What's eating my chard? And what to do?

tam91 · May 31, 2012

I have rainbow swiss chard that's being eaten byt something - I suspect it's bugs rather than bunnies etc., as there are holes in many of the leaves.

What should I put on chard - Sevin? I do not grow organic, so I am open to anything effective.

bcday · May 31, 2012

If these are large holes, bigger than the tiny ones that flea beetles would cause, I suspect slugs. During the day they hide in cool moist areas under mulch, rocks or lumps of dirt nearby and come out in the evening or in damp weather to feed. There are commercial slug baits you can buy to sprinkle around the garden. That will help to take care of the slugs you don't find. There are also a phenomenal number of creative organic ways to dispose of the ones you do find, ranging from luring them with saucers of beer, to covering them with salt, to dispatching them with scissors or two rocks.

I wouldn't want to put Sevin directly onto the part of the plant I was planning to eat, regardless of what the label says. But if you do, I think for Sevin dust the label says you have to wait two weeks before you can safely eat the treated chard (same as beet or turnip greens). And I'm not sure Sevin is effective against slugs, check the label.

fortyonenorth · May 31, 2012

I've had a terrible time with cabbage loopers on the lettuce this year - though none on the brassicas. Go figure. Upon close inspection you'd be able to see the little green caterpillars. Bt would be my weapon of choice. Slugs could be suspect and also earwigs. Both would be present at night.

lakelady · May 31, 2012

My kale plants that are in ground are totally stripped of leaves! I find slugs around. It usually starts as a few holes, and before you know it, all that is left are the bare ribs. I have to figure out a way to keep them out of my plants too. I've heard putting a wooden board in the garden and scraping them off in the morning is a good way to capture them without chemicals. An icky job to be sure, but worth a shot.

habitat_gardener · May 31, 2012

Birds will eat bites of kale and chard, and strip young plants to the midribs. A neighbor has a bird feeder hanging in an orange tree and a garden bed nearby. The birds go to the feeder, then sit on the bigger chard midribs and nibble away. I protect seedlings with cloches (gallon water bottles with the bottoms cut off) from about Oct to May, because I've observed small birds nibbling them down to stubs otherwise. One year I pulled the covers off my 4-ft. pea plants, thinking they were big enough to fend for themselves, and within 2 days only the stems were left.

If it's birds, floating row cover will work. I've also used netting/tulle from the fabric store, sheer curtains/fabric, and lengths of window screening.

tam91 · May 31, 2012

Hmm. Well my impression from looking at the damage was more likely some sort of bug than birds, but I'm not sure. This garden isn't at my home, I'll have to go look and perhaps photo when it stops raining.

I'll look up what kills slugs, in case that's it.

**nctomatoman** · May 31, 2012

I am thinking slugs or cabbage moths - I've had issues with both of them this year - they decimated my Red Russian Kale!

tam91 · May 31, 2012

So how do you kill or discourage them?

This garden is not at my home, so I'm more inclined towards chemicals or something than manual methods.

OneDahlia · June 1, 2012

Slugs are enjoying my chard too. I bought slug bait but haven't used it much. Next time (fall?) I'll be proactive with the slug bait and use it regularly from the seedling stage on.

biscgolf · June 1, 2012

grasshoppers are currently working on ours...

bcday · June 1, 2012

The bait I use to kill slugs is called Ortho Bug-Geta Snail & Slug Killer. It really works and you should be able to find it at almost any store that sells garden supplies. Don't put the bait on the chard leaves. You put it on top of the soil around the plants and places nearby where slugs might hide. The label clearly says DO NOT allow the bait to come in contact with the parts of the plant that may be used for food.

tam91 · June 1, 2012

Thanks, I will be careful.

habitat_gardener · June 1, 2012

Less-toxic iron-phosphate slug baits are also available, such as Sluggo.

I've also seen shallow trays of beer used effectively -- the slugs and snails slither in and can't get out. Or you can use yeast, water, and sugar.

tam91 · June 1, 2012

The man that owns the farm has a dog - so I will need to be careful. And I'm not sure he's appreciate me getting his dog drunk

janezee · June 1, 2012

I got tired of cutting the slugs, stepping on them, spearing them on skewers, etcetera last year, and got $3/6-pack beer from Walgreen's, put an inch or so in the bottom of wine bottles, then made depressions in the soil so the bottles laid in there, with the lip of the bottle level with the soil. I've cut my slug population at least in half since last summer. It does smell disgusting when you empty it, but you won't run the risk of poisoning the dog with slug bait. It is very dangerous for dogs, because it accumulates in their bodies and kills them.

jane

May 31, 2012	#1
tam91 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Crystal Lake IL Posts: 2,484	What's eating my chard? And what to do? I have rainbow swiss chard that's being eaten byt something - I suspect it's bugs rather than bunnies etc., as there are holes in many of the leaves. What should I put on chard - Sevin? I do not grow organic, so I am open to anything effective. __________________ Tracy

May 31, 2012	#4
lakelady Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: northern NJ zone 6b Posts: 1,862	My kale plants that are in ground are totally stripped of leaves! I find slugs around. It usually starts as a few holes, and before you know it, all that is left are the bare ribs. I have to figure out a way to keep them out of my plants too. I've heard putting a wooden board in the garden and scraping them off in the morning is a good way to capture them without chemicals. An icky job to be sure, but worth a shot. __________________ Antoniette

May 31, 2012	#6
tam91 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Crystal Lake IL Posts: 2,484	Hmm. Well my impression from looking at the damage was more likely some sort of bug than birds, but I'm not sure. This garden isn't at my home, I'll have to go look and perhaps photo when it stops raining. I'll look up what kills slugs, in case that's it. __________________ Tracy

May 31, 2012	#7
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	I am thinking slugs or cabbage moths - I've had issues with both of them this year - they decimated my Red Russian Kale! __________________ Craig

May 31, 2012	#8
tam91 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Crystal Lake IL Posts: 2,484	So how do you kill or discourage them? This garden is not at my home, so I'm more inclined towards chemicals or something than manual methods. __________________ Tracy

May 31, 2012	#2
bcday Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NY z5 Posts: 1,205	If these are large holes, bigger than the tiny ones that flea beetles would cause, I suspect slugs. During the day they hide in cool moist areas under mulch, rocks or lumps of dirt nearby and come out in the evening or in damp weather to feed. There are commercial slug baits you can buy to sprinkle around the garden. That will help to take care of the slugs you don't find. There are also a phenomenal number of creative organic ways to dispose of the ones you do find, ranging from luring them with saucers of beer, to covering them with salt, to dispatching them with scissors or two rocks. I wouldn't want to put Sevin directly onto the part of the plant I was planning to eat, regardless of what the label says. But if you do, I think for Sevin dust the label says you have to wait two weeks before you can safely eat the treated chard (same as beet or turnip greens). And I'm not sure Sevin is effective against slugs, check the label.

May 31, 2012	#3
fortyonenorth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: NW Indiana Posts: 1,150	I've had a terrible time with cabbage loopers on the lettuce this year - though none on the brassicas. Go figure. Upon close inspection you'd be able to see the little green caterpillars. Bt would be my weapon of choice. Slugs could be suspect and also earwigs. Both would be present at night.

May 31, 2012	#5
habitat_gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: California Central Valley Posts: 2,543	Birds will eat bites of kale and chard, and strip young plants to the midribs. A neighbor has a bird feeder hanging in an orange tree and a garden bed nearby. The birds go to the feeder, then sit on the bigger chard midribs and nibble away. I protect seedlings with cloches (gallon water bottles with the bottoms cut off) from about Oct to May, because I've observed small birds nibbling them down to stubs otherwise. One year I pulled the covers off my 4-ft. pea plants, thinking they were big enough to fend for themselves, and within 2 days only the stems were left. If it's birds, floating row cover will work. I've also used netting/tulle from the fabric store, sheer curtains/fabric, and lengths of window screening.

June 1, 2012	#9
OneDahlia Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: 7a NO. VA. Posts: 202	Slugs are enjoying my chard too. I bought slug bait but haven't used it much. Next time (fall?) I'll be proactive with the slug bait and use it regularly from the seedling stage on.

June 1, 2012	#10
biscgolf Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Virginia Posts: 353	grasshoppers are currently working on ours...

June 1, 2012	#12
tam91 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Crystal Lake IL Posts: 2,484	Thanks, I will be careful. __________________ Tracy

June 1, 2012	#15
janezee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Whidbey Island, WA Zone 7, Sunset 5 Posts: 931	I got tired of cutting the slugs, stepping on them, spearing them on skewers, etcetera last year, and got $3/6-pack beer from Walgreen's, put an inch or so in the bottom of wine bottles, then made depressions in the soil so the bottles laid in there, with the lip of the bottle level with the soil. I've cut my slug population at least in half since last summer. It does smell disgusting when you empty it, but you won't run the risk of poisoning the dog with slug bait. It is very dangerous for dogs, because it accumulates in their bodies and kills them. jane