Thanks for your ideas (PC: I like the way you think!). There are no "snail
trails" or grub droppings anywhere near the plants, so I tended to look
elsewhere. The whole leaf (but not the stem) seems to go basically
overnight - to my way of thinking, too fast for either snails or grubs.
Has anybody ever heard of possums with a liking for this type of thing? I'm
thinking of making a couple of birdwire frames to put over a couple of
plants and comparing them with uncovered plants after a few weeks.

"PC" wrote in message
...
On 24/06/2010 12:53 PM, Davo wrote:
Although they are supposed to be poisonous, the leaves on my rhubarb
plants are being regularly eaten back to the stem.
There does not appear to be any caterpillars or snails on them, which
would have been my guess.
Any thoughts as to what the culprits might be?

Davo
Seems like various opinions here.
Suggest you use the broad spectrum approach.
Snail bait, observation and attack accordingly.
If the snail bait doesn't work, leave the wife out in the garden at night
till she observes something to report.
No point in missing the footy, and tennis...