What's eating my leaf celery?

Leaf celery faces the same pest set as stalk celery, though its primary use is leaves rather than stems. Celery leaf miner is the most damaging, creating brown blotch mines that directly ruin harvestable leaves. Aphids and slugs are secondary problems. Mesh covers are essential for clean, pest-free harvests.

Larvae mine inside leaf tissue, creating irregular pale blotches; mined leaves are inedible and die back prematurely Cover with fine insect mesh throughout the season; remove mined leaves at once; destroy all plant material after the final harvest

Colonies on stems and leaf stalks; leaf curl, sticky honeydew, and reduced plant vigour Blast off with water; attract hoverflies with companion flowers; insecticidal soap for persistent infestations

Holes chewed in young leaves and stems, especially after rain; slime trails present Iron phosphate pellets; copper tape around beds; hand-pick at dusk; improve drainage and reduce mulch near stems