We like green peppers, so I start them inside, set the tray of seedlings
outside for a week, then transplant them into the garden. Some insect
or animal eats off the leaves after we transplant them, and they die.

We solved the problem by placing large canning jars over the seedlings
for a few days. I'm really curious what kind of pest would attack a
newly planted seedling, but won't attack it a week or two later when we
remove the jars. No other seedlings are attacked. Any ideas? This is
in Ohio, zone 5.

Rabbits and deer. And, you'd better watch out with those canning jars.
They're going to act like little greenhouses and cook your plants. It's not
a matter of "if", but "when".


"Not@home" wrote in message
news:kkoeg.205581$5Z.99302@dukeread02...
We like green peppers, so I start them inside, set the tray of seedlings
outside for a week, then transplant them into the garden. Some insect or
animal eats off the leaves after we transplant them, and they die.

We solved the problem by placing large canning jars over the seedlings for
a few days. I'm really curious what kind of pest would attack a newly
planted seedling, but won't attack it a week or two later when we remove
the jars. No other seedlings are attacked. Any ideas? This is in Ohio,
zone 5.

It could also be snails, or cutworms. Try going outside with a
flashlight one evening to check on them.

Snails can be controlled with a dish of beer. They climb inside and
drown. Icky, but effective!



Not@home wrote:
We like green peppers, so I start them inside, set the tray of seedlings
outside for a week, then transplant them into the garden. Some insect
or animal eats off the leaves after we transplant them, and they die.

We solved the problem by placing large canning jars over the seedlings
for a few days. I'm really curious what kind of pest would attack a
newly planted seedling, but won't attack it a week or two later when we
remove the jars. No other seedlings are attacked. Any ideas? This is
in Ohio, zone 5.

Its not deer; I would have seen their tracks in the freshly rototilled
soil. We do have rabbits and slugs. I tried the beer in a dish trap
for the slugs and my neighbor almost drowned.

I guess it will remain a mystery as we now remember to put the canning
jars over them; they do make a very warm greenhouse so I only leave them
on for a few days, lest my peppers come pre-cooked.

Laura at theGardenPages wrote:
It could also be snails, or cutworms. Try going outside with a
flashlight one evening to check on them.

Snails can be controlled with a dish of beer. They climb inside and
drown. Icky, but effective!



Not@home wrote:

We like green peppers, so I start them inside, set the tray of seedlings
outside for a week, then transplant them into the garden. Some insect
or animal eats off the leaves after we transplant them, and they die.

We solved the problem by placing large canning jars over the seedlings
for a few days. I'm really curious what kind of pest would attack a
newly planted seedling, but won't attack it a week or two later when we
remove the jars. No other seedlings are attacked. Any ideas? This is
in Ohio, zone 5.

How about buying a roll of fence wire and caging the plants? Get the wire
that's covered with green plastic. Makes the wire last much longer. We're
talking years. At the end of the season, flatten the cages and store them on
a hook in the garage.


"Not@home" wrote in message
news:VU%eg.205803$5Z.201199@dukeread02...
Its not deer; I would have seen their tracks in the freshly rototilled
soil. We do have rabbits and slugs. I tried the beer in a dish trap for
the slugs and my neighbor almost drowned.

I guess it will remain a mystery as we now remember to put the canning
jars over them; they do make a very warm greenhouse so I only leave them
on for a few days, lest my peppers come pre-cooked.

Laura at theGardenPages wrote:
It could also be snails, or cutworms. Try going outside with a
flashlight one evening to check on them.

Snails can be controlled with a dish of beer. They climb inside and
drown. Icky, but effective!



Not@home wrote:

We like green peppers, so I start them inside, set the tray of seedlings
outside for a week, then transplant them into the garden. Some insect
or animal eats off the leaves after we transplant them, and they die.

We solved the problem by placing large canning jars over the seedlings
for a few days. I'm really curious what kind of pest would attack a
newly planted seedling, but won't attack it a week or two later when we
remove the jars. No other seedlings are attacked. Any ideas? This is
in Ohio, zone 5.

By the way, in my first message, I don't mean fence in the whole garden.
Rather, make individual cages for various plants as necessary. Deer eat the
leaves off my peppers, so I'm making fence wire cylinders with flat tops for
each plant. The flat top allows me to place a brick there to hold the cage
in place. Works like a charm. For leafy stuff like lettuce, which doesn't
grow that high, I have long rectangular cages. All of the cages lift off
easily for harvest or weeding.


"JoeSpareBedroom" wrote in message
...
How about buying a roll of fence wire and caging the plants? Get the wire
that's covered with green plastic. Makes the wire last much longer. We're
talking years. At the end of the season, flatten the cages and store them
on a hook in the garage.


"Not@home" wrote in message
news:VU%eg.205803$5Z.201199@dukeread02...
Its not deer; I would have seen their tracks in the freshly rototilled
soil. We do have rabbits and slugs. I tried the beer in a dish trap for
the slugs and my neighbor almost drowned.

I guess it will remain a mystery as we now remember to put the canning
jars over them; they do make a very warm greenhouse so I only leave them
on for a few days, lest my peppers come pre-cooked.

Laura at theGardenPages wrote:
It could also be snails, or cutworms. Try going outside with a
flashlight one evening to check on them.

Snails can be controlled with a dish of beer. They climb inside and
drown. Icky, but effective!



Not@home wrote:

We like green peppers, so I start them inside, set the tray of seedlings
outside for a week, then transplant them into the garden. Some insect
or animal eats off the leaves after we transplant them, and they die.

We solved the problem by placing large canning jars over the seedlings
for a few days. I'm really curious what kind of pest would attack a
newly planted seedling, but won't attack it a week or two later when we
remove the jars. No other seedlings are attacked. Any ideas? This is
in Ohio, zone 5.