Leek Moth……

[RhysParticipant]

Charles

We just harvested the first three leeks of the autumn, what looked ike the biggest and best (nearly 1.5lb for three) but when we harvested they appear to have been rotted within to a significant extent by leaf moth.

A shame, as the root systems were fantastic and the soil structure after 16 months of no dig was really excellent.

Doing some reading about it, one source said ‘dig the ground over to expose the grubs/moths’, whilst another suggested introducing frogs into the garden! A third suggested growing leeks under netting, allowing air and rain through but not moths/caterpillars.

Any experience on whether this is going to be difficult to eradicate or is it just another of those things that pop up after a warm dry summer? Also, any approaches which have help to eradicate the pest appreciated

[charlesModerator]

Yes it is so frustrating and a mesh cover from planting unril October is the only remedy I know. 

For example I had bad leek moth last year, on virgin soil where no leeks had grown before, so there is little point worrying about chasing them out of your garden: new ones arrive!

You have to live with it, or mesh. If growing winter leeks eg Bandit, they bulk up in spring when leek moth is not around, though they can still be eaten as small leeks in late summer. I think its not worth cutting to low level as I find that damaged leeks regrow well from October, after caterpillars pupate, and with better results than if leeks are cut down.

[RhysParticipant]

We’ll just have to live with it this year, but next year we will have to mesh up.

[ladbrokesMember]

I have suffered badly in the past from leek moth. I now use enviromesh from start to finish and I have fantastic pest free crops. This yr I’m trying downpipes to see if I can get longer white stems on the leeks (mimicks blanching)

[RhysParticipant]

Good to hear from someone who has eliminated it and succeeded using mesh.

Priority one for the investment budget in 2015!!

[slasherParticipant]

Hi this is Slasher, The first year I had my allotment I lost all my leeks to the moth .Since then I have netted all my leeks with great results .So get netting!!!!.

[charlesModerator]

Hi Slasher, congratulations.
Just checking and for others reading, you mean white mesh?

[slasherParticipant]

Slasher. No it is used by Scaffolding firms ,I get mine from, Scaffolding Direct a roll of 3 metre it opens out just right to stretch over the 32 m water service pipe cut to length and each end pushed
into the ground ,with the mesh spread over pipe. this also keeps butterflys at bay .

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