Small black dots on lettuce

[cryssy29]

Hello all. I'm new to gardening and this site. Wondered if you could offer some insight.

I have a small raised bed (6' x 4') that has, among other things, leaf lettuce growing in it. The lettuce seems to be growing well, but when I harvest occasionally I will see small, black (ground pepper sized) dots on the leaves. These little dots come off with some light rubbing and water but are kind of...sticky. They aren't dirt.

I've attached a pic for you to see what I mean. Is it bugs, disease? Am I ok to wash and eat or should I toss? Ideas, etc??? Help...

[img]https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5036/7394614946_40e163c326.jpg[/img]

[rainbowgardener]

At a guess, it might be caterpillar poo. Check carefully in the interior of your plants. Commonest thing to find would be a small slender green worm / caterpillar, called a cabbage looper.

It sounds a little gross, but if you wash it well, it is still fine to eat.

[barrelslime]

cryssy, where are you located?
I would guess its some kind of droppings as well. Never seen that before.

[cryssy29]

Located in central NYS.

cryssy, where are you located?
I would guess its some kind of droppings as well. Never seen that before.

[Bobberman]

It coul be markings from tiny snals. If the spots get bigger it may be snails. Snails make a brown mark. I would make a spray with a litte epsom salts desolved very little epsom salts and spray them! Also is it on the inside leaves or the older ones!

[GardenRN]

Notice the little hole chewed in your leaf. Watch for whatever pest it is, and that's where it's coming from. If you are gardening organically, and something is on a fresh veggie that washes off, I don't think there's anything that ruins the food. Unless the food itself goes bad.

Perfectly good food becoming unsafe to eat is a unique trick that is left to insecticides and chemical fertilizers.