What's eating my corn salad?

Corn salad / mâche (Valerianella locusta) is a cool-season leafy green with relatively few pest problems. Its biggest threat is slugs and snails, which thrive in the same cool, moist conditions the plant loves. Aphids occasionally colonise young rosettes. Because leaves are eaten raw, organic control methods are the only sensible choice.

Irregular ragged holes in leaves, often overnight; silvery slime trails left on soil and leaves; worst in autumn and early spring Set beer traps sunk to soil level near the planting; scatter crushed eggshells or coarse grit as a barrier; hand-pick at dusk; use iron phosphate pellets (safe around pets and edibles)

Small soft-bodied insects clustered on young leaves and rosette centres; leaf distortion and sticky honeydew; can transmit celery mosaic virus Blast off with a jet of water; apply insecticidal soap or neem oil; encourage ladybirds and lacewings; grow near umbellifers to attract hoverflies