We actually managed a plot visit this week and came back with a vegetable harvest that certainly 'spoke of' winter.
Monday, November 24
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Hi Sue, No sign or mention of Allium leaf miner in my neck of the woods as yet. I too stopped growing tomatoes outside a couple of years ago due to blight. No sign of it on the ones grown in my garden greenhouse but got some this year inside the poly tunnel. Plenty of carrot fly for the past 3 years, although this year not so. Flea beetle infestations seem to be more prolific as well.
ReplyDeleteWe get more pests and diseases on the plot than in the garden, Rooko, I think the large number of favoured plants attracts them in, When we were surrounded by vacant weed ridden plots we never had blight
DeleteI feel like that with the crops sometimes. I cover my brassicas (cabbage worm), carrots (carrot fly), and onions (onion fly) right now. And sometimes my cucumbers (cucumber beetle) and zucchini (squash vine borer) for the beginning of the season. Oh and my spinach and chard (leaf miners). At least the corn doesn't need to be covered. Well some people get ear worms in them, but so far I've been lucky. There are too many pests.
ReplyDeleteThere are Daphne, vegetable patches are war zones!
DeleteOh - the need to cover everything - that's a scary thought. Just covering the odd veg is such a pain, especially when it comes to weeding. Like Daphne, I already cover the brassicas & some of the summer squash. Next year I'm adding a covering to our allium beds as well, but around here it's because of onion maggots.
ReplyDeleteAre they from the leek moth, Margaret as that is another ting that we have to watch out for,
DeleteOnion maggots are the onion fly's offspring...pesky buggers.
DeleteOh dear everyone is so pessimistic about needing to cover. Whatever did we do without fleece and environmesh!
ReplyDeletePlease Sue if you get the leaf minor don't send it over here. PS I never really thanked you for that pestilent weed, toadflax you gave me, but I am truly grateful.
Leeks really are my Winter staple and are almost completely pest free. I never see rust which is a curse to North Eastern leek exhibitors- leaf minor will not please them if it gets up to Newcastle!
I guess it was a case of spray, spray, spray, Roger. As I replied to Rooko pests are more prevalent on the plot where lots of people are growing similar things in close proximity. We get rust and chocolate spot sometime but the leeks are still useable.
DeleteThe clivia has two flower spikes so look out as it may star in next week's Wordless Wednesday, Have you ever grown a clivia from seed as I've seen seeds for different colours,
I've just had a salutary lesson. I uncovered the brassicas last month thinking that we'd seen the end of cabbage whites. No. I lost the sprouts almost overnight. There are still some I could harvest but with the whole plant turned black under caterpillar dung appetising they are not!
ReplyDeleteI've heard a few people saying they have had late caterpillars this year, Jessica, Our brassica problem is whitefly. We definitely need to grow in a biome.
DeleteI think in answer to your question, it will not be long at all before we have to grow MOST things under cover. Perhaps pests are more resistant to pesticides than they used to be? I have to say though that Enviromesh worked really well for me this year on my carrots.
ReplyDeleteOne problem, Mark is that many products that were available to amateur growers in the past are now no longer on the market. Also new pests and diseases are being introduced from elsewhere and some don't have natural predators in this country. A downside to importing food.
DeleteSome of our leeks had pale little caterpillar type things in them, about a centimetre long, and the affected leeks had to be pretty much thrown away. I've had a look at Google images and it might be allium leaf miner. I shan't be happy if they get into the onions and garlic.
ReplyDeleteHave you looked up leek moth too CJ, From what I have read autumn onions are less likely to be attacked by allium miner due to it avoiding lots of the egg laying periods etc I'd be interested to know whether anyone had found this to be true.
DeleteYes, just Googled it, I think it's definitely leek moths. Thanks for the tip. There's something for every vegetable (and fruit) isn't there!
Delete'fraid so :(
DeleteYou still have great harvest, Sue! So nice
ReplyDeleteThank you Endah
DeleteThat harvest definitely has a winter theme. I'm saving my parsnips to have with Christmas dinner, I have so few that I doubt I'll have enough for any more dinners beyond that. There's so many pests about, something for every type of fruit and veg, it's a wonder we manage to grow anything for ourselves to eat.
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing, Jo but we persist don't we?
DeleteSometimes I wonder if I should invest in a cover for my veg plot, but then mine is small enough to do that! I hope you remain unaffected for as long as possible.
ReplyDeleteSo do I, Jo What would you do have a large polytunnel? Them no doubt some things would be too hot if it was closed up and if left open the bugs etc would still get in, It would need climate control installing :)
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