What pests attack beet?

Cabbage moth, Black Bean Aphid (Blackfly), Chafer grubs, Flea beetles, Leaf Miner, Wireworms

What diseases affect beet?

Bacterial soft rot, Downy Mildew, White mould (Sclerotinia), Cercospora leaf spot, Common scab

Beet pests and diseases: how to recognise them

Q: Which beet problems need quick action?

Cabbage moth: Young caterpillars feed in groups on the undersides of leaves and skeletonise them; they feed at night. Bacterial soft rot: Slimy ooze and a strong, foul smell from the rotting tissue. Downy Mildew: Pale green, yellow, purple or brown blotches on the upper side of leaves, often angular where they are bordered by the veins. White mould (Sclerotinia): Masses of fluffy white, cotton-like mould on the affected parts, especially in cool, damp weather.

Beta vulgaris

The pests, diseases and disorders recorded for beet in our library, each with a photo and its first symptom. Every page has the full list of symptoms, organic and chemical treatment and prevention.

At a glance

Problems in total	12
Pests	6
Diseases	5
Nutrient deficiencies	1
Need quick action	4

How to grow beet · All pests and diseases

Pests

Cabbage mothYoung caterpillars feed in groups on the undersides of leaves and skeletonise them; they feed at night.Photo: picture taken by Olaf Leillinger, CC BY-SA 2.5, Wikimedia Commons
Black Bean Aphid (Blackfly)Ants running over the colonies, sticky honeydew on the leaves, often with black sooty mould, and whitish cast skins.Also called: blackfly, bean aphidPhoto: Sascha Kohlmann from Berlin, Deutschland, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Chafer grubsPlants with eaten roots turn yellow, wilt or die; often nothing shows above ground until harvest.Photo: Сарапулов, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Flea beetlesTiny beetles, 2–3 mm, black or metallic green or blue, some with a yellow stripe, that jump away when the plant is disturbed.Photo: Bob Peterson from North Palm Beach, Florida, Planet Earth!, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Leaf MinerWinding white or brown tunnels (mines) inside the leaf, or on beet, chard, spinach and celery large pale blotches that soon turn brown and papery.Photo: Flowersabc, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
WirewormsThin, yellowish-brown larvae up to 25 mm long with three pairs of short legs behind the head in the soil.Photo: Alton N. Sparks, Jr., University of Georgia, Bugwood.org, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

Diseases

Nutrient deficiencies

Boron deficiencyBrown cracks on the upper side of celery stalks, with reddish-brown tissue inside.Photo: Jan Hinrichs-Berger, LTZ Augustenberg, CC BY 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Which beet problems need quick action?

These spread or do lasting harm fast; check the plants and start treatment the day you see them.

Cabbage moth: Older caterpillars bore into the hearts of cabbages, so damage shows when the head is cut.
Bacterial soft rot: Whole roots, tubers, bulbs, heads or fruit can collapse within a few days, often leaving only the skin — in the garden and in storage.
Downy Mildew: A white, grey or purple mould on the underside of the leaf, directly below each blotch, in damp weather.
White mould (Sclerotinia): Later, hard black seed-like bodies (sclerotia) 0.5–1 cm across in the mould and inside hollow stems.

Plants with many of the same problems

Which plants each problem affects: sources

The links between these problems and the plant were checked against these pages.