The list includes cabbage loopers, slugs (which also make holes in leaves as they eat), diamond back moths, flea beetles (which make smaller holes), and cabbage worms. Dark wad of frass on damaged leaf.
What could be eating my Swiss chard?
Leaf Miners
There are two kinds that commonly attack Swiss chard, known as pea (Liriomyza huidobrensis) and vegetable (L. sativae) leaf miners. As these tiny larvae feed, they wind tunnels through the interior of the leaf.
What is eating my kale and chard?
Some, such as blister beetles, love the veggie, as do leaf miner larvae. Lygus bugs and their nymphs feed on the leaves and the buds of flowering plants. Of course, it seems that aphids will eat anything, and Swiss chard is no exception.
What can I spray on Swiss chard?
Swiss Chard Pests
Sticky tape is an effective control, or you can apply a commercial spray containing pyrethrins or a homemade spray consisting of five parts water, two parts rubbing alcohol, and 1 tablespoon (15 mL.) of liquid dish soap.
Do slugs eat Swiss chard?
Swiss chard is tempting to slugs, but if the plant is healthy, it will outgrow these battles. More of a problem, particularly if you like to eat only the soft green parts, is beet leaf miner, which produces unpleasant blisters with a wriggling maggot in the middle.
What is making holes in my chard?
Warm summer rains often give rise to cercospora fungi, which cause spots and holes in leaves of chard, beetroot, carrots, celery and a few other crops. Different cercospora strains infect the two plant families, but in both cases blister-like spots form that often crack open in the center.
Do birds eat Swiss chard?
Me too! I love planting lettuce, spinach, swiss chard, beets, broccoli, peas, cabbage, and cauliflower, but the birds eat them as soon as they sprout.
What is eating my kale at night?
While slugs and snails have been known to eat from kale, your culprit is most likely going to be caterpillars.
Does Swiss chard grow back every year?
Chard is a biennial plant, meaning it has a two year life cycle, but it is cultivated as an annual in the vegetable garden and harvested in its first season of growth. Once it begins to flower and set seed in its second year, its leaves turn bitter and unpalatable.
What is eating my leafy greens?
If small insects have been eating holes in your collard greens (Brassica oleracea var. acephala), they’re most likely flea beetles, cabbageworms or cabbage loopers. Flea beetles only reach 1/16-inch long, and they vary in color from tan to black, reports the Old Farmer’s Almanac.
What should not be planted near Swiss chard?
Chard is not a fan of most herbs with the exception of mint. These two make great garden buddies. Chard also shouldn’t be planted near potatoes, corn, cucumbers, or melons. All of these will either compete for soil nutrients or foster harmful pests.
How do you know if Swiss chard has bugs?
Swiss chard: How to Check for Bugs
- Remove each leaf from the head.
- Soak the leaves in a solution of vegetable wash and water.
- Agitate the product in the solution.
- Remove the product from the solution.
- Check both sides of every leaf, using a light box.
What’s wrong with my Swiss chard?
Bacterial Soft Rot. If your Swiss chard leaves have brown, water-soaked spots or if the midrib of the leaves starts looking decayed, it’s likely that the plants are suffering from bacterial soft rot.
How do I protect my chard from slugs?
Predators
- Keep slugs away by planting varieties they don’t like eating.
- Plant sacrificial plants to tempt slugs away from your favourite flowers.
- Physically remove slugs from your garden.
- Place beer traps around vulnerable plants.
- Surround plants with coffee grounds, copper and gravel mulches.
Do coffee grounds keep away slugs?
Coffee grounds are already recommended as a home remedy for keeping slugs and snails at bay. Grounds repel slugs, Hollingsworth found, but a caffeine solution is much more effective, he says: “Slugs turn back immediately after contacting the [caffeinated soil].”
Does Swiss chard grow back after you cut it?
This versatility makes it a valuable crop with a very long growing season. If your plants do bolt in hot weather, promptly cut the flower stalks close to the base, and plants will continue to develop new leaves. For all the cultivation details you’ll need, be sure to read our guide on how to plant and grow Swiss chard.
What eats perfectly round holes in leaves?
Holes From Slugs and Snails
If you find holes in leaves but no bugs, visit your garden with a flashlight at night. That’s when slugs and snails do their dirty work. Slugs and snails chew leaf holes in many plant types, including hibiscus, hosta, basil, cabbage, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers and pepper plants.
How do you stop Swiss chard from going to seed?
You can also prevent chard plant bolting by protecting your plants from heat and drought. Although they tolerate summer heat well, and better than some other greens like spinach, intense heat and drought may trigger bolting. Make sure your chard is well watered and provide some shade if you have a heat wave.
How do you control the leaf miner in Swiss chard?
One of the easiest ways to limit damage from these insects is to protect the plants with a layer of floating row cover. This lightweight translucent fabric is placed over the plant tops and forms a protective barrier over the plants and prevents the adult leafminers from accessing the plants.
Do squirrels eat Swiss chard?
Squirrels eat a variety of vegetables, and gardeners know this all too well. If a squirrels happens upon any leafy green such as lettuce, chard, kale, spinach, or arugula, they will chow down.
How do you protect Swiss chard from birds?
5 Tips to Protect Your Plants
- Bird netting. This is the most effective strategy, but it can also be messy.
- Mylar balloons. Mylar balloons or reflective surveyor’s tape do the same thing — create a shiny, reflective flash that birds hate.
- Covers.
- High-tech fake owls.
- Fishing line.