Help! Anyone know what this is?

[curranli]

Hi guys

Can anyone tell me what this is? Living on my lettuce plants, leaves look fine and healthy but the stalk underneath is teeming with these fellas and this white fungus like substance.

How do I get rid and is the lettuce safe to eat?

Thanks

L

 

[oneeye]

It's a good thing friend. Can you post a photo of the plants growing in the substrate?

Mycorrhizae form a network of filaments that associate with plant roots and draw nutrients from the soil that the root system would not be able to access otherwise. This fungus-plant alliance stimulates plant growth and accelerates root development. Google

 

[curranli]

The lettuce is just in a grow bag. See attached image. That's great about the fungus but what about the little maggot like critters on it?are they a problem?? Is the lettuce edible? Appreciate any help thank you!

 

[pepper]

When I zoom way in I see something beside your finger that looks like a baby slug although it's too blurry to tell for sure. Is that a possibility or are you referring to something else? A macro pic of the little maggot thing would be ideal. Otherwise my guess is baby slugs. Either way I'd still eat it, a bit of protein with the salad never hurts lol.

 

[Tetters]

Hello @curranli , welcome to the forums. It is good to see that you are clearly growing food that has not been sprayed with all kinds of poison. Organic food production is certainly the way to go. The lettuce seems to have been watered rather well which is probably why the roots look as they do. Little bugs of whatever kind are no problem at all. As long as you wash the leaves well (I always stick some salt in the water and let them sit awhile)
Next time you grow your lettuce, I suggest you either sow fewer seeds, and/or thin the plants out a bit as they grow.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

I would be sure to wash off the 'protein', probably with some salt in the water for the first wash, then I would eat it.

"Others have posted since you logged on" Great minds, Tetters.

 

[pepper]

I would be sure to wash off the 'protein', probably with some salt in the water for the first wash, then I would eat it.

"Others have posted since you logged on" Great minds, Tetters.

Not a fan of escargots I assume? Lol I find it funny the delicate flowers that are afraid of everything that doesn't come in a can unless it's washed beyond recognition lmao. But I understand, it's just funny to hear lol.