Pest identification
What's eating my wild radish?
Flea beetles (Phyllotreta spp.)
Signs: Tiny shot holes across leaves, most severe on seedlings and young plants
Control: Row cover; diatomaceous earth; keep soil moist; natural enemies including parasitoid wasps
Cabbage root fly (Delia radicum)
Signs: Root tunnelling by larvae; wilting plants; damaged roots at harvest
Control: Crop rotation; root-fly collars; floating row cover at establishment
Aphids (Brevicoryne brassicae — cabbage aphid)
Signs: Grey-waxy colonies on stems and leaf undersides; distorted growth
Control: Water jet; insecticidal soap; wild radish can be used deliberately as a sacrificial trap crop
Keep wild radish pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Wild Radish pests — FAQ
What is eating my wild radish?
Wild radish (Raphanus raphanistrum subsp. sativus) shares brassica family pests with cultivated radishes, though its tougher, more pungent foliage offers some natural deterrence. Flea beetles are still the dominant above-ground pest; root fly maggots attack the roots. As a plant it often acts as a trap crop for aphids, drawing them away from cultivated brassicas.
How do I get rid of flea beetles (phyllotreta spp.) on wild radish?
Tiny shot holes across leaves, most severe on seedlings and young plants Row cover; diatomaceous earth; keep soil moist; natural enemies including parasitoid wasps
How do I get rid of cabbage root fly (delia radicum) on wild radish?
Root tunnelling by larvae; wilting plants; damaged roots at harvest Crop rotation; root-fly collars; floating row cover at establishment
How do I get rid of aphids (brevicoryne brassicae — cabbage aphid) on wild radish?
Grey-waxy colonies on stems and leaf undersides; distorted growth Water jet; insecticidal soap; wild radish can be used deliberately as a sacrificial trap crop