Leaf Miner flies

[Dolly13]

Hello!

I just wanted some advice please.

I think that my plants are all becoming infected by a leaf miner.

It started with the celery plants, where all the leaves being translucent like tissue paper with small black dots on them. I had to remove the whole crop

I've now noticed a few of my beetroot leaves and rocket heading in the same way. Also, the honeysuckle is also showing signs. Where I've seen the leaves I've removed them and crushed them to kill the eggs. But not sure what else I can do.

However, I'm getting rather distressed - this is my first year of "properly" growing my own and I really don't want to lose all my crop. I've put so much into my garden this year (energy and money!) and it's so upsetting to think that it'll be for nothing I can handle battling slugs/snails and aphids - as I can see them and control them. But, this leaf damage is starting to affect all plants and I'm concerned about it reaching the edible leaves completely.

The BBC site give this advice:

Products containing the following chemicals are effective against this pest:

Bifenthrin

Imidacloprid

Methiocarb


However, I don't know much about any of these - had anyone used them in their gardens? If so, what is the toxicity effect of using on edibles and on other wildlife?

On top of that, we've got a huge council owned horse chestnut tree that grows on a public walk behind the garden. The whole tree leans over my garden, and the leaves on this have got the chestnut leaf miner. I told the council who said that it won't effect any of the other plants and that they'll just monitor the tree for now.

Does anyone have any good advice about prevention of the leaf miners on my crop?

Sorry, to sound like a whinger or for being over-dramatic - maybe I'm just having a bad day.

Any advice/comments are greatly received.

[Two_Sheds]

Leaf miners aren't a big problem, don't stress about it.
Just pick off and compost the affected leaves.

[Dolly13]

Thanks Two Sheds.

I've looked into the miners over the last few weeks and all the books and websites that do have any info just say to crush the eggs and use a spray once infected. They do say not to compost the leaves as the eggs will then hatch inside and contaminate future plots when you use the compost. Their suggestion is to destroy the leaves (incinerate or throw away).

I know it's a minor thing to worry about, but my celery turned overnight. That means that all the leaves went white/translucent - and therefore lost their chlorophyll - so no more photosynthesis. I know most of the large plants will be fine if only a few leaves go, but my concern is it effecting the edible leaves (lettuces, spinach etc).

I also wanted to know about the sprays which I mentioned - does anyone know the general COSHH standards - ie, how harmful are they to food chain, humans, soil??

I'd rather not use them, and I'm trying to control the damage by removing the effected leaves. However, I don't get much time in the garden daily during the week as I'm at work and don't often get home til 9pm. However, I do spend large amounts of time out there whenever I get the time.


Thanks again for all your help.

[Two_Sheds]

They do say not to compost the leaves as the eggs will then hatch inside and contaminate future plots when you use the compost.

If the bugs don't have a food source, they will die.
If they also get rotted down into compost, they can't possibly reinfest the next crop.

[zazen999]

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...rid_36003.html

Only today was the same question asked....have a look at the thread right below yours.

[New_Bud]

I had pea leafminers last year.
The larval form of the leafminer is that which eats the palisade-mesophyll cells inbetween the tops and bottoms of the leaves, since these contain chlorophyll and photosynthesis leafminers, if left to devour, result in leaf death. I just squished them between my fingers whilst they were inside the leaf, picked it off and stuck it in my green bin. Theres also little black dots along it's trail - poop - euch! They didn't go onto any other crops and I still got my peas Don't panic! x

[BroadRipple]

TwoSheds/anyone else, do you think it's really ok to compost leaf-miner-infested leaves if yer compost doesn't reach mighty proportions and huge temperatures? mine's just yer average dalek...