[JUDGE DREDD]

Hi Everyone, fror the last couple of years I have tried to grow various veg seeds in plant pots outside my partners flat as we have no garden or allotment yet. The seeds all start to grow nicely for about 4 to 6 weeks then all of a sudden something starts to eat them. I do not see any slugs or snails around but do see woodlice and ants. Could someone please give some advice as to what it could be and what to do about it ?
 Thanks

[JohnB47]

Pigeons?

Do the leaves look like they been torn or pecked?

4 to 6 weeks seems about right to grow a meal for a pigeon. Try putting some sort of netting over them but make sure it's held well off the plants. If you don't and it is pigeons they'll just walk all over the netting and peck through it.


Edited to correct spelling re forum search purposes

[JUDGE DREDD]

We dont get that many pigeons here but whenever I see any kind of bird, I try to look and see if they go anywhere near the crops. They seem to stay away so am not too sure it is birds although I could be wrong. It usually starts as little holes in the leaves then before you know it the whole leave have gone, just leaving the stalks

[arugula]

Even though you don't see slugs, they could still be a culprits. Earwigs are another possibility.

[JUDGE DREDD]

We are trying to be as organic as possible, If its slugs or earwigs, what do we do about it ?

[arugula]

You can get organic slug pellets, but barrier methods are quite commonplace, such as a ring of crushed eggshells or a ring made of copper around your plants.. You can make an earwig trap but stuffing a plant pot with straw and putting it open end down onto a garden cane stuck in the ground or in your case a pot. If you have earwigs, they will enjoy crawling into this and you can then dispose of them.

[JohnB47]

Even though you don't see slugs, they could still be a culprits. Earwigs are another possibility.

Holes in leaves? Probably not pigeons then. If it's slugs/snails, they'll usually leave a dried glistening trail over the leaves where they've been. See anything like that?

One other suggestion - go out at night with a torch and have a good look. A lot of these little diners only come out at night.

PS thanks DD for the edit. I wish I could speel properly. 

[JUDGE DREDD]

No, I cant see any dried glistening trails. I think the leaves are too small for them. Am getting to the stage that I might give up. Could it be any kind of fly ?

[arugula]

Could it be any kind of fly ?

Have you dis-counted earwigs then?

[JayG]

A very warm night last night which meant party time for slugs and snails! 

Another one of my squashes has virtually disappeared overnight despite being slug-baited (what's left of it has tell-tale scrape marks but no visible trails.)

[Trillium]

Its possible that area cats or dogs have been nibbling on them as they love young green growth this time of year. Sounds like you'll need to cage the plants somehow.

[grendel]

I think a little notice put next to the plants -
Eating leaves and shoots forbidden should do the job - signed by yourself of course - after all 'You are the LAW'
Grendel

[Wombat18]

My vote is for pigeons, who are getting through my young pea shoots like nobody's business. 

Old chap on plot tells a possibly slightly exaggerated story of a farmer he know whose brussels sprouts were always being eaten by pigeons.  He shot a particuarly slow one which was having difficulty getting off the ground and when he checked the stomach contents found it had eaten three pounds of sprouts.