Who scoffed me carrots?

This is the place to discuss not just allotments but all general gardening problems and queries which don't fit into the specific categories below.
(formerly allotments and tips, hints and problems)
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shiney
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Who scoffed me carrots?

Post: # 2942Post shiney »

OK, got the raised bed made. Put in the spring onions and carrots. Spring onions have 'sprung', carrots made a brief appearance. No slugs to be seen but lots of ants. The onions are still intact. But the carrots have gorn.

Who did the dirty deed and scoffed those babies? Was it the ants/woodlice? :(

Anyone know?
If in doubt ~ use a hammer!

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Andy Hamilton
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Re: Who scoffed me carrots?

Post: # 2944Post Andy Hamilton »

shiney wrote:OK, got the raised bed made. Put in the spring onions and carrots. Spring onions have 'sprung', carrots made a brief appearance. No slugs to be seen but lots of ants. The onions are still intact. But the carrots have gorn.

Who did the dirty deed and scoffed those babies? Was it the ants/woodlice? :(

Anyone know?
My allotment is covered in ants and woodlice but in general they only seem to eat the dead stuff.
First we sow the seeds, nature grows the seeds then we eat the seeds. Neil Pye
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shiney
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Post: # 2947Post shiney »

Maybe they have discovered that carrot tops are pretty tasty things to eat. :(
If in doubt ~ use a hammer!

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leedarkwood
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Post: # 2967Post leedarkwood »

Wireworm? Slugs?, Or did they just get frosted, I lost a lot of runner beans earlier this week.

Lee

shiney
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Post: # 2970Post shiney »

Definately not frost as they have a lid on at the moment. No trace of slug trails. I have hammered a length of copper around the edge of the raised bed to deter them. They don't like the verdigris that forms on copper so I am told. (I'll try anything!)

Don't know about wireworms. So that's a possibility.
If in doubt ~ use a hammer!

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greenbean
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Post: # 2973Post greenbean »

Hi Shiney, copper works for me, I am told it gets the slugs a slight electric shock, where I have copper there is no slug damage at all.

shiney
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Post: # 2974Post shiney »

Oh at least I have some back up on the copper idea! I found some piping that my mum gave me after she had finished doing up her narrowboat. The piping had been sitting in the shed for a long time. Seemed a shame to waste it on slugs, but it was quite a small diameter.

Still, I must get on and plant some more carrots somewhere else. Wait until they are bigger then put them in the raised bed.
If in doubt ~ use a hammer!

http://greeningup.blogspot.com/

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Post: # 2976Post Muddypause »

greenbean wrote:copper works for me, I am told it gets the slugs a slight electric shock, where I have copper there is no slug damage at all.
That's an interesting theory - I suppose it is possible for slug + copper in a solution of slug slime to make a sort of battery. Or maybe the copper simply reacts with slug slime and becomes unpleasant for a slug to be on.

I think I'll get my plumbing gear out and make a copper pipe edge to the top of my raised bed.
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Post: # 2981Post Andy Hamilton »

maybe a hungry caterpillar?
First we sow the seeds, nature grows the seeds then we eat the seeds. Neil Pye
My best selling Homebrew book Booze for Free
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shiney
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Post: # 2989Post shiney »

A very hungry caterpillar. You could be right!
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couscous
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Post: # 3764Post couscous »

I lost all my early carrots this year too. Could have been slugs or might have just been through the very wet spring. I'm going to try and raise a few strips indoors now and when they have germinated and reached a decent size; slide them into the ground. Apparently pieces of guttering are good for this. Anyone got any spare guttering??
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shiney
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Post: # 3766Post shiney »

That's what we have done Couscous, I made a load of paper pots and planted a whole lot more. They have come on well and we have just planted some out, fingers crossed they'll survive.

I saw seedlings growing in guttering, when Tracey and I went to Hugh Fernley Wotsits place in Devon, to meet his admin team three months back. (River Cottage HQ) If he uses them, it must be a good idea!
If in doubt ~ use a hammer!

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