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Old 31-05-2006, 11:21 AM posted to uk.rec.gardening
Malcolm
 
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Default Do ants eat roots of plants?

Let me clarify a couple of points. I planted cabbages, brussel sprouts
and broccoli all in the same bed a few feet apart. ONLY the broccoli
has been attacked. Secondly it is not a case of ants burrowing under
the plants and leaving roots high and dry, the roots have been removed
from the stem so if I pull gently on the plants the stem easily snaps
off a few mm below ground level leaving the root ball in the ground
(just like cabbage root fly).
I have pulled up several plants and examined them fairly carefully
(with the root ball) and I can see no sign of grubs at all. I have had
experience of chaefer grubs before particularly where I have emptied
spent hanging basket compost on the vegetable plot but I have always
found them easy to see.
The only things I can see are ants!