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Renfrewshire, Scotland

Aaargh, what's eating my seedlings?

I have some meconopsis seedlings outdoors just now, in a propagator. Today I noticed that some of them have been eaten and it appears that the damage starts as a small hole in the centre of the seedling and then is eaten into a much larger hole.

I have attached a few imaged. the vents are left open, but whatever is doing this is possibly small in any case, considering the size of the initial holes.




Answers

 

I would say that you have a tiny slug or snail hiding in the gravel. A very small caterpillar can be the problem especially as the hole is in the centre of the leaf and not the edge but I would say that it's a little late in the season.

17 Oct, 2018

 

I wondered about a caterpillar as it was in the centre but could not see how a moth would get through the vents to lay an egg.

I'll check tomorrow to see if there is any further damage.

17 Oct, 2018

 

There could well have been a slug egg in the compost. It happens.

17 Oct, 2018

 

I suppose that could have happened. I have pricked them into new compost and individual pot trays now and will keep an eye on them. Only problem now is keeping the slugs away with the covers off.

18 Oct, 2018

 

One of those occasions when pellets seem to be the only answer...

18 Oct, 2018

 

That was what I settled for and so for, have had no further problems.

25 Oct, 2018

 

Yup, sometimes you just have to harden your heart...

25 Oct, 2018

How do I say thanks?

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