Lettuce Pests And Diseases

Lettuce is a quick growing plant and care should be taken to grow it in the right way and most of the problems will go. Probably the worst one is that it is very attractive to slugs and snails and any seen should be removed and suitable slug traps put into position. Birds are also attracted to the young plants. It is worth considering growing the plants under a mesh or a cloche or a mesh cage as this reduces the chance of being devoured by the main predators.

The plants are attractive to aphids which can be washed off with soapy water, greenfly which are difficult to wash off can only really be protected by fleece or a very fine mesh which will stop the problem. Insecticides used on a plant leaf that will be eaten later is not a good idea.

Greenfly can also transfer the mosaic virus which will stunt the growth of the plant. Generally remove the plant as soon as possible and destroy it.

Cutworms can cut across the roots and these should be picked out of the soil where seen and get a good insecticide.

They can be susceptible to the mildews which will ruin the plant but generally the plant will grow too quickly to cause a problem.

In the USA the tarnished plant bug is prevalent bug attracted by other crops grown nearby and they will eat the plant quickly. Pick the bugs off the plant if possible or remove the plants. The plant could be sprayed with an insecticide to kill the bugs but destroy the plant afterwards. If the bug is being introduced to the area by the attraction of a farmer’s crop nearby there is little that can be done other than to cover the crop with a mesh or fleece cover to stop them getting into the crop. Any other treatment will be negated by a new set of bugs descending on the crop at a later date from the neighbouring fields.

Anthracnose is a fungal disease that can destroy a plant. Immediately destroy the plant and debris. Use crop rotation for future crops as the disease can stay in the ground for some years.

By Richard Allen -

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