[Deborah1]

Aaaarrghhh! Planted out 8 plants. Next day all 8 just stalks . But I had spares so I put the spares in the gaps and covered them with mushroom crates - apart from one as I ran out of crates.... Today, when I eventually look - all eaten again apart from the one that had been under the bottle.
I thought it was pigeons. But pigeons can’t limbo under a crate... Mice/voles? I have an ongoing war with field voles...

Is it too late to sow again?

[lettice]

It will depend on the variety, as some need planting out earlier as they crop Autumn and early Winter rather than late Autumn through Winter.
I sow my Groninger variety in March and plant out in May.
I have in the past sown some mid may and although they germinate after 7-10day, they need another few weeks before they get their extra leaves and strong enough to be planted out.
They did crop fine, but they were more a Winter cropping variety.

[Deborah1]

Thanks. I’ll give up on the Early Half Tall, but I’ll re-sow Trafalgar today! Any other guesses what the culprit was?

[Nobbie]

Thanks. I’ll give up on the Early Half Tall, but I’ll re-sow Trafalgar today! Any other guesses what the culprit was?

For the first time this year I’ve had mice eat my tender stem broccoli And kale right to the ground. Put in mouse traps baited with peanut butter to confirm suspicion and caught half a dozen of the little blighters. Also eat french beans to the ground I imagine it was pretty easy for them to get into the crates, but not under the bottle.