Mind the gaps

Strange holes in plants? Bob reveals the main culprits to help you dodge disaster and salvage your crops

- Bob Flowerdew

OUR garden can look picture-perfect - and then suddenly holes appear. This is of little consequence when plants are growing well. Holes in leaves allow light to pass through, illuminating lower leaves otherwise hidden. Thus, a modest percentage is no great problem for many plants - although it is visually unattractive, and of course with the likes of salad leaves it is totally unacceptable.

To stop more holes, you must first work out what is causing them. The most likely culprits are slugs and snails. These have rough tongues that rasp at leaves, fruit, and tubers, leaving slightly scalloped holes in edges and middles.