[Aitch]

Hi all, we are new to this. We are planter pot growing. we have planted some turnip and cabbage seeds to get us started. They have grown really well up to now, the only problem is something wants to eat them before we can. It's the leaves, they seam to start in the middle of a leaf and the munch outwards. At first we thought it was birds so put a net over but that didn't work. We looked but can't c snail trail or anything under the leaves. Has anyone any ideas wot it could b and wot to do about it ??
Thanx ian

[Fisherman]

Could be leather jacket (daddy long leg) grubs although its getting a bit late in the year for them. They burrow under the soil and come out at night and munch the plants. If it is them have a scrape around the base of the plant and you will find a brown /grey grub about an inch long.

Worth also checking under your planters for snails and slugs. If your using plastic pots check under the rim as thats where snails and slugs like to hide during the day.

[Aitch]

Thanx for the advice, I'll have a look in day light tomorrow. If I can't find these things is there anything else I could b looking out for.
Thanx again 

[Aitch]

I've checked under the lips of the pots and scraped around the plants but found nothing. Has any one got any other suggestions plz ??

[Aunt Sally]

A picture of your plants would be useful

[Aitch]

Sorry it's taking so long for the pictures but it keeps telling me the file is to big so I'll have to get someone to show me how to sort them out then I can put them on

[Aunt Sally]

It can be a bit tricky if you don't know how to do it.

Have a read through our instructions on the Noticeboard:

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=19476.msg100026#msg100026

[Aitch]

Hope this works and if it does i hope it helps 
Thanx

[Aitch]

Wahay it worked 

[Yorkie]

Well done!

Are you absolutely positive you can't see any suggestion of slugs or caterpillars?  It's not weevil damage, that is far more notched.  The very very tiny holes could well be flea beetle - tends not to do any great harm.  But the bigger holes would seem to be typical of slugs or caterpillars.

[Aitch]

I keep looking everyday and scraping around the soil but haven't seen anything. Should I get some treatment or spray to make sure ?

[Aitch]

Ha ha, I feel like miss marple tonight lol, when i got in from work (1am) i went out with my torch and magnifying glass to check on the veg and see if i could see anything, and low and behold there they where, pesky little green caterpillars  , I have removed as many as I could see and squashed and removed what i thought maybe eggs. Could anyone suggest the best way possible to get rid of them please, i want to enjoy my veg after all the hard work we have put in to growing them, and would like to do it before they get to eat them all first.
Thank You
Helen xx

[Aitch]

Hi all, I have found out what is eatting my veg this evening, its little green caterpillars. I have removed all that I could see, and squashed and removed what I thought maybe eggs. Can anyone please suggest the best way to get rid of the little monsters before they munch thier way through the rest of my veg. Is there a spray or something that will kill them off without damaging the veg?

Thanks
Helen xx

[Jamie Butterworth]

It depends on wether you want to be organic or not, if not then there are numerous pesticide sprays that will take care of them

[Aitch]

Thanks for the recomendation for the garlic and chilli spray. I've been out this morning and bought all i need to make it up. touch wood that will do the trick and i might get to eat my veg rather then the caterpillars eatting it all first....hehehehe
Thanks for the advice.
If i manage to grow the veg i'll put pic's on when they are ready.
Thanks all
Helen and Ian
xx