What's wrong with my swiss chard?

Salaam · June 11, 2017

Hello all,

Please look at the photos - the leaves start off green and then...

Worth1 · June 11, 2017

Some of it looks like leaf miner damage.
Cut off the leaves and toss them in the trash.
Then get one of those garden yellow sticky traps for flying insects.

RayR · June 11, 2017

Worth is right, but all of that is beet leafminer damage. Most people are familiar with the meandering little trails left by leafminers on other plants but beet leafminers cause a lot more damage to members of the beet family, the damaged tissue is mushy which makes you think it may be a fungal infection. It's not a big deal for me, I've had that damage on a few leaves in the past, but no big infestation. If you can catch the eggs on the bottom of a leaf before the larva hatches you avoid the damage and stop a new generation of flies from coming back and laying more eggs.
If that's the only problem you have with Swiss Chard, count your blessings because there are far worse things I've heard.

brownrexx · June 11, 2017

Yes, leaf miners. I get those on beets and spinach but not usually on Swiss chard. I just break off the infected leaves and throw then on the ground to burn up in the hot sun so that the larvae can't hatch into flies and complete their life cycle.

I was doing that to my beets for the past 2 weeks and now all of the leaves are clear with no more damage. I don't usually have a real big problem with them.

Salaam · June 11, 2017

Thanks for your help, everyone! I'll do as you say!

JRinPA · August 3, 2017

How is that swiss chard doing? Ours had a good bit of leaf miner damage early but it is still going strong now into August.

Salaam · August 4, 2017

One died, one went to seed, and one's going to seed. But, the leaf miner did stop, and we've eaten a bit from all three.

Worth1 · August 4, 2017

I will be planting it again this fall for a winter crop.
Worth

Gardeneer · August 13, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

I will be planting it again this fall for a winter crop.
Worth

8/12/17
Worth, have you planted yours yet ?
I just planted some SC along with some cole crops.

Salaam · June 14, 2020

Three years later, and I've found that in my backyard the chard always gets leaf miner problems and then bolts. In my front yard, they're healthy and productive! Beets in the backyard are fine.

June 11, 2017	#2
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Some of it looks like leaf miner damage. Cut off the leaves and toss them in the trash. Then get one of those garden yellow sticky traps for flying insects.

June 11, 2017	#3
RayR Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Cheektowaga, NY Posts: 2,466	Worth is right, but all of that is beet leafminer damage. Most people are familiar with the meandering little trails left by leafminers on other plants but beet leafminers cause a lot more damage to members of the beet family, the damaged tissue is mushy which makes you think it may be a fungal infection. It's not a big deal for me, I've had that damage on a few leaves in the past, but no big infestation. If you can catch the eggs on the bottom of a leaf before the larva hatches you avoid the damage and stop a new generation of flies from coming back and laying more eggs. If that's the only problem you have with Swiss Chard, count your blessings because there are far worse things I've heard.

June 11, 2017	#4
brownrexx Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Southeastern PA Posts: 1,420	Yes, leaf miners. I get those on beets and spinach but not usually on Swiss chard. I just break off the infected leaves and throw then on the ground to burn up in the hot sun so that the larvae can't hatch into flies and complete their life cycle. I was doing that to my beets for the past 2 weeks and now all of the leaves are clear with no more damage. I don't usually have a real big problem with them.

June 11, 2017	#5
Salaam Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Ottawa, ON Posts: 128	Thanks for your help, everyone! I'll do as you say!

August 3, 2017	#6
JRinPA Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: SE PA Posts: 972	How is that swiss chard doing? Ours had a good bit of leaf miner damage early but it is still going strong now into August.

August 4, 2017	#7
Salaam Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Ottawa, ON Posts: 128	One died, one went to seed, and one's going to seed. But, the leaf miner did stop, and we've eaten a bit from all three.

June 14, 2020	#10
Salaam Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Ottawa, ON Posts: 128	Three years later, and I've found that in my backyard the chard always gets leaf miner problems and then bolts. In my front yard, they're healthy and productive! Beets in the backyard are fine.