Lacy leaves

[grahamR]

I planted two courgettes (grown from seed) recently in my allotment. They're about three feet apart. One has taken off, doubled in size. The other is growing much more slowly, is still very small. The main problem with it is that the leaves resemble lace curtains - more small holes than leaf, almost stripped to the veins. There are no insects on either side of the leaves. My first thought was Flea beetle, but I've seen none. Any thoughts/ advice, please?
G.

[rustylady]

Slugs or snails.

[Two_Sheds]

or most likely, both

[grahamR]

Slugs or snails.

They were protected from those blighters. Actually, have seen surprisingly few of them this year.

[rustylady]

Protected? How?

[grahamR]

Protected? How?

Encircled with pellets. Don't like using chemicals but needs sometimes must. I had a tray of dahlias decimated a couple of weeks ago.

[rustylady]

Pellets don't always work. Even if they attract the slugs and snails they don't die instantly and often carry on to nibble your plants. I can't think of anything else that would strip your leaves so completely.

[grahamR]

I planted two courgettes (grown from seed) recently in my allotment. They're about three feet apart. One has taken off, doubled in size.
G.

The good one is now showing big patches of yelllowish discolouration. (Wonder if I could put up a picture?) GRRR.... And courgettes are always my most reliable crop.

[Two_Sheds]

If you use too many pellets (ie, more than one per 4 inches, as recommended on the pack) then they actually repel the slugs, which ignore them in favour of your plants.

So it really does work to be frugal with the pellets. One per four inches