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Produce => Pests & Diseases => Topic started by: carloso on May 20, 2006, 01:30:34

Title: sweet corn
Post by: carloso on May 20, 2006, 01:30:34
Last yr i shared my sweet corn, Not with my neighbour so's to speak, well not of the human form any way but Mr Mouse/Rat enjoyed a fair few cobs,
My question is, not wanting to be greedy but maybe a way of preventing / limiting him to such a big share this yr lol

carl

ps 30ft high barbed wire and gun ships are going to far for me
Title: Re: sweet corn
Post by: saddad on May 20, 2006, 22:31:18
I get mice in my potato shed, I find the old fashioned mouse trap baited with peanut butter does the trick, got 30 of the little blighters this winter... if you have fluffy bunny syndrome and don't want to be drastic try some of the scent repellants...
::)
Title: Re: sweet corn
Post by: Merry Tiller on May 20, 2006, 23:37:23
Get some 2 litre plastic lemonade bottles & slit them up the side from the bottom right up through the neck then open them out enough to slip over the cobs, the stem of the cob fitting through the neck of the bottle.

Can't remember where this idea came from, it might even have been someone on here
Title: Re: sweet corn
Post by: saddad on May 21, 2006, 09:40:06
Now that is ingenious! Presumably the plastic is too smooth to stop them getting to the open end?
;D
Title: Re: sweet corn
Post by: Roy Bham UK on May 21, 2006, 09:52:51
Quote from: saddad on May 21, 2006, 09:40:06
Now that is ingenious! Presumably the plastic is too smooth to stop them getting to the open end?
;D

There is no open end, you just slit from top to bottom leaving the end in place, (I presume?) Great idea nevertheless 8)
Title: Re: sweet corn
Post by: Bambi.1 on May 22, 2006, 13:43:57
What a great idea,l have some growing for the first time  ;D so will be saving all of my bottles   8)
Title: Re: sweet corn
Post by: carloso on May 24, 2006, 17:19:15
good idea excellent

wow im going to have to drink some coke water orange cherryade........ lol
Title: Re: sweet corn
Post by: Merry Tiller on May 24, 2006, 22:18:39
I've just remembered, I think it was from a "Grow with Joe" programme
Title: Re: sweet corn
Post by: saddad on May 25, 2006, 21:06:38
Yes but do you need to cut the bottom off or are we assuming the corn is shorter than the bottle and they go on after the tassles have browned?
???
Title: Re: sweet corn
Post by: Roy Bham UK on May 25, 2006, 21:09:22
If you can grow the cobs bigger than a 2ltr bottle then I'd enter em in a competition ;D
Title: Re: sweet corn
Post by: kevs plot on June 04, 2006, 13:57:34
Just found a sweetcorn plant falling over, it was rotting at ground level and I found a small white caterpiller type of grub. Mainly white but darker at one end. About 3/8 inch long. Thats about 10mm for the younger ones.
Any idea if its likely to get worse and what I can do to prevent more toppling over?
Title: Re: sweet corn
Post by: sarahr on June 05, 2006, 22:13:49
Ooh now you're worrying me I found a fair few of those grub type of things when I was digging up yesterday - in the middle of the dock roots, along with loads of slugs. Does anyone know what they are? Are they going to damage my newly planted crops? I don't remember encountering them last year or the year before come to think of it.  :'(
Title: Re: sweet corn
Post by: saddad on June 06, 2006, 19:04:30
can't remember their real name but I think they are the larvae of Daddy Long Legs...

KILL!
>:(
Title: Re: sweet corn
Post by: Robert_Brenchley on June 06, 2006, 19:25:46
Leatherjackets.
Title: Re: sweet corn
Post by: sarahr on June 06, 2006, 20:12:01
My mother was down at the lottie today and talking to someone with a plot round the other side and they've got them as well. :'( Is it because this year was so wet or something? Is there anything that will bump them off other than the nematodes that you can't use until September?
Title: Re: sweet corn
Post by: grawrc on June 06, 2006, 21:41:34
I've found loads of these whitish caterpillars digging up my new plot especially around docks. They're not leatherjackets which are shorter, browner and less active. So what are they?