Root aphid and leaf nibblers

[JDParticipant]

Hi all
About a month ago all my lettuces bolted at once and although we were still taking some bitterer leaves off them for salads I pulled them all up a couple of days ago to start again. Without exception they all had lettuce root aphid, even the ones that had been under cloches to stop pigeon cr*p falling on them from the overhead tree. I presume it’s ok to compost the remains. Is there anything I can do in future to prevent an attack and how long do you think it would take for the critters to die out if I wanted to replant in the same area? (It’s the deepest shade from the tree and not much else will to grow there)
Secondly, while clearing the lettuces/new potatoes/broad beans to replant this week I noticed large numbers of earwigs of all ages scurrying for cover. I’ve never seen so many before but then I’ve not done no dig or gardened on this site before. Is it something you get more of with no dig? I asked an adjacent plot holder if he had many and he said not. This week has also seen a lot of damage to my runner beans particularly but also courgette and winter squash leaves and less so beetroot/potato/cabbage leaves. The holes are ragged and irregular and all over the leaf surface, not like the smoother holes of slugs. I’ve had to replant some runners three times now as the stem was eaten right through about a foot up and the leaves in tatters. Would this be the earwigs? I’ve seen some woodlice around but not a large number. Unfortunately the allotment is several miles from where I live and I can’t go out at midnight with a torch to confirm. Looks like I might have to try upturned flower pots and shredded paper.
Thanks for your help
Jan

[JDParticipant]

Update on beans. These are two nibbled ones. I’ve now only got two with a main stem that hasn’t been nibbled. Think some snails were at work last night too cos the little holes have been over eaten.
Jan

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[charlesModerator]

Root aphids like dry soil so your tree area is ideal for them, they will be there until mid September and yes you can compost the remains.
I think the nibbling of outer edges is woodlice not earwigs. They eat near ground level so plants usually grow away from the damage, but it can be acute if plants are weak for any reason and sometimes they nibble stems.

[ElizaDParticipant]

A complete bed of lettuce is collapsing because of root aphid which I presume is because of the dry weather before this spell of wet weather. I say presume because the last year my garden suffered badly with lettuce root aphid was 2012 which as you will remember was wet, wet, wet. So now I have root aphid, blight starting and, all of a sudden, slugs everywhere.

I have planted out the lettuces I thought I may not need as far away as possible from this affected bed and am hoping that the small plants will escape but have a small amount of chicory, endive and spinach in reserve just in case. I seem to remember in 2012 more or less every lettuce plant in the garden succumbed. What do you think, Charles? Do the new plantings stand a chance? Judging by the amount of slugs around it may not matter in any case!

[Vivian GParticipant]

Hi Jan,

Earwigs are useful because they eat aphids. I suppose you’ve got many of them, because there’s a lot to eat for them at the moment…

[charlesModerator]

Eliza, I find that young plants resist the aphids better so your new ones may go well.
I had root aphid v badly in 2015 which was damp not wet, it’s a mystery why they are bad some years. This year it’s starting on the Maravilla, v susceptible, while Navarra resists more.

Vivian thanks for your description of earwigs. I like them!

[ElizaDParticipant]

Thanks, Charles, I am hoping for the best. I love my salads! Just to note, the seed I saved from my lettuce last year germinated superbly. I have several plants I am waiting to collect seed from but they are presently sodden.

I also am seeing more earwigs this year than I have for many years. More wasps and in number far earlier than usual. Less bees and butterflies though.

Eliza

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