Common Lettuce Pests
- Herbivores.
- Insects. Aphids. Beetles. Caterpillars. Crickets. Fungus Gnats.
- Slugs and Snails.
What is the most common pest of lettuce?
Key to Lettuce Pests. Caterpillars attacking the fall crop are usually the most troublesome field pests of lettuce. In the greenhouse, aphid and cabbage looper infestations often give problems. Cutworms, whiteflies, leafminers, and slugs are slightly less important greenhouse pests.
What is eating my sprouts?
There are several possibilities for the damage you see, most likely either snails, slugs, earwigs or birds. Soil and plant moisture levels from all the rain we’ve had right now favor the likelihood of snail, slug or earwig. These pests are night feeders.
How do I get rid of bugs eating lettuce?
Lettuce Insecticides or Chemical Control
Azadirachtin, which is a natural compound derived from the neem tree, is effective against caterpillars and aphids. Bacillus thuringiensis is a natural soil bacterium, which can aid in the eradication of caterpillars.
What could be eating my lettuce plants?
LETTUCE GREENFLY AND APHIDS
They eat the leaves and stems and sap the strength from the plant. The goo they excrete is sugary and attracts a variety of moulds. The small flies are visible to the naked eye so detection is not difficult. The flies will congregate around the growing tips and young seedlings.
How do you stop seedlings from being eaten?
Cover the plants
This is one of the best ways to hide your seedlings from the hungry pests while protecting them from harsh weather conditions. That’s very important because young plants are easily susceptible to the natural elements. All-purpose row covers will be enough to protect your seedlings.
How do you protect new seedlings?
Tips for Protecting Seedlings from Pests
- Cover them with a cloche or row cover. This is a relatively simple and inexpensive option that can save your seedlings from both pests and frost.
- Consider companion planting for bug repellent plants.
- Use repellents around the base of the young plants.
- Use DIY stem protectors.
How do I keep bugs off my seedlings?
A great recipe for a homemade bug spray for vegetable plants is to use one tablespoon of dish soap, one cup of vegetable oil, one quart of water, and one cup of rubbing alcohol.
What can I spray on my lettuce to keep bugs away?
Neem oil made from neem tree seeds is a natural pesticide that kills pests when sprayed on the various types of lettuce plants. You can spray neem oil on lettuce leaves to get rid of these pesky bugs.
What is making holes in my lettuce?
These small holes are telltale signs of the cabbage worm. Actually, the are several insects that cause this type of damage and are generally referred to as ‘cabbage worms’. This includes the imported cabbage worm, the diamondback caterpillar and cabbage looper.
How do you protect lettuce from seedlings?
Cover with a very thin layer of compost or vermiculite. Thin seedlings out when they’re big enough to handle and keep the compost moist. protect from slugs and snails.
How do you identify what is eating my plants?
Look carefully under leaves for signs such as egg clusters and tiny larvae. Since many different species and sizes of caterpillars and beetles appear in gardens, look for information on the plant that’s being chewed to determine what insect pests are typically associated with it.
How do I protect my lettuce plants?
Keep Lettuce Plants Well-Watered
Water evaporating from the soil provides natural cooling. Water your lettuce plants every day—and even more often if it is extremely hot and dry. The lettuce leaves are comprised mostly of water and will desiccate and wilt in strong sunlight and dry soil.
What animal is eating my plants at night?
Wildlife that feed at night include rabbits, deer, squirrels, chipmunks, voles, woodchucks, groundhogs, and skunks. They do a lot of damage.
What is eating my seedling stems?
What Animal is Eating My Seedlings? While garden seeds are commonly eaten by mice, most seedlings are damaged by voles, chipmunks, rabbits, or squirrels. To determine the small animals eating seedlings in your own garden, it will be important to observe the area carefully.
Do birds eat lettuce seedlings?
Keep in mind that to birds, some plants are way tastier than others. Peas, lettuce, squash seedlings and cabbage family members seem to be the birds’ favorites.
What can I use to stop bugs from eating my vegetable plants?
10 Natural Ways to Eliminate Garden Insect Pests
- Start with “Clean” Soil. Good soil can actually deter garden insect pests.
- Buy Disease and Pest-Resistant Seeds.
- Selectively and Aggressively Thin Out Plants.
- Water Plants in the Early Morning.
- Control Weeds.
- Keep your Garden Clean.
- Use Insect Traps.
- Add Beneficial Insects.
How do I protect my lettuce seedlings from slugs?
Copper tape around your garden bed or individual plants is a good physical barrier because slugs and snails travel slowly over the tape, giving it enough time to work.
Do insects eat seedlings?
Your seedlings’ healthy young leaves are very appealing to a variety of insects as the perfect nursery for their larvae. These larvae, called leaf miners, burrow into the leaves of the plant, consuming foliage as they go.
How do I stop slugs eating my seedlings?
1) Crushed eggshells/gravel/woodchip or mulch Molluscs don’t like travelling over rough ground, so if they sense sharp edges, you can use this texture to deter them. 2) Coffee grounds. Slugs don’t like the bitter taste of coffee grounds. Sprinkle coffee grounds on the soil around your plants to deter them.
Does cinnamon keep bugs away from plants?
Sprinkle a bit of cinnamon around your plants to keep mosquitoes and other bugs away. They don’t like the strong smell of cinnamon, so you can enjoy your garden (even at night) in peace. Alternatively, you can plant a teabag.