Help, everything is being eaten!

[poppyseed]

First season greeness here so forgive me but please help. I've just been out to check on progress this morning and have problems.
Pea plants currently about three inches tall) being nibbled and starting to look yellowish - I've already lost several (four of original ten left)
Courgettes: leaves looking yellow in places and two plants completely eaten (two of original six left)
Broad beans - healthy growth thus far (eight to ten inches) but leaves beginning to show much nibbling evidence.
I cannot see any evidence of pests on the actual plants.
I obviously need to take action but not sure what to use. I'm not averse to chemicals if and when necessary but where to start?

[poppyseed]

Looking around at other posts (should have done that first!!) - sounds like I could be suffering from bean weevil on my peas and beans (no doubt they will lie in wait for the peas I've just sown directly into the ground as replacements). Perhaps I will try sowing some more into pots to transplant when more established.

[Deb P]

Suspect snails or slugs for the courgettes; I lost three large plants last year which I thought were big and bad enough to survive, the snails ate through stems over an inch thick right at the base and killed the whole plant! I resorted to pellets in a box with a small hole in the end, so the birds couldn't get to them, and disposed of the culprits daily..

[poppyseed]

Thanks Deb, I shall put anti slug/snail measures in place.

[John]

Hello Poppyseed
Could be flea beetle or snails, slugs but have you thought of birds such as sparrows? I had bad trouble with them last year and have done a lot of netting this year on my peas and beans which has cured the problem.
You'll need to keep a close eye on things to try and identify the culprits.

John

[Tristram]

Hi Poppyseed,

If you, for whatever reason, don't like using slug pellets (and many don't), the most effective method of keeping slugs and snails away from young plants is to place a 2/3" circle of sharp, small stones an inch high around them. The slugs/snails find it difficult (or painful!) to cross. If you find it easier you can do a similar job around the perimeter of the whole growing area instead. Depends on how many plants you wish to protect. Saves the varmits a pretty nasty death too!

All the best, Tristram

[Compo]

Sharp Sand which is about 1.20 a bag from builders merchants is good, so is pea gravel from Wickes, equally cheap, the sharp sand mixes into the soil easier, I spread a two inch wide band around young plants, if I haven't got any bran which is also very effective for Slugs and Snails.

B&Q do a good organic bug spray, and it could also be the mice or birds eating your peas, but it sounds like you need to sow more peas and beans a little more closely.

[taralastair]

I've been using bran this year which seems to work against slugs in two ways. When it is dry they don't like to cross it as it is rough. When it is wet the cross it but also seem to eat it, which fills them up before they get to your plants. I also use beeer traps religously, even more effective is to just get out there in the evening and pick up as many as you can find and dispose of them.

One more thing, they'll never go away completely (at least not in soggy Manchester) so sow extras then the slugs can have a few and you can have a few. It's only fair.

Tara

[lizzie]

Will be buying the bran this week as I seem to have an elite army of slugs nibbling away at stuff in the greenhouse. They've had the 3rd lot of caulis, marigolds, some beans, peas and all the cabbages.

Never mind, **** happens

[seedling]

I`ve tried bran before and it didnt seem to make any difference. The slugs just seemed to climb over it and eat my plants anyway. Peerhaps I`ll have another go and make it wider and steeper so the have to really work for their supper.

[Beccy]

We use a variety of methods, including crushed eggshell. You need enough to make a good barrier of at least an inch for each plant.

We also use the hair from our hair brushes (at the same time), but this certainly won't work for every one. OH's colleagues collected for us at one point and we found that very 'treated' hair didn't work, nor very washed hair, nor short hair (neither of us ever have our hair cut).

Bran simply encouraged vermin when we tried it. We also use beer and other traps (anything slugs can hide under counts as a trap, if you check it regularly and dispose of any you find), terminus est (a sharpened bicycle spoke), our feet if there is a hard surface to stamp on, throwing them against a wall (I should say bowling them....), putting them in old tea, surrounding the plant with coffee grounds....can't think of anything else.

Slug pellets are out for us, the idiot spaniel would eat them, and it would encourage her onto the beds, which as it is she just about understands to avoid.

[poppyseed]

Thank you everyone; I will certainly experiment with various barriers around my peas and beans (and have planted more and closer together). My broad bean plants are surviving but almost every leaf has a series of bites around the edge; the culprit goes no further but systematically nibbles a round each leaf. I will also keep an eye open for visiting birds. I have visions of myself crouching behind the bean canes with my various weapons awaiting the mystery plant predators!

[jopsy]

poppyseed that is a very funny picture i now have in my head!
are you going to wear camouflage??
i also have the idd nibbling going on
i will try the bran too! i wonder if dhs bran cereal would do?
jo n pegs

[poppyseed]

Camouflage gear is a must jopsy!! I shall also try bran flakes stuck in sideways to make a suitably spikey surface...Sorry, am being totally flipant here just to mask the disappointment of losing another courgette plant and catching the predatory slug in situ.

[jopsy]

can you try to grow a few more?
theres still time!