[ulsterfairy]

Went to collect some spinach from the lotty today, its polar bear and I think its true spinach.  Its growing in pots, since last october.  i cut some more today, it looked green and healthy but was covered in a fine powdery, white dust.  It came of easily and felt quite grainy.  I did discover a little creamy white bug scurrying away?!  

Any body any idea if it is eggs of some wee blighter?

Its the first time Ive grown spinach so really havent a clue

Thanks

[Yorkie]

Powdery white dust is usually mildew.

[viettaclark]

I've got white circles on the undersides of my psb leaves that shed white dust when I pick.
Is that mildew too?

[ulsterfairy]

Thanks Yorkie,

It looks really white a reflective, not at all like images Im getting from google, but im thinking perhaps early stages?? The conditons are probable perfect esp as Ive been watering them and prob planted 2 many in small place!!!

Some more googling for me I think

Thanks

[Robert_S]

I've got white circles on the undersides of my psb leaves that shed white dust when I pick.
Is that mildew too?

That is probably from white fly

[DD.]

Without a doubt!

[oldcow]

I have to disagree here...
I've grown spinach for three years now, and I always have what sounds like the same white grainy powder on both the varieties I grow. It is not powdery mildew (I know that from my courgettes!), since this is coarser, you can feel the grains if you rub it between your fingers. The leaves are perfectly healthy under this powder, and stay so even if you don't pick the leaves. I worried the first time I saw it, but it looks like it's normal at least for some varieties. Just wash it off before eating it (it'll come off easily).

[ulsterfairy]

Oldcow that sounds like it, it feels like a very fine sand!

Do you eat your spinach raw or cooked - that was my main concern as I dont fancy the added protein of some unknown creature!!

[oldcow]

I eat it raw when the leaves are small, cooked otherwise. I really don't think it's any creature's product, and I checked very carefully because I'm squeamish! All the plants have the same fine powder on them, and no matter how long I left the plants to grow, nothing ever hatched or changed. I think it's just something the plant itself produces, like plums having a waxy layer on the skin that you can rub off.

[mumofstig]

Have a look at this link, it suggests white rust - which I've never heard of before. If you Google it seems quite common. It sounds as if it comes with the seeds 
link i

(I had to refresh the page to get it loaded properly, but the link does work!)

[ulsterfairy]

Thanks oldcow and MOS,

Ive emailed the seed company to see what they say.  I will see if a can take picture of it, it looks different to the images on the white rot link.

Im sqeamish too oldcow you would have thought gardening would have been the last thing I would enjoy doing!!