Another link I find very useful is this onefrom Pesticides Action Network - Germany; http://oisat.org/.
I like the sound of Bug Juice - summat to try this year ??? All best - Gavin |
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| Res |
Remind me not to have dinner round yours  
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