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What's eating my plants?

Shoxt3rShoxt3r Posts: 196
in Problem solving
Hi all,

I put a whole load of flower seedlings out last weekend and they were doing well. Then all of a sudden today I've noticed that something has come in overnight and eaten the lot!

The only tell tale sign I can see is that there is a sticky, clear water residue on one of the plants. I have noticed there has been quite an infestation of ants in different parts of the garden this year.

Any ideas what it could be?

Many thanks!
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Posts

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Slugs possibly. Or aphids. If you have a lot of ants, it's an indication of aphids, as the ants farm them for the secretions they produce.
    It's a common problem when small plants are put out at this time of year, and why it can help enormously to grow them on until they're much bigger and stronger.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Shoxt3rShoxt3r Posts: 196
    Ah ok then, makes sense. I'll try growing another batch from seed this weekend in that case and ensure I grow them on for much longer!
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    If you have a lot of ants on a regular basis, it tends to suggest dry conditions too.  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Shoxt3rShoxt3r Posts: 196
    Fairygirl said:
    If you have a lot of ants on a regular basis, it tends to suggest dry conditions too.  :)
    Yeah that's the strange thing, everything is regularly watered so shouldn't be dry - just can't seem to find the right balance 😂
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Gone overnight definitely suggests slugs or snails. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Absolutely @Lyn. If there are sticky residues, that's probably the aphids, but demolishing plants overnight is the preserve of molluscs  :)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Shoxt3rShoxt3r Posts: 196
    Ah that's just typical. They didn't touch the nice juicy lettuce leaves next to them though...yet! 😆
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Sod's Law isn't it @Shoxt3r. They'll probably move onto your lettuce soon  ;)

    Having said that, my lettuce has been fine this year - so far. It's all been started indoors for cut and come again, and then some has been planted outside - mostly in containers, but some in a small bed under the back window with other plants around. All different varieties, so plenty of choice.  
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Shoxt3rShoxt3r Posts: 196
    Haha yeah that would be typical!
    Wow quite a selection there!

    We have some in small pots and a couple of them in a growbag just to cover us but I may end up moving them into a raised bed as the other crops aren't fairing too well at the moment (broccoli, leeks, tomatoes and carrots). It's been such a mixed bag of weather recently I don't think the plants know what's going on 😂
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I had to laugh @Shoxt3r. I came back in from my walk, and the little bits of Mizuna I planted the other day in the bed I mentioned, have been annihilated  :D
    The other clumps are fine, but are all much bigger, and the irony is that I even put some roofing felt round the little bits to see if  that might be a possible aid for slug prevention. Hah!

    It just shows that small amounts of a vulnerable plant seem to be less able to manage. I should have put those pieces in with another clump in a pot. C'est la vie  ;)
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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