[oldhippy]

I have a slight problem with onions which I'm becomming lost as to what is causing the damage.

Planted them about 1 month ago and all went well and they sent up shoots and leaves, but about two weeks ago I noticed the leaves where been attacked, like been choped down, at first I thought it was a slug problem. so distributed pellets, this has not helped as it looks like the pest is moving row by row eating the shoots down to the builb neck

These are normal white  onions, the red onions seem uneffected.

Has anyone had this problem or any idea what is attacking the onions?

[bazh]

Birds or rabbits I reckon If it's rabbits they'll probably be droppings nearby, try netting them see if it stops.

[oldhippy]

Ill try netting tomorow and see what happens I might have thought if was birds they would pull the onions out but then birds come in all sizes lol

[BabbyAnn]

Ill try netting tomorow and see what happens I might have thought if was birds they would pull the onions out but then birds come in all sizes lol

pigeons do enormous damage and don't need to pull the plants up

[Nikkithefoot]

I'd go for rabbits, or possibly deer being the culprits. I have a similar problem and now practically everything gets covered with debris netting to stop them from being eaten. Only exceptions are potatoes so far.

[allotmentor]

Are these sets or seed? Cutworms have been a problem for me on my broad beans, cutting them off just below the soil surface and leaving the shoot. If you're talking about seeds and the shoots are just lying there, seemingly uneaten, it could well be these. If they're sets planted with necks just showing, I would have thought cutworm would have difficulty getting to the shoots. If it is cutworm, netting's not going to help much as they're already in the soil - one possible solution is collars sunk a few cms into the soil around each one...but that's not really practical for a row of onions...good cultivation, exposing the little caterpillars to predators is the best control in the long run.

[compostqueen]

I picked some allotment spring onions on the plot at the weekend which we had for tea last night. They were dead strong    I had to put wire netting over them as the rabbits were eating all the foliage and taking them down the stumps.  Got a full row of unscathed ones left to harvest. Yum