Topic: eaten swede seedlings

[STHLMgreen]

I went to the allotment after our 4 or 5 days of rain and something (slugs? snails? something else?) had eaten all of my swede seedlings that were really healthy a few days before.  >:( Only two have their leaves left.

Will they grow if there is just stem and a tiny bit of leaf yet?

Is there anything I can do to keep the last two healthy? I put them under clothes because I couldn't bare to see them get eaten too. Bu I don't think they can stay under for long, or am I wrong?

Thanks for any help/advice. From reading on here I know it is common to have things eaten, but this is my first time  :(

[asbean]

STHLMgreen - I was just about to post a question on swede - and read this!  It's my first time of growing swede, I've grown them in the jiffy 7s, and am planning on planting them out - but they are brassicas, which pigeons love (though they've ignored my cima di rapa) and I was wondering what swedes' predators are  ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ???  Help, anyone?

[telboy]

Were the leaves riddled with holes?
If so - flea beetle. With the wet weather, this is a slim guess.
Sky rats will devour any greenery.

[STHLMgreen]

Well, I've never seen a pigeon anywhere near our site so that canät be it in my case.

No holes, just no leaves at all left! Maybe a tiny sliver just next to the stem.
The two left were untouched. Odd something was very hungry and left two.

Any other ideas? How do slugs eat things, do they make holes too?

Resa

[STEVEPARTRIDGE]

Hi STHLMgreen, it isn't just Pigeons that can do this sort of damage, both Sparrows and Blackbirds will eat the seedlings of some plants, it could also be as you mentioned before Slugs or Snails, unfortunatelt the best thing you can do is always protect with netting and use some sort of Slug and Snail protection, if you are Organic then Beer Traps or Organic Slug Pellets, if not then use normal Slug Pellets underneath the netting so that the Birds cannot eat them, your seedlings may recover but I think that it is unlikely, the shock of what has happened to them will seriously knock them back, regards Steve.

http://www.myallotments.com

[STHLMgreen]

thanks steve. that was helpful.

and since the swede seedlings were only in a couple weeks, do i still need to count this in my crop rotation??

(this is my first year and theres a lot to figure out!)

thanks!!

[saddad]

Unless you try again under fleece no... I sowed some swede under fleece at the end of August last year and got a useable crop over winter..
 ???