For the last two or three years I can plant my rainbow chard thickly, admire it as it sprouts, and then start noticing day by day that the row looks scanter and scanter until there are few if any plants left. Happened again this season, so I just stuck some seeds in a six-pack in the greenhouse and will try that way. Maybe if I get the plants bigger before I put them in the ground they won't go to that great Chard Heaven in the sky. Anyone have any insights into this? The raab, arugula, mustards and beets in the adjacent rows are just fine, thankyouverymuch!
The Case of the Disappearing Chard
greenhouse_gal - it could be slugs, birds ????
I think your idea of starting them in the greenhouse and setting them outside when they are larger is a good one. I've got my peas under a row cover because for the last two years the birds (or maybe the same critter that eats your chard) have eaten them to the ground!
My 3-4" chard seedlings set out last week disappeared, no clue why. I may replant and then pot-up on the porch to get bigger seedlings before setting out as you suggest. Never had this problem before, and the nearby seedlings all look fine.
Here, it would be bunnies.....
They seem particularly fond of the red and oranges :(
This year I've planted it in a bath tub, so we'll see if that helps.
I was hoping to see the remaining base of the seedlings in the soil, as if bunnies chewed them off... but no trace at all!
The little ones get pulled up completely, and munched in bit by bit, even the roots. Tiny carrots, too, just like Peter Rabbit.
Sigh
BTW, when I replant, I plan to put collars (paper towel or TP cores) around the stems.
At least I'm not alone in this! I'm thinking if I get them to be a decent size they should be okay. We don't have bunnies in our garden; there's a fence around it and we also have a cat who patrols. I was wondering if it might be voles but I don't know why they'd leave everything else. My peas are fine. I planted a double row: one with French seed (Merveille de Kelvedon) and the other with Kelvedon Wonder because I didn't think I'd have enough of my saved French seed. The French seed has been up for a while and looks great; the English seed hasn't showed a single green tip. It's really weird! Both are from 2009...Can't blame voles or other critters for that.
greenhouse_gal - I have found voles prefer soybean and green bean seeds. Once these plants have sprouted, they attack from underground pulling the plants down into their tunnel. It is really strange to see a plant that has been partially pulled into the ground. Just the leaf tips showing.
Seeing as peas are also legumes, I wouldn't be surprised if voles have eaten your English seeds.
I have purchased something called "Planskydd" which is granular blood meal. Voles are supposed to be repelled by this stuff, so I'm hoping it works.
http://www.plantskydd.com/
But the two lines of peas were in the same row; I was planting a double row with one being the French seeds and the other being the American ones. Wouldn't make sense that they'd go down one whole row tackling only one side of it!
Is Planskydd considered organic? Might try it if it is.
greenhouse_gal - yes, Plantskydd is OMRI listed as organic
Thanks. I'll check into it. The chard that is left is very droopy and isn't growing. I haven't pulled the two or three that remain to look at the roots, but they're tiny anyway; they don't even have their true leaves yet.