Something eating my Spinanch seedlings!

Something eating my Spinanch seedlings! Could pill bugs (rollypollys) be the pest? Is there an organic solution that I can use, to end this problem?

Hi Dean. See re: mustard. Might be slugs.

Okay, dahlianut, only problem is I don't think it's slugs. I haven't seen any around my garden ever before.

Dean

I am the one who cannot grow anything. You cannot take my title! Have you figured out what is eating your stuff?

No, not yet! I assume its Pill bugs, though. I bought some Diametaceous earth I'm going to use once it stops raining here.

i hope you can stop the suckers!

And plant them radishes, Dean, son. LOL Jenn what am I going to do with you!

We'll do, I hope I get those rascals before it gets to hot. I wanted to have some spinanch.

How bad is the damage? It is big enough to do a partial harvest? If so do it, that will let in more light and air to the bed and discourage the critters. You can also do some succession planting so you will get a harvest. You can plant into fall with spinach and many of those type of crops. It like broccoli, cauliflower and carrots do better with a nip of frost and will grow for you most of the winter without the bugs.....:)

The damage is so sever that I had one seedling left yesterday. Today I went out and that seedling was gone. I did do a succesive planting about a week or two ago so they should start coming up. I thought Spinach would bolt if it gets to warm. I got my Cabbage started in a flat and will be putting it out come March. Carrots are in the ground and doing fine. Only two problems with the Carrots their overcrowed and occasional bermuda grass comining up in the patch. I'll try this fall for some other stuff.

Hmm, that doesn't sound like pill bugs......maybe bunnies. They will take it all. Buy yourself the cheapest bottle of Cayenne pepper you can find and sprinkle it heavily all over those things. That will discourage any bunnies. They don't like hot stuff! Yes, spinach will bolt if it gets too warm. That's why I suggest inter planting it under other plants that grow taller and can offer it some shade.

I don't think it's bunnies I live in a residential neighborhood thats pretty urban.

Hmm, I don't think pill bugs could snatch the whole thing, so you got something else going on there.

I wonder too? Hopefully the new seedlings will show some promise.

What other kind of critters might you have around there? Maybe groundhogs?

I see cats all the time. I don't think they would eat it. No, groundhogs I haven't even seen any squirrels.

Hmm, this is a puzzlement. Let me think on it a bit. Do you see any tracks around your bed at all? Unless you do have slugs, they'll gulp it down, but pill bugs couldn't do that kind of damage that fast. I'm still leaning to bunnies even though you may have not seen them,.

Yes, I've seen tracks in my beds, but I assumed they were cats. Why is it nothing else gets chewed down? I have also noticed a couple of pea seedlings bit down. Their stem was remaning. Their planted in the same bed. In that bed I had at liberal amounts of Coffee grounds. I don't know if that makes a difference.

No, betca it's bunnies. Get the Cayenne, kiddo. They don't like the hot stuff! You do need to renew after a rain, but buy the cheapest you can find and be liberal with it.

Okay, I'll try that. Hopefully it will be the solution.

Well, there's always a shotgun method too. LOL

Yes, the shotgun method would work well. I could have rabbit soup w/ veggies.

Good eats! Little cornbread on the side!

Damnrabbits do love their spinach! I grow mine under chicken wire.

Yeah, that's something you may have to do Dean, my boy. I do keep spare chicken wire on hand for things like this. Good idea, LTilton. :)