Cinnamon Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 Just been down the quagmire which was my lawn,to check on my veggie bed, to find my bed of Broccoli & Caulis has been munched. There is literally nothing but a few sad green stumps with teeth marks in 2 weeks ago they were tall,lush & wonderfully healthy looking! Any ideas what ate them so quickly? I can discount bunnies & deer, but are slugs still about in the winter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 I haven't seen a slug for ages! Are you sure about the bunnies? What about hares? My sister saw a whopper in her garden recently. As big as a racehorse apparently!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted January 5, 2008 Author Share Posted January 5, 2008 Well, I have never seen a bunny or hare in the garden, & the dog would keep them at bay I think. There is no sluggy evidence. Would rats eat leafs like this, or pigeons .....we have lots of those! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 Aah yes....pigeons are the likely culprit. You'll have to get some netting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted January 5, 2008 Author Share Posted January 5, 2008 I think its too late - all I have are stumps now. The little blighters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 Aah well......we live and learn. Time to be thinking about ordering nematodes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 Sounds like pigeons. Enviromesh for next year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola H Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 My sprouts were munched by rats, I actually saw it eating them, the house backs onto open fields and now the farmer has ploughed it the rats have taken to eating my garden and chicken food........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 The neighbours? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 5, 2008 Share Posted January 5, 2008 They might regrow Hon - Liz's did when she got slugged. Stick some netting up and give them a go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 The weren't slugged, it was much worse...they were cabbage white butterflied! Then the caterpillars ate them. The cauliflowers did regrow though and they're still growing now. (They're just a bit small). But now the cauliflowers are flowering-is this supposed to happen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted January 6, 2008 Share Posted January 6, 2008 My apologies Liz - memory's not what it used to be Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted January 7, 2008 Share Posted January 7, 2008 Don't worry Clare. Slugs are always the best bet when your plants have been munched! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 But now the cauliflowers are flowering-is this supposed to happen? It sounds like they may have bolted if you can see actual flowers - I've not tried caulis myself yet but they are generally considered moderately difficult to grow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Could it be caterpillars? I would have said not in this cold weather, but I've found loads on my young broad bean plants this last week or so Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Ditto Snowy! Caterpillars on my curly kale. In January! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted January 30, 2008 Share Posted January 30, 2008 Caterpillars? Now I'm going to be worried about my brassicas until I can get up to the allotment on Saturday! Dang this global warning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Ditto Snowy! Caterpillars on my curly kale. In January! Ditto here as well - on the cabbages Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Better check mine on the allotment because we took the enviromesh off one area because it had come loose and white fly had got in and couldn't get out, but not today brrrr. The pigeons are already at the purple sprouting, if only I could catch them I am partial to a bit of pigeon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 All of ours have been got by pigeons. We're going to build some wire tunnel covers this year like our allotment neighbour has. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 Better check mine on the allotment because we took the enviromesh off one area because it had come loose and white fly had got in Try planting french marigolds around the area. It worked for my tomatoes and stopped the white fly. I always grow a few dozen marigolds now. They are so easy to grow and I pop then in around anything that is susceptible to white fly/aphids. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 I grew some last year but didn't get round to planting most of them out, they just sat in their seed trays flowering weakly Must try harder this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyren Posted January 31, 2008 Share Posted January 31, 2008 I grew some last year but didn't get round to planting most of them out, they just sat in their seed trays flowering weakly Must try harder this year. Same here The weather was so miserable, hardly anything I'd planned got done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pickled egg Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 The pigeons round here drive me mad - eating all the veg the minute your back is turned. They look so fat and dozy but are cunning as foxes. I hoped the hens would be like guard hens and see 'em off but they half-heartedly chase them only if they are close enough. And as the hens spend alot of time lurking by the back door ready to ambush us, or pecking round the drain (nice), they are too far away from the scene of the crime. Sorry for this belated ramble I'm just having a Sunday afternoon forum catch-up. Lovely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Licken Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 what about deer - mum's allotment used to regulalry get ransacked by the muntjack deer that live roud about. She now has it chicken wired and it is easier to access Guantanomo bay than it is to get to her veggies if you are a deer, rabbit or other munching visitor. Now venison sausages - much nicer than pigeon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...