What can I do about leaf miners.

This year I really don't want leaf miners on my salad.

2 years ago I grew veg in pots. I did raddish salad, spinach and lettuce with massive sucess. So impressed we were and so much fun I had that when we moved we made sure our house had a garden.

Last year after moving I cleaned all my pots and containers bought expensive organic compost and started again,

This time I did raddish, swiss chard, spinach, lettuce and spring onion. I even planted some loose leaf salad in trays to stay in the kitchen window. Well eveything, yes EVERYTHING I planted except for a crop of potatoes which I grew on our new veggie patch was attacked by leafminers and utterly useless.

the infestation was so bad that I could actually see the spring onion plants moving where they were being tunneled out from the inside. We invested heavily in the garden and it was such a waste of money.

The bugs are tiny white larvae with what looks like a little black splinter going into their face end.

I've since been much more aware of these bugs and have noticed that all the trees (mainly cherry) around our way come under attack.

Is there anything I can do/ plant thisd year which these bugs don't like? I'm even willing to consider pestacides at this point. I know if I try again this year the same thing will happen. Theres no way we can just eat the stuff bugs and all, we just haven't got the balls for that.

Abi X

 

Abi, all you can use is a systemic insecticide, start spraying now and then, every ten days or so.:thumb: Check the directions for edible plants.:gnthb:

 

Thanks David, its such a shame because I was really looking forward to organic veg.

 

If you want to be organic I think you have to be prepared to eat the odd bug now and again.

A bit of meat with the veg is a good idea,.... ever eaten blackberries for instance, usually full of maggots, I know when I used to make wine from them there was always a good amount floating on the surface during the initial fermentation.

They just added to the final flavour.:D