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Something eating potato plants
fee136
Posts: 2
in Fruit & veg
Something appears to be attacking my potato crop by eating the plant at the base. i have dug around in the soil but cannot find any clues to the culprit. Any ideas??? Slugs maybe???
0
Posts
It will be slugs fee136, they love the potato and not only the leaves, they like munching on tubers as well.
I too can attest to the little b+++++'s munching on my potato haulm - the more adventurous ones climb up to the fresh top growth, whereas the sly ones prefer to 'fell' a foot or so and chomp away nearer to ground level! GRRH!!!
I'm growing mine in containers, and have had some trouble from slugs/snails as well as earwigs - which can munch up a surprising amount.
Go out at night with a torch to catch the culpits. To catch the earwigs without having to go out at night you can get a stem that has been munched on and is dying, and remove it. The leaves will have wilted (or will once you've removed it). Place it on the ground at the base and the each day pick it up and shake it. If earwigs are a problem you will find three or four each time. They are attracted to it and think it is a nice place to go to sleep in the day. Dispose of them and you will have less of a problem.
thank you all, i will get on it tonight and catch the little blighters. my chickens will have a hearty feast tomorrow