New onions starts are being turned upside down

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mesateka Molalla, OR Apr 05, 2011

This is the 2nd year in a row now that my freshly planted onion starts are being turned over. Its not birds, because I have them Netted. I use raised beds with netting underneath to keep rodents out but something still plucks and turns the green point down. Mouse traps usually come up empty in this bed but work fine in other beds. I also rotate my beds every year.

Anybody else have this happen? Help!!

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SoFlaCommercial West Palm Beach, FL(Zone 10b) Apr 05, 2011

I don't know about that, but my husband said this morning that one of the carrots that I had in a planted peat pot was turned over, as was one of my squash, zucchini, and a pepper.

I'm in south florida. I don't know if we'd have the same pests, but it is most curious!

oh, and he said it didn't look like the roots were damaged; just that the pods were dug up.

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shune Burien, WA(Zone 7b) Apr 05, 2011

A squirrel maybe?

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Farmerdill Augusta, GA(Zone 8a) Apr 05, 2011

Onions, most likely earthworms/nightcrawlers. They don't bother other crops however.

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mesateka Molalla, OR Apr 06, 2011

Thanks for your thoughts everyone. I also thought maybe worms, I only seem to have small reds and not really "night crawlers" though. I can't find any clues on the surface. Those willey critters must have a clean up crew.

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GrayThumb Saint Louis, MO(Zone 6a) Apr 10, 2011

Do the earthworms/nightcrawlers acually eat or hurt the plants, or simply flip them up by their movement?

How do you stop the problem?

Thank you.

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Farmerdill Augusta, GA(Zone 8a) Apr 10, 2011

For whatever reasons, earthworms are particularly attracted to the the brown tips of tranplanted onions. They don't bother green parts, but they will pull those tips over and into the ground, which often results in a newly transplanted onion being dislodged from the ground. They only eat dead material so trimming the plants may help. They will be ok as the plants get thier root sytem established.

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HoneybeeNC Charlotte, NC(Zone 7b) Apr 10, 2011

I didn't know earthworms would do that! Thanks, Farmerdill, I learned something new today :)

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