Headless Beans

[MyLifeWithAndrew]

So………..
I was outside transplanting my baby tomatoes into bigger pots.

Aren’t they cute?

And suddenly I realized that my "cucumbers" [disclaimer:got my vegs mixed up....these are cucumbers, not beans. Sorry.] are under attack.

Yesterday, I thought it was some strange event – as only one was cut.
Today, quite a few more are missing their tops.

They should look like this:

Is this vermin or bird?
It is doubtful my chickens would be eating them, as they stay out of this area.
Also, I have them up high while waiting for them to get big enough to transplant into the ground.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Slugs? Snails? Sparrows? Certainly some form of pest.

Colin

[veggiechicken]

Slugs or snails, I guess. I have quite a few stalks with slimy bits on

[donnakebab]

Look for a slime trail and you have your culprit. Might need to shine a torch over top of pots (slime trails don't always show until a certain angle of light is shining on them) then lift the pot to look under them, well look underneath anywhere really.

When I find a slug or snail where I don't want them to be I put them on the bird table about 5' 6" off the ground. Sometimes birds eat them but most of the time they slither away and hide on the underside of table.

Well that's what I do when family are watching me. Otherwise I just slice and stamp. A bit like the bend and snap in 'Legally Blonde'.

[MyLifeWithAndrew]

ok...I had a feel around.
No slime, ‘cept for the tops ...think it is the plant(s) trying to heal itself (?), if such a thing occurs.
Had not noted slugs in this raised table scenario, but after lifting all of the post, there was one very fat one.
Will keep a watch....and guess it is time to add eggshells to the area.
We do have two sparrow nests located above the area, but I have not seen any about yet.
Will these recover?
And thank you for responding.

ah....good idea re: torch...ty donna...
I threw it back into the yard (ok...the wooden chip area)
One day I will gather them all up and eat em.
yum.

[rustylady]

I must say I think you're potting your plants on too early. Also cucumbers and tomatoes should still be under cover at this time of the year given the rotten weather we've been having.

[Two_Sheds]

I was outside transplanting my baby tomatoes into bigger pots ...

I don't pot mine on until the roots are showing out the bottom ~ you don't want little tiny seedlings drowning in a big ole pot of wet compost

[MyLifeWithAndrew]

I must say I think you're potting your plants on too early. Also cucumbers and tomatoes should still be under cover at this time of the year given the rotten weather we've been having.

I am positive you are right.
I only took them outside where the dirt is, but now the tomatoes are upstairs near the water heater.
OH insisted cucumbers are ok outside...not worth arguing about with him.
I do watch the forecast, though.

I don't pot mine on until the roots are showing out the bottom ~ you don't want little tiny seedlings drowning in a big ole pot of wet compost

The tomatoes were in propagators, roots coming through the bottom and not getting enough water.
Will keep an eye on them.

[Two_Sheds]

OH insisted cucumbers are ok outside...

You can sow seeds directly into compost in late May/early June, or start them off indoors from late April, for planting out in early June. How To Grow Cucumbers & Gherkins - Channel4 - 4Homes

Plant outdoor cucumbers in early summer BBC - Gardening - Gardening Guides - Techniques - Growing cucumbers

sow directly outside in late May or early June Grow your own cucumbers / RHS Gardening

Cucumbers are not frost hardy, and don't even like it cool, so delay planting out until the warmer weather arrives. This is an important point in how to grow cucumbers, plant out too early and there is a real risk of damaging the plant. How to grow cucumbers

Cucumbers are a warm-weather crop and ... are susceptible to chilling injury. Wait for the soil temperature to reach 65° before planting Growing Cucumbers - Vegetable Expert

[taff]

slugs and snails ate my newly planted out lettuce without leaving any trails....they are ninja creatures..well, until you step on them anyway, then they are sausages or eggshells

[MyLifeWithAndrew]

@Two Sheds.
I'll sneak them back inside today.

[Two_Sheds]

jjaljgalgllieroshzglkfdshgisorhg

[Kaiya]

Just to contribute to the 'who ate the cucumbers' saga, I found two pots with the same headless cukes in them today, in a set of pots on the fourth tier of a blowaway, door closed the whole week (so birds unlikely). One of the culprits left a telltale slime foot print...

[Kaiya]

An update, because it's starting to become a farce...

So, I sowed cucumber gherkin and cucumber cyrstal lemon in pots. 3 pots of each, 2 seeds in each pot. Slugs came and ate the heads off my crystal lemons as described previously. So I sowed two more pots.

Came to planting out, and I found slugs had beheaded all three pots worth of crystal lemon. Gherkin, all left alone! So, I sadly planted out only the gherkins.

Visiting the plot yesterday and I appear to have one single gherkin plant left - same suspicious munched heads.

Apparently I'm not supposed to grow cucumbers this year!

[lottie dolly]

I realized yesterday that when iv'e found plants decapitated,snails are around,not slugs for a change,and some are very large things,that go crunch under the boots,