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Sunday, May 15, 2011

Auntie Daddy's Delima

I'm fortunate after several, several years apart to finally have my very dear friend since 4th grade living back in our general area. Her name is Natalie, however I've always called her Nattie. For some reason, the girl has always called her Auntie Daddy instead of Nattie, and so her delima becomes alliterative. Before I ask you advice for her, here are some awesome pictures of her garden:








It all looks so healthy, doesn't it! This is her first garden at this house and she's gotten it going so well. Her spinach, however, is acting a bit odd.....


Her spinach has lots of sandy white dots mostly on the undersides of the leaves. The white dots feel like salt-like grains which easily brush off with fingertips and wash off without leaving any discoloration or sign of disease behind. I can't seem to find anything about it on-line which leads me to almost want to think it's a trait of the variety of spinach - but I just totally made that up. Does anyone have any good, concrete ideas as to what it is? Here's a picture from an old Garden Web post that shows what she's talking about: Spinach Problem


The morning came at 7:00 today and 8:15 yesterday!! I know, my heart stopped as well.







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16 comments:

  1. Annie*s GrannyMay 15, 2011 at 12:53 PM

    Leaf miner eggs. The scourge of my garden.

    http://annieskitchengarden.blogspot.com/2009/05/may-5-2009-bug-off.html

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  2. Annie*s GrannyMay 15, 2011 at 12:55 PM

    OK, I should have looked at the photo first. Not leaf miners.

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  3. ErinMay 15, 2011 at 3:56 PM

    strange indeed! My first thought would be eggs of some kind followed by splash up of something from the soil during watering? Anyway, I'm surprised spinach is still growing there! It's getting too hot here.

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  4. RibbitMay 15, 2011 at 4:03 PM

    Nope. Not splash up, and I'm not so sure it's bug eggs, either. If it was, I'd be thinking we could find tons of pictures on the web.

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  5. Atrox_May 15, 2011 at 4:07 PM

    If it helps in the identification, I've eaten the spinach three times (after very careful washing)and have not yet died :)
    -Auntie Daddy (Nattie)

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  6. SueMay 15, 2011 at 6:40 PM

    Huh---I looked in ALL my gardening books and couldn't find ANYTHING that looks like that. I'd be just about curious enough at that point to take it to the local Master Gardener. I'm sure (hoping!) it's nothing serious-especially since it seems to wash off readily.
    Dang. Now you got ME wondering......

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  7. RibbitMay 15, 2011 at 7:36 PM

    Sue's back! Sue's back!

    Nattie, what's the variety called?

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  8. meemsnycMay 15, 2011 at 8:00 PM

    Looking at that photo, I have no idea what it could be. A trick my Mother in law taught me is to wash all of our greens in salty water. It kills any bugs that might be on the leaves.

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  9. SamanthaMay 16, 2011 at 6:39 AM

    I'm at a loss, too. Odd!
    The garden looks robust and gorgeous!

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  10. Atrox_May 17, 2011 at 11:48 AM

    Thanks everyone for their comments- and to Ribbit for posting this! If you happen to run into an explanation in the future let me know. In the meantime, my spinach is looking like it might start bolting, so perhaps I will just let this mystery go unsolved until the fall planting season.

    Thanks for the garden compliment Samantha- the zephyrs, which look the best, are actually from Ribbit!.

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  11. Daphne GouldMay 17, 2011 at 3:43 PM

    No clue sorry. But her garden looks very pretty.

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  12. GregMay 18, 2011 at 11:59 AM

    When I first saw the photo, I had a pretty good idea. When I looked at some of the comments in the link, I saw that others had the same thought.
    I looked it up and (IMHO) I think it's right. Excretion from the stomata.
    Calcium Oxalate is commonly excreted from stomata in hyacinth, balsam, and SPINACH. It is harmless.

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  13. ZucchinimomMay 18, 2011 at 2:44 PM

    I have had the same problem with my spinach. I even looked under a microscope to make sure it wasn't bug eggs. I have had leaf miner as well but they aren't the same thing. I'm almost thinking it's some sort of excretion of excess salts or something...??? I'd love to know the answer, too!

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  14. RibbitMay 18, 2011 at 3:20 PM

    Thank you all so, so much! Very exciting to possibly have an answer, Greg! This has been the best mystery in a long time.

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  15. Atrox_May 18, 2011 at 3:35 PM

    Thank you Greg- I am going with your answer (esp since it has not killed me yet after yet another day of eating it :)

    Thanks everyone and happy gardening this spring!

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  16. DanMay 18, 2011 at 10:32 PM

    Is that what sunshine looks like! I have almost forgotten with all the cloud & rain we have been having :)

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