Help something is scoffing my carrots

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jambop

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Help something is scoffing my carrots
« on: May 20, 2019, 16:52 »
Something is eating my carrots and it looks like from below the ground all that is left from the carrot is a neat pile of the foliage above a hole where the carrot should be? I thought maybe a mouse so have put some bait near the site of the demise of the carrots. I have never seen this before at all but it is in a raised bed which is made from compost only so very soft and open maybe one has made a nest under there?

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AnneB

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Re: Help something is scoffing my carrots
« Reply #1 on: May 20, 2019, 20:21 »
My guess would be slugs.  Probably the little keel slugs that live just below the surfacr.

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Goosegirl

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Re: Help something is scoffing my carrots
« Reply #2 on: May 21, 2019, 12:18 »
I would have thought slugs would have gone for the foliage so it's either a mouse or possibly wabbits.
I work very hard so don't expect me to think as well.

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Aunt Sally

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Re: Help something is scoffing my carrots
« Reply #3 on: May 21, 2019, 12:45 »
Humans ?  :ohmy:

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jambop

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Re: Help something is scoffing my carrots
« Reply #4 on: May 21, 2019, 12:55 »
I am thinking mouse. I went to the bed today and two carrots were looking a bit droopy the very small carrot root had been munched leaving just an inch plus the foliage all in the soil as though they were still growing. Must have a nest under the soil as it is undisturbed ...  but how to eradicate this menace? I have put some bait near the site of the eaten plants but maybe a trap would be better? Bit of a difficult one because to find the nest I would have to destroy the crop anyway.

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Iecabus

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Re: Help something is scoffing my carrots
« Reply #5 on: June 06, 2019, 14:47 »
I am thinking mouse. I went to the bed today and two carrots were looking a bit droopy the very small carrot root had been munched leaving just an inch plus the foliage all in the soil as though they were still growing. Must have a nest under the soil as it is undisturbed ...  but how to eradicate this menace? I have put some bait near the site of the eaten plants but maybe a trap would be better? Bit of a difficult one because to find the nest I would have to destroy the crop anyway.
Maltesers and mouse traps. I know it sounds stupid but a friend of mine had a mouse issue and he reported it worked well.

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cc

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Re: Help something is scoffing my carrots
« Reply #6 on: June 10, 2019, 21:47 »
I am using dog pooh. Although in my case I can see the run. Mice tend to do very shallow runs which often collapse. Where I find the start I put a bit of dog pooh in. This is a terraced garden so they are coming from many directions so each time I spot the start of run I apply a bit of pooh. They tend to give up eventually.

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cc

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Re: Help something is scoffing my carrots
« Reply #7 on: June 10, 2019, 21:50 »
I am thinking mouse. I went to the bed today and two carrots were looking a bit droopy the very small carrot root had been munched leaving just an inch plus the foliage all in the soil as though they were still growing. Must have a nest under the soil as it is undisturbed ...  but how to eradicate this menace? I have put some bait near the site of the eaten plants but maybe a trap would be better? Bit of a difficult one because to find the nest I would have to destroy the crop anyway.
Maltesers and mouse traps. I know it sounds stupid but a friend of mine had a mouse issue and he reported it worked well.
Are the traps above ground? If not can you give me a link?

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Ivor Backache

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Re: Help something is scoffing my carrots
« Reply #8 on: June 11, 2019, 13:45 »
I have experienced this and found cutworms just below the surface of the soil. This is from Wikipedia:
Cutworms are moth larvae that hide under litter or soil during the day, coming out in the dark to feed on plants. A larva typically attacks the first part of the plant it encounters, namely the stem, often of a seedling, and consequently cuts it down; hence the name cutworm. Cutworms are not worms, biologically speaking, but caterpillars
Cutworm larvae vary in their feeding behaviour; some remain with the plant they cut down and feed on it, while others often move on after eating a small amount from a felled seedling; such a wasteful mode of feeding results in disproportionate damage to crops.
Cutworms are usually green, brown, grey, or yellow soft-bodied caterpillars, often with longitudinal stripes, up to 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) in length

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sunshineband

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Re: Help something is scoffing my carrots
« Reply #9 on: June 11, 2019, 17:43 »
Slugs are a possibility for sure, but usually leave some slimy evidence unless they are very tiny. Cutworms are a maybe although I have personally never know them lay eggs by carrots, and if you are growing under mesh be very unlikely as the adult moths would have no access.

Mice are another possibility. Water the bed really well, leave for ten minutes and soak again. Any areas of tunnelling or where a nest may be will collapse down, leaving a hole at the surface. Once the soil has drained slightly, firm these areas with decent pressure from the heel of your hand. If you are growing under mesh, snappy traps are safe to use as birds will not get caught in them. You can win this battle!!! (Bait with peanut butter)
Voles don't eat the roots but chop the bottom of the stems into 1cm long pieces, some of which get left in a nice little pile where they were feeding Again, they can be flushed out or trapped
Wisdom is knowing what to ignore - be comfortable in your own skin.
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cc

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Re: Help something is scoffing my carrots
« Reply #10 on: June 19, 2019, 11:05 »
Yep dog poo has worked the mouse has decided to stop visiting that terrace. As it happens the carrots had grown enough for it to eat them.
Get a dog!



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