Pest identification
What's eating my bloomsdale spinach?
Spinach leaf miner (Pegomya hyoscyami)
Signs: White or tan blotchy tunnels or blisters visible inside leaf tissue; infested leaves are unusable
Control: Cover with fine insect-proof mesh before flies emerge in spring; remove and destroy mined leaves immediately; avoid leaving nearby lamb's quarters (a host weed)
Aphids
Signs: Crinkled leaves harbour colonies; honeydew and sooty mould on leaf surfaces
Control: Insecticidal soap spray directed into leaf crevices; strong water jet; row cover as prevention
Slugs and snails
Signs: Ragged holes in lower leaves and seedlings overnight; slime trails
Control: Iron phosphate pellets; remove mulch near crowns; hand-pick at dusk
Rabbits and deer
Signs: Entire plants grazed to the ground, especially in early spring
Control: Low wire-mesh fence (60 cm / 2 ft) for rabbits; 1.8 m (6 ft) fence or motion-activated deterrent for deer
Keep bloomsdale spinach pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Bloomsdale Spinach pests — FAQ
What is eating my bloomsdale spinach?
Bloomsdale spinach's deeply savoyed (crinkled) leaves trap moisture and debris, making it attractive to aphids and leaf miners. Spinach leaf miner is its most serious pest — larvae tunnel inside leaves rendering them inedible. Slugs attack at ground level. Deer and rabbits will graze the entire plant if not excluded.
How do I get rid of spinach leaf miner (pegomya hyoscyami) on bloomsdale spinach?
White or tan blotchy tunnels or blisters visible inside leaf tissue; infested leaves are unusable Cover with fine insect-proof mesh before flies emerge in spring; remove and destroy mined leaves immediately; avoid leaving nearby lamb's quarters (a host weed)
How do I get rid of aphids on bloomsdale spinach?
Crinkled leaves harbour colonies; honeydew and sooty mould on leaf surfaces Insecticidal soap spray directed into leaf crevices; strong water jet; row cover as prevention
How do I get rid of slugs and snails on bloomsdale spinach?
Ragged holes in lower leaves and seedlings overnight; slime trails Iron phosphate pellets; remove mulch near crowns; hand-pick at dusk
How do I get rid of rabbits and deer on bloomsdale spinach?
Entire plants grazed to the ground, especially in early spring Low wire-mesh fence (60 cm / 2 ft) for rabbits; 1.8 m (6 ft) fence or motion-activated deterrent for deer