Forum home› Fruit & veg
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Somethings been munching my Bok Choi

hammett193hammett193 Posts: 18
in Fruit & veg
Hello

I'm attempting to grow my own food, and bought some little bok choi plants from the garden centre last weekend. Today, I discovered something has been nibbling at them. Does anyone know what it might be, and how to stop it? I'm really disappointed, I love bok choi and was looking forward to growing my own. I think the ones in the grey container are dead. I'm limited to growing in containers at the moment. The plants had some yellow leaves when I bought them, not sure if that's normal or not? Apparently it was due to a change in temperature? Thanks in advance.  

Posts

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Slugs and or snails I’m afraid. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • SkandiSkandi Posts: 1,723
    And those plants can recover, have a look under the pots and go out as soon as it gets dark with a torch, then you should be able to find the culprits and remove them.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Yes, as long as the central growing point hasn’t been damaged those little plants can grow away just fine  … as long as you find the culprit and keep his pals away too. 

    Where are you keeping those plants?  Not outside where they are in the picture? 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • hammett193hammett193 Posts: 18
    I am keeping them outside, I live in a studio flat so no room indoors.
  • hammett193hammett193 Posts: 18
    Why would the culprit be under the pots, out of interest?
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited April 2023
    Slugs and snails spend their days under things like pots, tiles, rocks etc and lurking at the base of grass and other plants. That’ll be where the culprits are … by putting your bok choi just there you’ve just presented the molluscs with a banquet. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • hammett193hammett193 Posts: 18
    Just been out there and found a slug mid munch. It was disposed of with some salt. What is the best way to deter slugs? They seem to have climbed into the pots without any issue.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited April 2023
    Slugs have no trouble climbing heights … they climb into trees to graze on the green algae that grows on tree trunks. 

    Slug pubs can work for some species.  There are ferrous-based pellets which can work and are supposed not to be harmful to the rest of wildlife, but there are some who disagree … and you have to be careful and only use a few… using too many can actually attract slugs!

    I think the consensus on this forum seems to be that a nightly inspection is the best method. 
    I prefer to dispatch the culprits quickly with a pair of kitchen scissors rather than the salt method which seems to me rather unkind  … even for slugs. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





Sign In or Register to comment.