Pests eating Swiss chard - Ask Extension
Can you give me an idea of what might be chewing up my Swiss chard in my home garden? Some leaves are practically shredded so there’s nothing left....
Knowledgebase
Pests eating Swiss chard #625040
Asked April 17, 2020, 8:30 PM EDT
Can you give me an idea of what might be chewing up my Swiss chard in my home garden? Some leaves are practically shredded so there’s nothing left. I’ve baited with slug bait but that doesn’t seem to help. Hopefully attached photo will help identify the pest. Any suggestions for treatment would be very welcome.
Thank you.
Multnomah County Oregon
Expert Response
Thank you for uploading the image. It reveals that your main pests and, perhaps, only pests, are birds. The give-away clue is that the missing pieces are angular. (Think 'bird beak.')
Exclusion is the remedy. Floating row cover (other other sturdy, sheer fabric) works well. You can loosely blouse it over the plants or rig a sturdy support. The key to success is to avoid gaps where birds can enter. See several examples at https://wimastergardener.org/article/floating-row-cover/.
