What's eating my tatsoi?

Tatsoi's dense, ground-hugging rosette of spoon-shaped leaves traps moisture and debris, making it especially susceptible to slugs and snails gnawing the outer leaves, as well as flea beetles riddling seedlings and cabbage caterpillars hiding in the tight centre. Aphids can also colonise the growing point. Slugs are the primary menace.

Ragged holes in outer leaves and damage to the central rosette; slime trails visible; the dense low habit gives slugs good cover. Iron phosphate pellets around the rosette; reduce overhead watering; hand-pick at night; use gritty mulch to discourage shelter; space plants to improve airflow.

Shot-hole peppering on young leaves; most severe in warm, dry spells at transplant stage. Insect mesh from sowing or transplanting; water regularly to help plants outgrow attacks.

Larvae burrow into the rosette centre, making detection and control harder; frass accumulates in the leaf base. Check the rosette centre when harvesting outer leaves; apply Btk spray directed into the centre; exclusion netting is most effective.

Colonies at the growing point; distorted inner leaves; the closed rosette can shelter aphids from sprays. Target the growing point with insecticidal soap; remove and destroy heavily infested plants; encourage parasitic wasps.