Growing Spinach, also English spinach

View the Spinach page

19 Oct 15 Monique (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Hi, wondering if anyone can help me out. My spinach is being eaten like crazy and I can't seem to figure out what is eating it. Not only are all the leaves full of holes, but a lot of the leaves seem to have bites taken out of. It happens the moment new leaves start growing. Could this be a worm? And what can I do to prevent this? Whatever it is seems to only be targeting my spinach plants. I grow lettuce and tomatoes as well as cucumber, zucchini and bush beans and none of these plants have been eaten.
03 Dec 15 Nicol (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
This also happened to me, but it wasn't insects - it was birds having an early dawn feed. I placed bird netting over my crop and they've not been eaten since. I think the bird netting also keeps out flying insects which prevents them laying their eggs in the seed bed and therefore no worms/caterpillars to eat the leaves.
12 Nov 15 jaxthegardener (South Africa - Semi-arid climate)
hi. mine are too. its the snails and slugs. go out at nite and you will see them feeding. I am using a garlic/chillie and soap water spray to keep the pests away.
08 Jun 16 Valda (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate)
How do you make garlic/chilli and soapwater spray?

hi. mine are too. its the snails and slugs. go out at nite and you will see them feeding. I am using a garlic/chillie and soap water spray to keep the pests away.

- jaxthegardener

Please provide your email address if you are hoping for a reply


All comments are reviewed before displaying on the site, so your posting will not appear immediately

Gardenate App

Put Gardenate in your pocket. Get our app for iPhone, iPad or Android to add your own plants and record your plantings and harvests

Planting Reminders

Join 60,000+ gardeners who already use Gardenate and subscribe to the free Gardenate planting reminders email newsletter.


Home | Vegetables and herbs to plant | Climate zones | About Gardenate | Contact us | Privacy Policy

This planting guide is a general reference intended for home gardeners. We recommend that you take into account your local conditions in making planting decisions. Gardenate is not a farming or commercial advisory service. For specific advice, please contact your local plant suppliers, gardening groups, or agricultural department. The information on this site is presented in good faith, but we take no responsibility as to the accuracy of the information provided.
We cannot help if you are overrun by giant slugs.