Located in Denver and trying gardening for the first time. I put up a metal fence and mesh net to keep out birds, squirrels, and rabbits. It seems something smaller is eating the leaves and sometimes cutting the leaves off the stem.
Google results indicate it could be rodents, snails, or slugs. The mesh seems too small to let rodents in. I'm not sure how to combat the pest until I figure out what it is. Any help is appreciated!
by MoistMountain69
8 Comments
The second photo makes me think cut worm caterpillars. Look into BT
Probably slugs/snails. I always find they chop sunflowers and other big shoots like that and leave some evidence.
Could be earwigs, they’ll be loving those damp conditions you’ve created under the tarp next door there.
A good trap for earwigs is a small flat can with a mix of a tbsp of soy sauce and 3 tbsp of oil. Place so the top of the can is level with the dirt and you can put a saucer or a larger can over top to protect it from rain. The earwigs will be attracted to the soy sauce smell, fall in and not be able to get out due to the oil.
For a more general bug control solution, go to a health food store and ask for Neem Oil, it comes in little dropper bottles. Mix a dropper full of that with a drop of dish soap and water in a 1 litre spray bottle and spray your plants throughly, both sides of the leaves. Try not to get any on you because it’s harmless but stinks like onions that have gone bad.
It could also be earwigs. That is always what gets my baby seedlings. Try cutting up an empty toilet paper or paper towel roll to make little sleeves to put around d the seedling. You just need it until it gets big enough that the bugs that like the tender leaves and stems no longer find them tender enough.
Or just get some sluggo plus (organic pest control pellets) and call it a day.
Try putting down some sluggo PLUS if you want to try I have to use that or the pill bugs eat my bean sprouts. No one bother trying to tell me they don’t eat live plants cuz they do, I see it with my own eyes in my own garden lol.
Try a beer trap and a soy sauce trap. Can’t hurt.
If you need to while they’re small, cover them with a bucket, or a pot overnight. That’s usually when most of the damage happens related to rodents or bugs or snails etc.
Your soil? Looks poor. But bugs like little plants like that. Try planting starts, they don’t seem to bother them. Or in this case, amend your soil, and use tuna or cat food type cans to use as a collar. Or plant and use small piece of tin foil when they start coming up. Some bugs don’t want to deal with it and go elsewhere.