What's eating my spinach?

Spinach attracts aphids and leafminers that disfigure leaves, plus caterpillars (cabbage loopers) that chew through large areas fast. Slugs shred seedlings and small plants in cool, wet conditions. Leaf miner is often the most economically damaging pest for home growers because it makes leaves unmarketable and unsightly even without killing the plant.

White or blotchy translucent tunnels (mines) winding through leaf tissue; leaves become unsightly and inedible Cover with row cover or fine mesh to exclude adult flies; remove and destroy mined leaves immediately; avoid overhead watering that stresses plants

Dense colonies on undersides of leaves; sticky honeydew; yellowing and curling of young growth Spray with insecticidal soap or strong water blast; use reflective mulch to deter winged colonisers; encourage natural predators

Ragged holes chewed through leaf blades; pale green looping caterpillars on foliage Apply Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki) spray at first sign of caterpillars; hand-pick small infestations; use row cover to exclude moths

Seedlings eaten to soil level; irregular holes in older leaves after rain or irrigation Apply iron phosphate pellets; use copper tape around raised beds; sow under cover and transplant when plants are at least 5 cm tall