What causes the tiny holes in my mesclun mix?
Mesclun is a salad mix that contains a variety of lettuces and brassica greens, and is harvested at a tender baby stage, just three-four weeks from seeding. The brassica greens include such things as mizuna, tatsoi, and kale. Spicier mixes include arugula and varieties of mustard greens. During the early gardening weeks of spring, brassicas are highly susceptible to damage from flea beetles, which are just emerging hungrily from their winter slumbers! In large populations these shiny, tiny black bugs (they are a little bigger than the head of a pin) will riddle the young leaves with holes. The crop is still edible, but unsaleable for market gardeners! Flea beetles can also be hard on young broccoli and cabbage plants, eggplants and tomatoes. You can cover your plants with floating row covers (available at johnnyseeds.com and elsewhere) for good protection against flea beetles. This lightweight spunbonded polypropylene fabric is rain and light permeable, and offers good soil warming and
