Panic-panic-panic

[michael johnson]

I have been panicing a lot this week- I discovered a sweet pepper plant that I managed to overwinter in my conservatory was riddled with red spider mite, so I have been spraying like mad with liquid Derris that is supposed to kill them and is quite safe for veg and edible plants including tomatoes, my only worry is that I caught them in time before the little devils spread to other plants - they obviously went for the pepper plant as it was there all winter and the first to open up leaf buds, I still had a bit of a job to see them though -so I had to use a magnifying glass- and there they were-plus the little white webs in the leaf axis etc.

red spiders are a terrible thing if you once get them in you crop they can completly devastate the whole crop if you dont catch them in time.

[Rena]

I have a rule (which I broke this last winter) What leaves the greenhouse stays out, never to return. I did the same with a pepper plant this last winter and it brought in all kinds of bugs. The real problem is there are no good bugs to fight them in the sterile environment. I spent a fortune one year buying bugs to add to the ghouse! I feel for you!!-Rena

[michael johnson]

Yes-Rena, very-very good advice, I think I will adopt the same principals from now on, it seems safer. many thanks.