Your comments and tips

02 Jan 16, RayS (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

Leafy greens like humus rich soil. Add some well-composted chicken manure and mulch around the plants. As for seeds, it depends on what you mean by spinach. Here in Australia some people call silverbeet (Beta vulgaris) spinach while others use the word spinach when referring to true spinach (Spinacia oleracea). For the former, seed is found on seed stalks that the plant sends up after it has been through a winter. The seeds are rough and corky and when dry can be easily stripped from the stalks between fingers and thumb. For the latter, it is similar but you need to be very careful. Older varieties have very thorny seeds so do not attempt stripping them from the stalks without a sturdy pair of gloves. True spinach has male and female plants so you will need at least one of each for seed. More is better.

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05 Dec 15, John (Australia - temperate climate)

Good idea to go out at night with a bright torch. I found an advancing army of slugs and snails sliding across the the dewey wet lawn heading to the vege patch. I just use a little hand spade and chop them in half. After several nights of disposing of up to 20 a night they are now almost non existent. It's good fun . . . hehehe.

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14 Dec 15, Jaime (Australia - temperate climate)

Hehehe love it! I've also heard a bowl of beer? Apparently they are drawn to this as they like the taste and then drown. Am yet to try this....

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29 Feb 16, George (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

I put beer in a bowl and then cover it with a lid to stop rain and wind ruining it but leaving a gap between the two. I can confirm it works.

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23 Oct 15, StueeDee (Australia - arid climate)

I surmise the culprit may be slugs and snails and if that is then this recipe will assist: - Wormwood Brew - Handfuls of wormwood leaves, branches etc... in a bucket filled with water (hot water will work quicker) and really macerate it (smash it up to release the volatiles) sit for a day or more and strain. Once strained add into a spray bottle this liquid and add a lil >veg oil and

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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.

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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.

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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.

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08 Jun 16, Valda (South Africa - Dry summer sub-tropical climate)

How do you make garlic/chilli and soapwater spray?

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03 Oct 15, Faye McGrath (Australia - temperate climate)

My English spinach is growing well but the leaves are becoming 'mottled' and paler. Obviously there is a lack of somrthing. Can you tell me what? Thank you Faye

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