Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: Beetroot queen on July 13, 2009, 13:36

Title: Rhubarb Leaves look like lace
Post by: Beetroot queen on July 13, 2009, 13:36
I have three rhubarb plants one at home, two on the plot.

Home plant is on its second year and the leaves look like lace they have been chewed non-stop. I have pellets down for slugs etc etc no visible sign of anything at all. we dont see many birds in the garden thanks to our killer cat. so it cant be birds

The ones on the plot went in this year and are already four times bigger than the one at home

What is eating the leaves ? and why is it looking so feeble  :wub:
Title: Re: Rhubarb Leaves look like lace
Post by: mumofstig on July 13, 2009, 13:48
Its got to be either slugs, snails or caterpillars >:( just have to keep watch till you find out which :mad:
Title: Re: Rhubarb Leaves look like lace
Post by: Beetroot queen on July 13, 2009, 13:52
Its got to be either slugs, snails or caterpillars >:( just have to keep watch till you find out which :mad:

I feel like a detective bent over the plant every half hour the neighbours must wonder what the hell i am doing, anything more I can put down, the plant looks a mess

Old tea bags etc etc  :mellow:
Title: Re: Rhubarb Leaves look like lace
Post by: ravenaround on July 13, 2009, 17:47
My rhubarb leaves have been chewed by something but I thought they were poisonous?

I guess not to old sluggys?

Title: Re: Rhubarb Leaves look like lace
Post by: Trillium on July 13, 2009, 17:57
Oxalic acid is the 'poison' in rhubarb leaves but in further research, it seems to be mostly in the leaf blade rather than the green part of the leaves which could be why the pests are eating that part and not dying off as they should.
Title: Re: Rhubarb Leaves look like lace
Post by: Beetroot queen on July 14, 2009, 07:56
Oxalic acid is the 'poison' in rhubarb leaves but in further research, it seems to be mostly in the leaf blade rather than the green part of the leaves which could be why the pests are eating that part and not dying off as they should.

Is the blade the veiny bit, as thats the bit they left  :)
Title: Re: Rhubarb Leaves look like lace
Post by: SMD66 on July 14, 2009, 08:41
ours looked lacy too, it turned out to be the hens scratching about around them and tearing the leaves!  We put a mesh barrier around it and the leaves are fine now.
Title: Re: Rhubarb Leaves look like lace
Post by: Beetroot queen on July 14, 2009, 08:43
ours looked lacy too, it turned out to be the hens scratching about around them and tearing the leaves!  We put a mesh barrier around it and the leaves are fine now.

we dont have chickens so its not that, unless the kids are eating them  :ohmy:
Title: Re: Rhubarb Leaves look like lace
Post by: tode on July 14, 2009, 10:03
You've not had a hail storm? Ours gat quite torn up this Spring. Makes sort of ragged holes. Nothing else suffered though.
Title: Re: Rhubarb Leaves look like lace
Post by: Beetroot queen on July 14, 2009, 11:29
You've not had a hail storm? Ours gat quite torn up this Spring. Makes sort of ragged holes. Nothing else suffered though.

Nope unless I missed it while I was asleep, new leaves come up and then within hours they are the same  :mellow: might have to take some pics
Title: Re: Rhubarb Leaves look like lace
Post by: Mike.white on July 14, 2009, 13:08
sounds like caterpillars to me.... mind you, you'd expect them to be of huge proportions eating all the rhubarb!
Title: Re: Rhubarb Leaves look like lace
Post by: Trillium on July 14, 2009, 15:58
Oxalic acid is the 'poison' in rhubarb leaves but in further research, it seems to be mostly in the leaf blade rather than the green part of the leaves which could be why the pests are eating that part and not dying off as they should.

Is the blade the veiny bit, as thats the bit they left  :)

Yes.
Title: Re: Rhubarb Leaves look like lace
Post by: tode on July 16, 2009, 08:37
Beetroot Queen: have you discovered where your rhubarb leaves go? Interested to know.
Title: Re: Rhubarb Leaves look like lace
Post by: Beetroot queen on July 16, 2009, 08:47
Nope not yet, I am out there all the time, I am thinking of setting up CCTV as its beginning to bug me, someone is making my plant look a mess  :ohmy:
Title: Re: Rhubarb Leaves look like lace
Post by: wheelyjon on June 13, 2010, 11:05
I have the same problem, new leaves have been completely shredded, but I have found the Culprit.
  Tiny white slugs, about 1/4 inch long.  I looked with a torch a night, found one of these on a stem and put it in a jam jar with a rhubarb leaf.  by the next morning, the leaf had been severely chewed!