What is this pest and how to combat it?
 

I grew a row of turnips this year. They have a lovely healthy top to them,
and I have been delighted by the way they have developed from marble to golf
ball to tennis ball and bigger. I thought I would sample one today, as they
will benefit from thinning anyway.

http://s1102.photobucket.com/albums/...t=PICT3032.jpg

On washing and peeling it, I was dismayed to find that it was unusable, as
it had been attacked by a series of small grubs that had bored into it and
introduced a network of brown rotten trails through it.

I have not checked the rest of the row, but if it is the turnip equivalent
of carrot fly, I suspect that I may as well rip them all out and chuck them
in the compost bin.

Any thoughts please? Am I too late to do anything to rescue some crop?

cheers
Alan

What is this pest and how to combat it?
 

"Alan \(BigAl\)" wrote:
On washing and peeling it, I was dismayed to find that it was unusable, as
it had been attacked by a series of small grubs that had bored into it and
introduced a network of brown rotten trails through it.

I'm not going to be much help, as my only response is that exactly the same
happened to me the only time I ever succeeded in growing a turnip or two.

My dad did manage to cut away enough from each one to make a very small
amount of soup, though!

What is this pest and how to combat it?
 

wrote in message
...
"Alan \(BigAl\)" wrote:
On washing and peeling it, I was dismayed to find that it was unusable,
as
it had been attacked by a series of small grubs that had bored into it
and
introduced a network of brown rotten trails through it.

I'm not going to be much help, as my only response is that exactly the
same
happened to me the only time I ever succeeded in growing a turnip or two.

My dad did manage to cut away enough from each one to make a very small
amount of soup, though!


Using Google, I have now found a good deal of advice from an American web
page.
http://www.ehow.com/how_5632827_rid-...s-turnips.html
Scrupulous garden hygiene,
Mechanical barriers to prevent the fly gaining access to the root
Do not compost the infected plants
Expensive insecticides - if you can find one you trust not to poison the
family.

And I thought in my innocence, that I could just pop a few seeds in and with
a little water and weeding enjoy nice flavourful stews in the Autumn. Wrong
again!

Not so easy this gardening lark, is it?

Alan

What is this pest and how to combat it?
 

On Jul 18, 6:09*pm, "Alan \(BigAl\)" wrote:
wrote in message

... "Alan \(BigAl\)" wrote:
On washing and peeling it, I was dismayed to find that it was unusable,
as
it had been attacked by a series of small grubs that had bored into it
and
introduced a network of brown rotten trails through it.

I'm not going to be much help, as my only response is that exactly the
same
happened to me the only time I ever succeeded in growing a turnip or two.

My dad did manage to cut away enough from each one to make a very small
amount of soup, though!

Using Google, I have now found a good deal of advice from an American web
page.http://www.ehow.com/how_5632827_rid-...s-turnips.html
Scrupulous garden hygiene,
Mechanical barriers to prevent the fly gaining access to the root
Do not compost the infected plants
Expensive insecticides - if you can find one you trust not to poison the
family.

And I thought in my innocence, that I could just pop a few seeds in and with
a little water and weeding enjoy nice flavourful stews in the Autumn. Wrong
again!

Not so easy this gardening lark, is it?

Alan

Sow some more now, the seed's cheap - 'Milan Purple top' away from
your damaged ones. If the late summer monsoon happens you might just
get some nice turnips. The fly has more than one brood and you can
sometimes get a crop between broods.

What is this pest and how to combat it?
 

Damn things, I was so pleased with the vigour of them too.
Oh well - back to the drawing board.

Thanks all for the inputs

Cheers
Alan