What's eating my celery?

Celery is attacked by a distinctive set of pests. Celery leaf miner is the most damaging, creating pale brown blotches inside leaves. Aphids colonise stems and hearts. Slugs attack seedlings. Carrot fly occasionally targets the roots. Earwigs and birds may also peck at stalks in open gardens.

Creamy larvae tunnel inside leaves creating irregular pale brown blotch mines; heavily mined leaves wither and die Remove and destroy mined leaves promptly; cover with fine insect mesh from transplanting; destroy crop debris after harvest

Dense colonies in leaf axils and on stems; severe infestations cause leaf curl, stunted hearts, and sooty mould Inspect regularly; dislodge with water; introduce lacewing larvae; insecticidal soap or pyrethrin for persistent colonies

Ragged holes in seedlings and young stems; slime trails at night; particularly damaging to transplants in wet weather Copper barrier tape; iron phosphate pellets; hand-pick at dusk; water in the morning rather than evening

Larvae tunnel into the base of stalks and roots, causing reddish cavities, stunted growth, and wilting Fine mesh or fleece barrier from planting; avoid disturbing foliage at dusk; rotate celery beds annually