[crazy-potting-lady]

Hello All,

Newbie here with a problem 

This is my 1st year at growing my own veg from seed.  Was very please with all the progress until a few days ago.  I had grown a batch of radishes in a tub, and harvested these and was very pleased with the results, so i planted another batch this time i thinned out the seedlings into the ground. After a couple of weeks I noticed the leaves looking limp and yellowing, and after inspecting realized the entire lot was crawling with tiny maggots!

After reading all the helpful information in these forums, i have diagnosed this as being cabbage root flies larve.  I have binned all the infected radishes, and gone back planting in tubs.  Several days before inspecting the infected radishes, the spring onions i had planted next to them, literally wilted and died overnight and am wondering if this could possibally have been caused by the same root fly as the radishes.

I am woried the problem is spreading in the soil, as next to where the spring onions were i have peas growing, and a couple of these nearest the deceased spring onion plot are looking a bit yellow 

Can anyone possibly let me know if it is possible that gradually all my crops will be infected due to the larve being in the soil. From reading up on cabbage flies i thought they only affected certain vegetables.

I apologise if all this sounds confusing, as i said im a newbie.

[mumofstig]

Hello sorry you've got problems already
If i were you i'd dig the patch over where they are to let the birds get to them.
I didn't think they ate anything else but if they're hungry? I really dont know the answer

The way i understand it is that once you have these in your soil you shouldn't plant brassicas again for three years
Someone else who knows better will post i'm sure

[SG6]

Hi CPL, If as you say it is cabbage root fly then you have a problem, and what you describe does seem to be cabbage root fly.

Other then a quite extensive chemical attack there is little that I can find to cure the problem. And even the chemical attack seems of limited effect, and not reccomended.

The fly lays eggs close to the brassicas these hatch and munch on the roots. Seems the larve cannot travel far, as in only a few cms. That is why people use collars around them.

Problem is that there can be 3 waves of larve, spring, summer and late summer. Eggs laid late in the year simply lie dormant until the next year.

Covering with fleece prevents the flies reaching the brassicas at all, but a bit late. The ground should not have brassicas in it for 3 years.

Doesn't seem to be any "organic" cure either, I was wondering about nematoads. One university has found that certain fungus will eliminate 90% but it is not available to the public being only research at this time.

[crazy-potting-lady]

I have been advised by a couple of "old timers" that a very weak diluted mixture of jeyes fluid will cure the problem! hmmmmm.... not sure i like the sould of this one.  And when asked how weak is a weak solution i just keep getting the same response...........weak 

[Ropster]

found these instructions witrh a quick google

SOIL STERILISATION:
For reduction of damping off seedlings caused by Pythium Species.
Application - When digging over soak soil with a solution of 12ml per 5L of water using 10L per square metre. Do not plant until 6 weeks after sterilising.

[Yorkie]

Hi CPL, sorry to hear about your problems this year 

Your old-timers are right that Jeyes Fluid was previously used to protect plants, sterilise soil etc.  However, since Dec 03 its licence for this use was withdrawn so it's no longer legal to use it for this use.

Irrespective of the legal side of things, I'd be a little wary of using something on the soil which persists for at least the recommended 6 weeks and hasn't been tested to the recent standards.

I'm afraid I don't know enough about cabbage root fly to offer anything more constructive as help, sorry

[crazy-potting-lady]

Thankyou,

So im thinking best thing to do is dig up all that is not infected and try and save them by putting them in large pots and then sterilize the ground.....not sure it will work but here goes.....  

[Salmo]

They may not be cabbage root fly but bean seed fly.

I knew that bean seed fly attacked more than just beans but a little research has shown that as well as runner and french beans they may also feed on the following.
Beetroot, onions, broad beans, gladioli, cabbage family( especially caulis and radish), lettuce,potatoes, sweetcorn, spinach, courgettes, marrows, pumpkins.

Look at this site for more information. http://www.which.co.uk/documents/pdf/bean-seed-flies-151468.pdf

The flies lay their eggs in the soil and are especially attracted to freshly moved soil with plenty of organic matter. The maggots live on decaying organic matter but if a suitable seed is germinating they will burrow into it. Often what is thought to be onion fly damage is in fact bean seed fly maggots.

Thank you for asking your question, I have learned something new. Rotation will not help. Maybe dig muck in during the Winter rather than the Spring

[Kristen]

"However, since Dec 03 its licence for this use was withdrawn so it's no longer legal to use it for this use"

Might it be fairer to say that Jeys Fluid didn't want to incur the cost of additional regulatory testing to get the product approved under the new legislation, rather than that their license was withdrawn (which kinda implies to me that it was withdrawn because a dangerous effect was discovered)?

[Eatyourgreens]

Without wishing to admit to actually knowing any crooks or villains, I am sure there are one or two people about who still use products for purposes they used to be used for but now these things are illegal ;-)

I have heard it USED to be a great thing for sterilising pots, greenhouses etc.


Bob

[Salmo]

Jeyes fluid contains phenols which are linked with cancer. It also stinks for ages.