We had a decent amount of sunshine on Tuesday but it didn’t do a great deal for the temperature which managed 17.4°C (63.3°F).
We sowed our carrot seeds on 21 April and by the middle of May germination had been good and our seedlings were doing well.
Rather dangerously we thought that everything was fine but then a few days ago we noticed that all our lovely carrot seedlings had disappeared between visits.
Nothing remained apart from a couple of seedlings and even these had been nibbled showing the tell-tale damaged caused by slugs. There was no other option but to re-sow another batch of carrots.
This time the ground has been treated with Nemaslug in an attempt to control this pest.
Slug nematodes are microscopic transparent worms which feed and multiply inside the slug, not visible with a hand lens. Just dilute with water and water on.
An infected slug stops feeding within 3 to 5 days and then displays a typical swelling of the mantle. The nematodes multiply inside the slug and when it starts to decompose, a new generation of nematodes emerges.
http://www.gardening-naturally.com/
I’m hoping that by the time our new seedlings emerge the nematodes will be doing their job and reducing the slug population.
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I've had this problem in the past too. This year I actually have some seedlings. Shhh...
ReplyDeleteI don't think I can remember all our seedlings eaten by slugs before. Last year we lost some but not to the same extent. Hope yours manage to survive.
DeleteThe very next day several of them had been eaten. Sigh. I don't know if it's slugs or snails, I have a very healthy snail population here.
DeleteIt looks like similar problem with snails here! I hope the method works! ;)
ReplyDeleteWe have problems with snails too. I'm not sure that my treatment with nematodes will kill snails. I'll probably find out soon!
DeleteWhat a shame. Pigeons could have helped the slugs and snails. I've netted or meshed everything with leaves (not just brassicas) this year because there are so many pigeons and magpies and they are stripping everything.
ReplyDeleteI should have mentioned that our carrots were completely covered by environmesh as protection against carrot root fly. So in this particular case I can't put any blame on the woodpigeons.
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