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Is my raised bed safe to use?
sara b 2
Posts: 8
Hello, wondering whether anyone can help with my question. I'm a novice gardener. Last year, I planted spinach and ended up with thousands of little black insects crawling over my plants. I think they were aphids. I tried various non-chemical sprays but couldn't get rid of the insects; consequently, I decided to pull the plants out but to my horror, the soil was saturated with larvae. It was horrible. I left the soil and didn't do anything apart from squash the larvae that was trying to crawl into my next raised bed. For winter, I covered the infected raised bed and left it. Will this bed be safe to use this year? Or will the larvae still in the soil but dormant? Can anyone advise me as to what I should do? Thank you. Sara
0
Posts
The black insects were probably aphids but the larvae are not theirs. I wouldn't cover it, I'd keep digging it over to let the birds get at the larvae, whatever they were.
In the sticks near Peterborough
That's a good idea; I'll do that. Will it safe for new plants this spring?
Have you got a photo of the larvae? Their ID would point the way forward. But I'm sure you'll be able to use the bed.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Yes, fork the soil over and watch the robins and blackbirds help themselves to any worms, bugs and insects they can find.
I would be happy to use the bed again this year
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Thank you.