Lettuce problems

[green fingers]

I planted my lettuce out about ten days ago. and they were doing fine. Until today when I noticed 2 of them were laying limp on the soil, when I touched them the leaves weren't attached anymore. There was no signs of damage to the leaves but where they were joined, the edges had gone brown.

The rest are still growing away fine. the 2 affected weren't next to each other.

Any ideas what it could be and what I should do to save the rest?

Wendy.

[Durgan]

Originally Posted by green fingers

I planted my lettuce out about ten days ago. and they were doing fine. Until today when I noticed 2 of them were laying limp on the soil, when I touched them the leaves weren't attached anymore. There was no signs of damage to the leaves but where they were joined, the edges had gone brown.

The rest are still growing away fine. the 2 affected weren't next to each other.

Any ideas what it could be and what I should do to save the rest?

Wendy.

Cutworm? Or do you have these little beasts?

[green fingers]

Yes Durgan we do have them and that was the same thought I had. I have had a look to see if I could see any but I have black weed fabric down and my plants are planted through it so to look in the soil would mean removing the bark chippings and then taking up the fabric. Is there anything I can get to kill them?

[Durgan]

Originally Posted by green fingers

Yes Durgan we do have them and that was the same thought I had. I have had a look to see if I could see any but I have black weed fabric down and my plants are planted through it so to look in the soil would mean removing the bark chippings and then taking up the fabric. Is there anything I can get to kill them?

There is usually only one that killed your plant,and by lightly digging around the plant within about six inches diameter and two inches deep or less, you should find the little nasty. Just cut a slit in the fabric and replace. The cutworm is easy to find aand it usually stays around at least the day after you observed the damage.

The solution is to put a plastic ring about two inches high around the stalk, until the plants gets larger. Anything will will suffice for physical protection. I have never had a large infestation, only one or two at time, and sort of lived with the cutworm, but I always found the little beast and promptly sentenced it to a crushing death.

[vegmandan]

You can get "wind rock" too where they literally just rock back and forth in the wind and snap off at ground level.

More likely to be cutworm though.

[green fingers]

Well there haven't been any more casualties and it was windy the night before I found them so it is a very strong possibility. I have pushed the earth up around the others to suport them better so maybe that will help?

[Whippetowner]

Ive just found two wireworms in the root bundle of my lettuces, they killed three plants before being discovered. No sign of damage on top and plant just wilted, I pulled one up and found the pair of them wrapped lovingly in the roots. they have just recieved "wellie justice"!!!

[monicawalk]

Use more earth to support the root and cover with compost with less stuffing,i've tried it on both lettuce n cabbage and it really worked