Pest identification
What's eating my beetroot 'boldor'?
Black bean aphid (Aphis fabae)
Signs: Dense black colonies on leaf undersides and stems; honeydew encourages sooty mould; leaves curl and distort.
Control: Pinch out heavily infested growing tips. Spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil. Plant nasturtiums as a sacrificial trap crop.
Leafminer (Pegomya hyoscyami — beet leafminer)
Signs: Whitish blotch mines on leaves; larvae feed between leaf layers causing papery patches.
Control: Remove and destroy mined leaves. Use row covers in spring to prevent egg-laying by adult flies.
Slugs & snails
Signs: Holes in young leaves and seedling stems eaten through at soil level.
Control: Iron phosphate pellets around rows. Hand-pick after dark. Avoid overwatering which creates slug-friendly conditions.
Rabbits
Signs: Clean-cut grazing of leaves and stems, especially on young plants; damage appears overnight.
Control: Erect rabbit-proof netting (at least 60 cm high, buried 15 cm) around the bed. Plastic stem guards protect seedlings.
Keep beetroot 'boldor' pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Beetroot 'Boldor' pests — FAQ
What is eating my beetroot 'boldor'?
Beetroot 'Boldor' is most troubled by blackfly aphids on its leafy tops, leafminers tunneling through foliage, and slugs attacking seedlings. Deer and rabbits will graze the lush leaves where present. The yellow roots themselves are rarely directly attacked, but pest damage to leaves weakens root development significantly.
How do I get rid of black bean aphid (aphis fabae) on beetroot 'boldor'?
Dense black colonies on leaf undersides and stems; honeydew encourages sooty mould; leaves curl and distort. Pinch out heavily infested growing tips. Spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil. Plant nasturtiums as a sacrificial trap crop.
How do I get rid of leafminer (pegomya hyoscyami — beet leafminer) on beetroot 'boldor'?
Whitish blotch mines on leaves; larvae feed between leaf layers causing papery patches. Remove and destroy mined leaves. Use row covers in spring to prevent egg-laying by adult flies.
How do I get rid of slugs & snails on beetroot 'boldor'?
Holes in young leaves and seedling stems eaten through at soil level. Iron phosphate pellets around rows. Hand-pick after dark. Avoid overwatering which creates slug-friendly conditions.
How do I get rid of rabbits on beetroot 'boldor'?
Clean-cut grazing of leaves and stems, especially on young plants; damage appears overnight. Erect rabbit-proof netting (at least 60 cm high, buried 15 cm) around the bed. Plastic stem guards protect seedlings.