What is eating my seedlings?

My broccoli seedlings are presently in pots outside, before being planted into the vegetable patch. I went to look at them today and the broccoli are now all 2 to 3 inch stalks. No visible signs of disturbance indicating the nature of the animal/bird/pest. Similarly my courgettes have been attacked with chunks taken out of the leaves and stalks (6 inch plants). The attacker doesn't seem to care for my peas or beans though! Any ideas?

What is eating my seedlings?
It could be slugs and/or snails which are rampant in my garden right now, as others have mentioned.





Otherwise, Cabbage White butterflies lay eggs which hatch into ravenous caterpillars which eat members of the brassica ramily - ie. broccoli. You may have other caterpillars which aren't specific to eating just plants from the cabbage family.





Though it sounds like it's likely to be slugs or snails, which bite large chunnks out, and will easily and quickly strip plants of their leaves. Usually you see a shiny trail where they've been, which could indicate that it's something else, as you state 'No visible signs of disturbance': prevention will help against future slug/snail potential problems though.





Pick them off, warm evenings are typically the time you'll find them, and dispose of them in some far away place: this is nicer to the environment than killing them (it also feeds other wildlife that thrive on them). Look under the pots also, as they will typically shelter in dark, cool places.





Otherwise, Growing Success make some environmentally/wildlife and pet friendly slug and snail pellets. The other type, made from metaldehyde, are harmful to other animals.





You can now buy Growing Success pellets from most garden centres, and dept. stores like Wilkinsons (£3.50 ish there, more in garden centres). The link below identifies it:


http://www.growingsuccess.org.uk/detail....





If you choose to use these, sprinkle broadly around, not just around your plants. They're also rain resistant, which helps with the type of weather that we're having.





Good luck! Rob
Reply:Slugs and Snails main culprits this time of year.





If your seedling are in trays or pots sprinkle cooking salt in a ring around the pots if on flagging or concrete. Do not use if on grass as it will burn the grass and make soil sour.





To catch them you have to go out in the dark with a torch,


a bucket with salt in the bottom, a strong pair of garden gloves and an iron constitution. Pick them off the ground, plants, walls etc and drop into bucket of salt.





Happy Hunting
Reply:you will find its slugs and snails i had same prob i put snail pellts around and everything growing lovely now
Reply:It`s usually slugs or snails that do this in my garden, Look under the pots they may be hiding there. May also be rabbits if they are in your area.
Reply:rabbits!!!! they will only eat the plants till they get to a certain maturity. squirrels will dig in the dirt where you have planted and rabbits do not, they just want the leafy greens. common tales to cure the rabbit problem will be hair clippings around the garden, moth balls around the garden, or there is one particular flower that they say you can plant, or even blood meal around the garden......your best bet from my experience is a chicken wire fence and make sure it's pulled taut. Good luck and happy picking.
Reply:Hello fellow sufferer! I had the same problem, my tomato seedlings just disappeared, it was terrible and now I have only 3 small plants left, after I took them inside.


I think salt is a very good solution, my grannies used to do this, but as someone else mentioned it before, it is pretty disgusting when picking them up, they start foaming, etc.


Another possibility is putting some sort of mesh around them, it doesn't look nice, but also keeps other "thieves" away.


Good luck with your gardening!
Reply:Chances are its slugs or snails - most likely slugs. I had something similar - I came out and found my radishes munched, beets decimated. My peas have been left alone, only now they are about 2 feet high am I seeing traces lower down the plant of munching, Sounds a bit nutty, but wait til its really dark and nip out with a torch and have a look - that's when they all come out. If you've had heavy rain there are normally even more. That will give you an idea. If its slugs, then try slug pellets. The other possibility is caterpillars - again you will need to have a root round the plant to see.