Radish Pest

Hello,

I am new to the gardening scene this year and started with a rather adventurous veg plot.

Surprisingly, it is actually turning out quite well!

However today I have noticed a bit of a problem. My radish plants - which up until today had been the most successful so far harvest wise - are full of holes and surrounded by small shiny black flying beetles. They only seemed to start flying when I disturbed the plants today.

From a radish perspective, I presume the plants are shot and I'll have to take my losses on them.

The main problem is the rest of my veg plot - the other crops are only several inches apart, and I don't want them to spread to them (if they haven't already), and I want to deal with them ideally without using chemicals IF it can be helped. If there were no other solutions and it saves the rest of my crops I'd consider it.

Any advice please?

I've attached a few photos from a few weeks ago as I didn't get chance to take any today - just so you can see the set up - but can post photos of the pest etc tomorrow if needed. The radish plants are near the left side - rhubard, carrots, radish.

 

I should also probably add... I think from the brief Google searching I think they are flea beetles?

 

Flea beetles only attack the leaves not the root
I assume you don't eat the leaves, so if the problem isn't too bad I'd not bother too much as your radishes will be only a short lived crop any way.

You can spray but as I say I wouldn't bother if the radishes are growing ok.
Flea beetles seem to disappear a bit later in the season any way.

 

Almost certainly flea beetle. Scourge of all small brassicae. Its what has stopped farmers growing spring canola (oil seed rape) since a suitable insecticide has been banned. Very fine netting could be used to cover seedlings, but make sure you shut them out not in!.Traditonal remedy was to drag a paraffin tainted rag across the leaves, so as to disguise the scent. Healthy plants can outgrow the phase of infestation, but with impaired results.