What's eating my pulses?

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What's eating my pulses?
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Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Tue Apr 19, 05 6:31 pm Post subject:
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.

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Tue Apr 19, 05 6:57 pm Post subject:
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

Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 24585
Location: mid-Wales

Posted: Wed Apr 20, 05 7:38 am Post subject:
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

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Wed Apr 20, 05 8:08 am Post subject:
They aren't under cover, but this is Cambridge, the city where things grow miraculously early. How good is nemasys against vine weevil?

mochyn

Joined: 21 Dec 2004
Posts: 24585
Location: mid-Wales

Posted: Wed Apr 20, 05 8:11 am Post subject:
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

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Wed Apr 20, 05 8:36 am Post subject:
Cheers, I'll look into it. I'd use a chemical pesticide if absolutely necessary, but it's a last resort.

gavin

Joined: 10 Feb 2005
Posts: 93
Location: Leeds, W Yorks

Posted: Wed Apr 20, 05 11:26 am Post subject:

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]

nettie

Joined: 02 Dec 2004
Posts: 5888
Location: Suffolk

Posted: Wed Apr 20, 05 11:40 am Post subject:
Eek yes mine look like that, Gavin! Thanks for that.

cab

Joined: 01 Nov 2004
Posts: 32429

Posted: Wed Apr 20, 05 12:41 pm Post subject:
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.

gavin

Joined: 10 Feb 2005
Posts: 93
Location: Leeds, W Yorks

Posted: Wed Apr 20, 05 2:02 pm Post subject:

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 https://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 https://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

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Wed Apr 20, 05 2:06 pm Post subject:
Don't flea beetles make little "shot holes" all over the leaves, rather than nibbles around the edge?

Res

Joined: 07 Apr 2005
Posts: 1172
Location: Allotment Shed, Harlow

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 05 8:43 am Post subject:

Judith wrote:

Don't flea beetles make little "shot holes" all over the leaves, rather than nibbles around the edge?

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

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22789
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 05 10:01 am Post subject:

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...

gavin

Joined: 10 Feb 2005
Posts: 93
Location: Leeds, W Yorks

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 05 10:09 am Post subject:
Another link I find very useful is this onefrom Pesticides Action Network - Germany; https://oisat.org/. I like the sound of Bug Juice - summat to try this year ??? All best - Gavin

Res

Joined: 07 Apr 2005
Posts: 1172
Location: Allotment Shed, Harlow

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 05 10:57 am Post subject:

Judith wrote:

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...

Remind me not to have dinner round yours

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