Most Common Swiss Chard Diseases and Crop Pests

Swiss chard diseases and pests that affect this crop are not numerous or frequent or very worrying, but that does not mean that they should not be taken into account when starting the planting of this vegetable.

beet diseases

Organic Horticultural Seeds - Chard green large penca...

Organic Horticultural Seeds – Chard green large penca…

  • Variety with abundant, large and intense green leaves, white leaves, large, very fleshy and tender. Loose leaves can be picked up as they are harvested or the whole bush at once
  • Cultivation method: Sowing can be done almost all year round, in a seat, thinning out after birth or transplanting the seedbed into a 50 x 30 cm frame.
  • It requires cool, deep and fertile soil, with abundant irrigation and light weeding.

As regular readers of this blog already know, Swiss chard is one of the crops I recommend the most when it comes to start a garden from scratch, whether urban garden, in pots, in the ground or on the terrace. It is a simple plant, and just considering when and how to plant chard and choose a good substrate, since it needs a rather clayey soil, we will have a good part of the way.

If all goes well, in 3 months we will be able to have these to prepare our dishes, or even sooner, around a month and a half if we do it in sheets, as we explain in detail in the article dedicated to how to harvest Swiss chard. I also recommend the following video:

But let’s move on to what interests us specifically, that is, the problems that can arise in this culture and what should be done to remedy them.

Contents

Swiss chard diseases

In any case, chard diseases, as we have said, are not as common as in other crops such as tomatoes, but we can take certain precautions both to prevent pests and to provide additional benefits to this culture.

One of the most important and effective methods is to support culture. To give some examples, given that Swiss chard contributes nitrogen to the soil, the ideal is to combine this crop with others that contribute phosphorus, such as flower and fruit crops, and in turn with those that provide potassium, such as tubers and roots. vegetables.

In this sense, Swiss chard can be planted with tomatoes, peppers, carrots and radishes, which will provide additional nutrients and benefit from the nitrogen contained in Swiss chard. In turn, if we plant it with onions, it will help keep some pests and diseases away. The same happens with aromatics which are a perfect repellent.

However, it is necessary to avoid plant spinachleeks or asparagus accompanied by Swiss chard.

Swiss chard pox

The Swiss chard pox It is a disease that manifests itself in spots on the leaves that reach up to 5 millimeters and cause them to rot. This disease is caused by the fungus Cercospora beticola, and it is recommended to use a natural fungicide and avoid replanting chard for at least 2 years in the affected area of ​​the garden.

Mold. It is not a disease, but rather a group of diseases that generate endoparasitic pseudofungi. Prevention is considered best, and although it is not as common in Swiss chard, it can affect this crop. That is why we leave below an effective product based on tansy flowers.

Other common Swiss chard diseases include:

  • Yellowing of beets
  • Cercospores
  • beet mosaic
  • peronospora
  • Sclerotinia
  • virus
  • Cucumber virus I

Swiss chard pests

The main chard pests, such as diseases, can completely interfere with our cultivation. The main ones to keep in mind are:

Swiss chard flea beetle. The small holes that are sometimes seen in chard leaves are caused by something called Swiss chard flea, a small insect that undermines the leaves. We can treat it with any of the home remedies for Swiss chard pests and diseases that affect this crop that we leave below.

beet maggot. This plague is generally very harmful for seedlings or small plants, and less for adults.

white worm. The blind chicken and other grubs can affect this crop.

thread worm. This worm affects many crops, and rotation and solarization are recommended to prevent its proliferation. The agricultural solution of lime and tobacco can fight it effectively.

aphid. This scourge affects many plants and is a small insect that feeds on the sap, and therefore weakens crops. The good thing is that there are many ways to fight the aphidsome of which are also listed below.

home remedies for swiss chard pests

Home remedies for chard pests and diseases

Home remedies to treat the various pests that affect this crop are all effective. You can consult our articles dedicated to these treatments, as well as the videos that we leave here.

homemade garlic fungicide. This fungicide can be, in this case, more preventive than curative, but in any case it is important to take it into account and apply it at the slightest suspicion. It is an infusion which is made at the rate of one head per liter of water, boiled over low heat for one hour and then placed, once cold, in a spray bottle to be poured over the plants.

neem oil. The oil is a product extracted from the tree of the same name and is one of the most effective home remedies for chard pests. We can either spray crops directly or add to irrigation.

bioalt Moisturizing Olio di neem 250 ml Organic insecticide...

bioalt Moisturizing Olio di neem 250 ml Organic insecticide…

  • 🏕️ Neem oil is a powerful natural pesticide, developed to protect and not pollute the environment. It is an all natural repellent against tropical mosquitoes and various insects.
  • 🦟 mosquito problem: bioalt neem oil is the ideal solution, simple, effective and odorless. The product should be applied for 2 consecutive days and the treatment repeated after 3-4 days, until the problem is completely resolved, also recommended for cockroaches or insect pests.
  • 🌿 goodbye to pests: neem oil has more than one effect, it is an insecticide, but also repellent (repels insects), phago-deterrent biostimulant prevents insects from eating plant leaves and is also able to ‘inhibit the growth of pests and promote the development of plants, does not harm bees, deters them but does not kill them
  • 🥦 It can be used in pots, gardens, hedges, horticultural, ornamental plants, fruit trees, it is an Italian product and for lovers and respectful of the environment.
  • 📑 In case of prevention or maintenance, just: Dilute 4 ml of neem in 1 liter of water and spray every 7 days. If the plants are attacked by parasites, insects or if you have mosquito problems: Simply dilute 8 ml in 1 liter of water. / 3 treatments, then return to maintenance dose.

potassium soap. Like the other two Swiss chard pest remedies, this soap is used with the spray. Good to know that this product attacks many pests but does not harm other beneficial insects (bees, ladybugs and other natural pollinators and predators of pests).

Castalia - Organic Potassium Soap - Pack 2 liters...

Castalia – Organic Potassium Soap – Pack 2 liters…

  • ✔️ CONTROLS AND REDUCES PESTS – Thanks to its improved composition for agricultural use, it is effective in controlling and reducing the population of insect pests with soft cuticles such as aphids, whiteflies, thrips, mealybug and spider mites, without damaging the fruit
  • ✔️ DOES NOT CREATE RESISTANCE – Castalia Bio Potassium Soap acts by contact destroying the protective layer of the insect and not by ingestion like chemical insecticides, which prevents insects from developing their own defense systems
  • ✔️ SOURCE OF POTASSIUM – Its decomposition generates Potash Carbonate, which acts as a fertilizer and corrects the potassium deficiencies of the plant, helping its growth and providing resistance to the roots against disease, drought or intense cold
  • ✔️ ORGANIC AND NON-TOXIC – Potassium soap is an ecological product based on vegetable oils suitable for all types of crops (fruit, citrus, horticultural) and plants, indoors and outdoors, and harmless for people and animals
  • ✔️ DOSAGE AND DIRECTIONS – It is recommended to apply a dose of 10 to 20 ml of potassium soap for each liter of water, by spraying, during the hours of less sunshine and in the absence of wind or rain , to ensure greater efficiency of the product. Set of 2 cans of 1 liter each

effective infusions

tansy infusion. This insecticide is effective against mildew and aphids, and is prepared with the flowers of this plant. The proportion to prepare our infusion is 30 grams of flowers per liter of water.

comfrey tea. A powerful insecticidal infusion against aphids can be made with this plant. We explain in another post where to buy russian comfrey to prepare this infusion. Plus, there are many other beneficial uses for this plant in the garden. In the video we explain how to make this simple and effective insecticide:

We hope that the home remedies for Swiss chard pests and for preventing and fighting diseases will help you if you are new to this crop or if you are already suffering from any inconvenience related to these conditions.

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Swiss chard pests

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