AgonyPlant sub-page rocket
Something other than me is eating my rocket..
Something other than me is eating my rocket… @EleJoy #AgonyPlant (via twitter)
It’s flea beetle; they love brassicas, especially rocket, radish and Chinese takeaways (pak choi and the like). It’s best to cover susceptible seedlings with Enviromesh (or similar) straight after planting, but this isn’t very practical in a mixed pot with lettuces (which aren’t affected).
Pick off the worst affected leaves, blow/flick the plants (tiny beetles 2-3mm long can be seen jumping off leaves when disturbed).
Cover with fine mesh, old tights or a plastic sieve (from a charity shop?) for a week or two until the plants have plenty of new growth. Keep plants well-watered during dry spells.
In late summer there is sometimes an invasion of homeless adult beetles into gardens when oilseed rape is harvested (that crop with the bright yellow flowers you see everywhere); even mature plants can be checked if there are large numbers. There should be less damage later in the year.
Do send me pics of your improvised plant cover – I’d love to hear how it works.
Happy Gardening,
Agony Plant
