Kitchen Garden Forum

Just been down to the allotment and was concerned to see that for the first time ever(I have been growing rhubarb for many, many years) I see that the centre leaves on two of my three plants have been reduced to mere skeletons.

Any thoughts please on what has been munching their way through these tender central leaves(the tougher outside ones are untounched on both plants)

Whenever this has happened to me I have found slugs at the base of some stems right at the point where stem attaches to crown. The other likely culprit is off course snails

Hi Mike. Our rhubarb often gets attacked by snails...those pretty, yellow-with-brown stripes variety. The common snails don't seem interested.

Just noticed that in my post before I typed "off course snails"

I am now wondering what their proper course was

Elaine and Snip,

Many thanks for your replies. Elaine your mention of the "yellow with brown stripes" snails could indeed be the answer. The rhubarb plants are right next to the black/red currants and I noticed that there are many of these snails on the branches. The common snails are not (yet) in evidence with just a minimum number of slugs. I will scatter some bird friendly slug/snail pellets under the leaves and see what happens.

Snip - lol - I would suggest that their proper course would be well away from my plot.