|
|
Post by scrumpy on Jun 11, 2011 17:10:24 GMT
my onions over the allotment have become very ill  been growing them a long time, never had this before,have googled, and can't come up with an answer as to whats going on. This is what they look like in the garden, leaves dropping and shrivelling like mad. Whole rows are affected.  pulled a few leaves back and found this  removed them surgically and they look like this...about 3mm long  My first thoughts were onion fly, but no sign of white maggots, or anything else around the roots. Thought about some other insect damage to the leaves but examined them carefully and can see no signs of anything. There are quite a few of those brown things in each onion, they are quite solid and when squashed just seem to have a clear fluid in them. Can those tiny little things really cause the problem? Help would be appreciated. Thanks. |
|
|
|
Post by floydie on Jun 11, 2011 17:39:36 GMT
They are insect Castor's, what ever they are they will have buried into your onions before they cast them, are they all showing the same signs??
|
|
|
|
Post by scrumpy on Jun 11, 2011 17:54:29 GMT
I have 4 rows of onions, 2 red, 2 vento for exhibition.
Practically all of the red ones, a few of the vento.
|
|
|
|
Post by floydie on Jun 11, 2011 17:57:09 GMT
Oh dear . |
|
|
|
Post by merlin on Jun 11, 2011 18:04:47 GMT
What a disaster, I'm so sorry for you Scrumpy. I hope you get to find out what it is. I suppose you'll have to dig them all out.
|
|
|
|
Post by floydie on Jun 11, 2011 18:13:04 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by merlin on Jun 11, 2011 18:42:08 GMT
Blimey that looks like the culprit.
|
|
|
|
Post by floydie on Jun 11, 2011 18:45:11 GMT
What i thought  . Ive just pulled one of my shallots as some of the leaves shriveled but it seams fine looks like we will be eating the little bulbs with pasta later. |
|
|
|
Post by scrumpy on Jun 11, 2011 20:27:49 GMT
well found....thanks, if that's the right word  Never heard of it before, where the hell did they come from, the plot i'm growing on has never had onions on them before. Looks like it's back to the drawing board. |
|
|
|
Post by steve on Jun 11, 2011 20:29:32 GMT
Another relatively new pest spreading!
|
|
|
|
Post by scrumpy on Jun 11, 2011 21:43:55 GMT
I'd even covered with enviromesh to stop the normal root fly.
Reading more about it it seems a nasty pest. Seems confined to the midlands area. Frightening really how these things spread.
Will certainly get everything up tomorrow.
|
|
|
|
Post by floydie on Jun 11, 2011 22:32:18 GMT
I was going to ask what area you were in.
Sorry i would ask if others on the allotmant have to same problem (or have in the past).
It attacks any allium so may not just be onions that are failing.
|
|
|
|
Post by scrumpy on Jun 11, 2011 22:56:55 GMT
I'm in Shrewsbury, a good 40 or so miles from the west midlands area that seems the most affected.
There is one other person who grows onions on our allotments, hers is 100 yards away from mine, but she is new and only planted out a few weeks ago for the first time. No one else has ever grown them there.
|
|
|
|
Post by floydie on Jun 11, 2011 23:08:56 GMT
Hrmmmm. They do attack leeks, chives ornamental alliums etc etc they could have come from any were in on other peoples plants hatched out and laid eggs in your onions. Or could have even come in on top soil/manure you will never know unfortunately . |
|
|
|
Post by grindle on Jun 12, 2011 4:05:38 GMT
that's bad news Scrumpy
|
|
