We do have loads of wood pigeons, but I've never seen them near my lettuce. Maybe I'm just lucky. It would never be outdoors as early as March though - I'm usually just sowing it at that time, and it would be in the house. It's also funny how they're more attracted to some varieties though. The Lolla Rossa ones are always attacked, and I recently grew Mizuna which gets annihilated almost immediately. I've got one called Deronda though, and it seems more resilient. Same with decorative plants. I started growing dahlias again last year, and I then remembered why I'd stopped growing them! I have some new ones this year, and one in particular was attacked constantly, so it's been in the water tray, and has now recovered. The others seemed to hold them off more easily.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
It is odd isn't about the lolla rossa and the mizuna, you'd think those would be more robust. I did try mizuna once and you can guess the result. I long for a really sunny garden where there's a chance of not having quite so many molluscs as in our west facing and pretty shaded mollusc sanctuary, not to mention that it's also a wildlife garden with a pond. It's good to hear you can do so much in Scotland, as we do sometimes consider coming north, especially when it hits 40C, though this year mercifully has so far been nowhere near
I was just saying to another poster yesterday @nigel.pollitt, when we were discussing a problem on cotoneaster [moth/caterpillar] that I'd have to move further north if we get any more hot weather here. That particular moth doesn't get further north than Yorkshire apparently. Last year was our hottest summer on record, and the previous one was also hotter and drier. A very mild winter in between too, and the recent one was mild for us, apart from the two sharp spells. Fortunately, despite the very hot spell in May/June, with less rainfall, we seem to be back to more normal wet, cool stuff, although July was warm, as the winds were lighter. A more normal start to August, which is an autumnal month here. Shorter growing season, and in the west, it pays to grow things like toms undercover or you don't get a reliable crop. East is drier. It's just a question of getting used to your climate, same as anywhere really. I've not lived anywhere else but in the west, so I'm fairly used to the weather -we aren't designed for that heat
It'll get warmer and drier next week when the schools go back though!
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Interesting .... though if the Gulf Stream turns off, as is now a distinct possibility, all bets are off as the whole of UK will become fairly arctic. Yep, come September it'll dry out no doubt!
Back to the beginning. If you grow less common plants you must realise than you are largely on your own. What is your success rate like with "boring" plants?
My guess is that your seedlings received a sharp burst of sunlight, possibly before you had had time to water them. A quick move to the shade or a spray od water might have helped them then. Now, they will either recover, or not.
location: Surrey Hills, England, ex-woodland acidic sand. "Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
Hey! Bummer about your seedlings. Could be pests like aphids or thrips munching on them. Try checking the undersides of leaves. Neem oil or insecticidal soap might help. Good luck! 🌱🐛
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It's also funny how they're more attracted to some varieties though. The Lolla Rossa ones are always attacked, and I recently grew Mizuna which gets annihilated almost immediately. I've got one called Deronda though, and it seems more resilient.
Same with decorative plants. I started growing dahlias again last year, and I then remembered why I'd stopped growing them! I have some new ones this year, and one in particular was attacked constantly, so it's been in the water tray, and has now recovered. The others seemed to hold them off more easily.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Last year was our hottest summer on record, and the previous one was also hotter and drier. A very mild winter in between too, and the recent one was mild for us, apart from the two sharp spells. Fortunately, despite the very hot spell in May/June, with less rainfall, we seem to be back to more normal wet, cool stuff, although July was warm, as the winds were lighter. A more normal start to August, which is an autumnal month here. Shorter growing season, and in the west, it pays to grow things like toms undercover or you don't get a reliable crop. East is drier. It's just a question of getting used to your climate, same as anywhere really. I've not lived anywhere else but in the west, so I'm fairly used to the weather -we aren't designed for that heat
It'll get warmer and drier next week when the schools go back though!
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
My guess is that your seedlings received a sharp burst of sunlight, possibly before you had had time to water them. A quick move to the shade or a spray od water might have helped them then. Now, they will either recover, or not.
"Have nothing in your garden that you don't know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border