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#1
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What ate my brassicas??!
I have just started gardening after years in a flat/prison.
I have built eight raised beds and planted some brassicas in most of them. All went well for a couple of weeks and the plants established, then virtually all the crop dissapeared overnight. Whatever ate them left the peas and the broad bean plants not to mention strawberries. It went for the outer leaf parts leaving the stalk part standing. It did leave the red brassicas - mostly - having a bit of a nibble, and it seemed to go through all the beds metghodically. What is it?Pigoens? Mice? I dont think its slugs its all done in a night.. Is it worth leaving the established but denuded plants or should Ijust get some new plants? My guess is the only answer is to cover with old plastic bottles until the plants get bigger all advice welcome |
#2
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What ate my brassicas??!
I think you have 2 choices, either a rabbit or a ground hog. I'd bet on the
rabbit because ground hogs love beans as well as the basics. You need a good fence. Steve "ZeroZero" wrote in message ... I have just started gardening after years in a flat/prison. I have built eight raised beds and planted some brassicas in most of them. All went well for a couple of weeks and the plants established, then virtually all the crop dissapeared overnight. Whatever ate them left the peas and the broad bean plants not to mention strawberries. It went for the outer leaf parts leaving the stalk part standing. It did leave the red brassicas - mostly - having a bit of a nibble, and it seemed to go through all the beds metghodically. What is it?Pigoens? Mice? I dont think its slugs its all done in a night.. Is it worth leaving the established but denuded plants or should Ijust get some new plants? My guess is the only answer is to cover with old plastic bottles until the plants get bigger all advice welcome -- ZeroZero |
#3
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What ate my brassicas??!
ZeroZero wrote:
I have just started gardening after years in a flat/prison. I have built eight raised beds and planted some brassicas in most of them. All went well for a couple of weeks and the plants established, then virtually all the crop dissapeared overnight. Whatever ate them left the peas and the broad bean plants not to mention strawberries. It went for the outer leaf parts leaving the stalk part standing. It did leave the red brassicas - mostly - having a bit of a nibble, and it seemed to go through all the beds metghodically. What is it?Pigoens? Mice? I dont think its slugs its all done in a night.. Is it worth leaving the established but denuded plants or should Ijust get some new plants? My guess is the only answer is to cover with old plastic bottles until the plants get bigger all advice welcome Check the corpses for grubs. Cabbage moth larvae can work very fast if you don't notice them and let them get started. If that is what it is you have several options. David |
#4
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What ate my brassicas??!
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#6
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What ate my brassicas??!
In article , ZeroZero.646afe6
@gardenbanter.co.uk says... I thought groundhogs were North American. I am guessing pigeons! The pigeons ate all the groundhogs in the UK a long time ago Well then, ....I wish we had at least two of your pigeons. ....preferably not a breeding pair. |
#7
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Quote:
However if the plants were established, it sounds like too much damage to be slugs. Rabbits are hugely destructive and likely to be the issue here, pigeons are more likely to strip the tops rather than eating the whole plant. Unfortunately to control rabbit damage you only have two options, fence the whole area (certainly possible with raised beds) or shoot them which may or may not be possible in your location! |
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