Winter Salads Underglass.

[StringfellowParticipant]

Hi All,

Having erected my first greenhouse last December I’m enjoying my first proper season of winter salads grown underglass – most satistfying.

However, I’m having problems with white/ black/ green fly. They are setting up home on my leaves – particularly on the salads I’m growing in mushroom crates on the staging. This is becoming a serious problem and I’m wondering a) could I have prevented their arrival in the first place, b) can I treat them now they’re here, c) do I need to compost those plants that are most affected to limit damage to others?

Also, I’ve been harvesting small amount of landcress and wondered the best way to do this? Remove the whole stem including smaller leaves or just pinch out the largest leaf at the end of each stem, allowing the smaller ones to grow further? So far, I have been doing the latter.

Charles, your new house and garden project appears to be moving forward. I always look forward to the monthly updates and I wish you the very best with it all.

Thanks in advance,

Tris

[charlesModerator]

 Thanks for your nice comments Tris.

Aphids are usually an indication of plants being stressed. I hope I am wrong, but is the compost moist without being soaked, is there regular ventilation, do plants have some space around them? Watering leaves tends to discourage them but you cannot do too much of that in December. I would keep the plants growing, see if you can bring them back to health. I don’t find aphids to be ‘infectious’, they are just drawn to less healthy leaves, usually. Without seeing, it is hard to diagnose.

Landcress can be picked either way and grows back well after being cut, but it just takes longer before you can harvest again, compared with picking of larger leaves.

[StringfellowParticipant]

Diagnoses appreciated, many thanks.

Although I think I’m getting the watering of my salads about right, I’m probably not allowing enough ventilation in my greenhouse (I read that you leave your polytunnel open at both ends during the winter – if I remember correctly?) and I have probably squashed one too many clumps of seedlings into each mushroom box! All learning for me and part of what makes the process enjoyable and fascinating.

I’ll persevere with the plants and try and bring them back to health, putting this setback down to experience!

I have just started reading Joy Larkcom’s book on Oriental Veg’ and I’m enjoying it. Lots to learn and potentially grow

Thanks again,

Tris

[Author]

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