Pest Control!

Hi folks,

I have a major problem with something eating both bulbs and young plants.

I know my garden is FULL of snails, but the small plants (pansies, violas, cyclamen, hellebores, allysum and more) are literally eaten away down to a stumpy stem. Needless to say, the plants then die.

Small bulbs that I plant appear on the surface half eaten.

We have lots of neighbourhood cats (another gardener's problem) so I wouldn't have thought that mice would be a problem?

Could slugs/snails destroy a plant completely?
Would mice eat plants?
Do mice dig up bulbs?

I have looked into green deterents, and am thinking about spraying a chilli/onion solution across my beds, which should sort out the cats too. Has anyone had any luck with using chilli spray for pest control?

Thanks!

Re: Pest Control!

Reply from ELAINE HUTSON

You will have to be a detective in your garden, try baiting for slugs, see if that makes a difference. Voles and mice do eat bulbs, where I live we have moles and though they don't eat bulbs etc. the mice that follow in their tracks do. I am surprised that something is eating your hellebores, they are poisonous. I now only plant out daffodil and snowdrop bulbs, both are poisonous. Do you have rabbits? they are really big rascals, eat everything in sight. Cats just disturb plants, spraying with cayenne pepper is a good deterrent till the next rains. I have used on my roses for rabbits and deer, but it only works till the next rains.

Re: Re: Pest Control!

Reply from Heidi Mailer

You should try Squirrel removal long island, they are useful for removing all the slugs. The pest control also very safe for plants.

Re: Pest Control!

Reply from Liz Macaulay

How about squirrels?
Slugs and snails can and will destroy plants completely. I have had success with the slug pellets containing ferrous phosphate which is not poisonous to animals. I have a cat but still have mice in the garden, and squirrels. For bulbs, try covering them with wire or plastic mesh and then compost to conceal it. Chili spray is effective until it rains, and have you tried short lengths of rose or other thorny cuttings? These deter my cats.

Re: Pest Control!

Reply from Muriel

Hi Angela
I also have a massive problem with slugs and snails. I planted out all my little plantlets which I had carefully nurtured in the greenhouse over the last few weeks, and the slugs have now eaten the lot. I don't like using slug pellets in the veg patch, so if anyone has any suggestions, they would be gratefully received.

I also have something eating leaves - and it's not slugs and snails - the plantlets are sitting on a wire shelf - it's more like caterpillars or some other bug - but I have lost cosmos, sunflowers, pak choi - but other things like anthirrinum seem to be ok. HELP!

Re: Pest Control!

Reply from Angela Neal

Well a bit of an update: I did a huge manual clearout of snails from their worst hiding places in the garden and suprisingly this did actually reduce the damage. (I thought they would just come right back.)

Something is definitely eating away my bulbs and tender plants, but I am wondering if it could be beetles or grubs since many of the damaged plants are poisonous.

Bamboo skewers halved and poked at regular intervals throughought the flower beds seems to have been pretty effective at getting the cats to look further afield for a toilet area.

Re: Re: Pest Control!

Reply from Andy Balchin

Hi Angela and folks
It's possible that rodents are digging up your bulbs. Mice and voles are daintier in their work than squirrels - can you see any gnaw marks on the bulbs or foliage which would give an indication of your pest? You could try making a patch of smoothed sand above your bulbs, to see if you can capture any footprints.

Re: Pest Control!

Reply from Lee Saxon

Sorry to change the subject, still on pest control but my problem is that I have just acquired a veg plot and it is riddled with wireworm. I've looked on the web for nematodes to control this problem but can't find a supplier. The only one that comes up have sold out till April 2013. If any of you folks out there know of a supplier I would appreciate a reply. I've tried all kinds to eradicate this pest and have only just found out how great nematodes are. There is also Chafer grubs everywhere too. Is there an 'All in one' nematode that does the job? Thanks. Look forward to your replies.