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Garden Gate:  Mystery Pest Damage  |
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brightmeadow
True Blue Farmgirl
2045 Posts
Brenda
Lucas
Ohio
USA
2045 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 09 2013 : 07:35:13 AM
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The evidence is obvious - something is eating my seedlings. Whatever it is, it is eating the first leaflets and leaving the stems.
But - is it four-legged or six? Should I spray or trap? My aunt guessed it is a mouse, so I have set a mousetrap.
I don't see any evidence of mouse droppings or insect webs or fat bugs munching on the plants during the daytime.
My seedlings are in a homemade plant starting frame (from Reader's Digest plans) made from 2x4's and moveable shop lights attached on chains, and the whole thing is loosely covered with poly film - in an attached unheated garage. The temperature in the garage probably hovers just above freezing, maybe in the 40's. Inside the frame the temperature might be in the 50's due to heat from the lights and the grow-mats.
Can I spray such young plants with Neem, in case it is some over-wintering insect pest?
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You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands - You shall be happy and it shall be well with you. -Psalm 128.2
Visit my blogs at http://brightmeadowfarms.blogspot.com (farming) http://brightmeadowknits.blogspot.com (knitting) or my homepage at http://home.earthlink.net/~brightmeadow |
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Bear5
True Blue Farmgirl
13055 Posts
Louisiana/Texas
USA
13055 Posts |
Posted - Mar 09 2013 : 09:09:54 AM
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Could it be snails? We have problems with snails.
Marly
"It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth- and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up- that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had." Elisabeth Kurler-Ross |
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brightmeadow
True Blue Farmgirl
2045 Posts
Brenda
Lucas
Ohio
USA
2045 Posts |
Posted - Mar 09 2013 : 10:01:34 AM
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I had not thought about snails since they would have to travel across the garage floor and up 2x4s to get to the plants..It seems kind of a dry environment for them. Don't they normally live under the mulch, where it is damp? Would I see a slime trail?
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands - You shall be happy and it shall be well with you. -Psalm 128.2
Visit my blogs at http://brightmeadowfarms.blogspot.com (farming) http://brightmeadowknits.blogspot.com (knitting) or my homepage at http://home.earthlink.net/~brightmeadow |
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ddmashayekhi
True Blue Farmgirl
4738 Posts
Dawn
Naperville
Illinois
USA
4738 Posts |
Posted - Mar 09 2013 : 10:37:28 AM
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I could be wrong, but it sounds like cut worms to me. There are some safe ways to get rid of them on the computer. Good luck stopping on whoever is dining on your seedlings!
Dawn in IL |
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LadyInRed
True Blue Farmgirl
6740 Posts
PeggyAnn
Vancouver
WA
USA
6740 Posts |
Posted - Mar 09 2013 : 12:32:12 PM
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If it was slugs or snails you would see that sheen trail you were talking about. If it is...
they don't like citrus...so putting orange peels (outside of rinde facing up) they won't cross
over them. But in all honesty I think it would be more like a cut worm or something similar...I
would google that and find some help there. Good Luck! I know it is so frustrating.
blessings,
peggy
Farmgirl #1326
http://ladyinredsite.blogspot.com
"Leave Your Cares Behind...Join Us On The Porch"
"I'm only as strong as the caffeine I drink, the hair-spray I use and the Girlfriends that I have."
When I was a lonely wallflower, Jesus asked me to dance. Then he asked me to be His! |
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brightmeadow
True Blue Farmgirl
2045 Posts
Brenda
Lucas
Ohio
USA
2045 Posts |
Posted - Mar 09 2013 : 1:44:34 PM
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Well, I googled cutworms, and it seems like they like to eat the first thing they find, which is the stem. My bug or animal is eating the leaf, and leaving only the stem.
But that made me think, I googled "seedling leaves eaten" and I came up with earwigs... I saw an earwig trap advertised made of green plastic (it was actually a slug trap filled with olive oil) do you think a homemade trap (jar lid filled with oil and partially covered with foil?) would work?
You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands - You shall be happy and it shall be well with you. -Psalm 128.2
Visit my blogs at http://brightmeadowfarms.blogspot.com (farming) http://brightmeadowknits.blogspot.com (knitting) or my homepage at http://home.earthlink.net/~brightmeadow |
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Rosemary
True Blue Farmgirl
1825 Posts
Virginia
USA
1825 Posts |
Posted - Mar 10 2013 : 12:42:40 PM
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| Earwigs are your friends! They eat other (bad) insects. My first thought was spider mites. |
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rough start farmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
3331 Posts
marianne
The Beautiful Pacific NW
Washington State
USA
3331 Posts |
Posted - Mar 10 2013 : 4:47:42 PM
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I am stumped. But, I sure send my condolences! What a shame. Good luck in finding the culprit.
Marianne |
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Garden Gate: Mystery Pest Damage |
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Mystery Pest Damage
