Something is eating my spuds!!!

[Mikey]

I haven't long planted my spuds, and they are up 10 inches, they were looking great about a week ago, but now a few have almost been stripped completely of all their leaf. Its my first year on this site, so do not know of any specific local pests yet, but can anyone offer any advise as to what seems to be doing this. I have had a quick scan around but no one else seems to be suffereing

I will try and post a picture later to show you, darn things are looking very sorry for themselves.

[GeorgieP]

We had slugs eating ours. Went out one wet day and saw the buggers crawling all over the leaves having a munch. No idea what else it could be.

[Demeter]

I thought slugs too. They've been on mine!

[Mikey]

There is no need to post a picture, about 15 minutes ago, me my crocs and a pair of scissors could be found laughing heartedly like some evil arch enemy hatching a plan, among my spuds.

Thankfully it had been raining for a while and each plant had at least 8 slugs climbing all over it.

hahaha....war has started.

[Demeter]

You painted a picture with words instead!

My neighbours are probably calling the men in white coats, as I've taken to crouching in my garden after dark and periodically shouting "Aha"" and "Gotcha!" and the occasional "You cheeky %^&*$!£" when I find one doing something particularly evil like hiding at the top of a tomato cane...

[Mikey]

You painted a picture with words instead!

My neighbours are probably calling the men in white coats, as I've taken to crouching in my garden after dark and periodically shouting "Aha"" and "Gotcha!" and the occasional "You cheeky %^&*$!£" when I find one doing something particularly evil like hiding at the top of a tomato cane...

I know just how you feel, at first glance they appear free and then you turn over a leaf and they are infested. Found this site very useful, know my enemy, I was unaware there were over thirty varieties of slugs in this country and we are the slug capital of the world.

You learn something new every day.

[Demeter]

I was planning to go to bed but I ended up reading that webpage, fascinating stuff! I learned too that centipedes eat slugs - loads of them on the farm plot, and I will smile in future whenever I see one.

[Norm]

My spuds are growing in sawn in half plastic water butts. The slugs will not cross the sharp edges, so my spuds are safe.

[Snadger]

Well you live and learn! I always thought that the two main solanums, tatties and toms, had poisonous leaves!

[Flummery]

Well you live and learn! I always thought that the two main solanums, tatties and toms, had poisonous leaves!

Only to peoples, apparently!

[amandaandherveg]

When my OH's kids were down at the weekend we took and old plant pot and went Snail Hunting. We filled it with ones we found around 2 squash plants and around my mange tout. We counted 100! It wasn't even wet, it was a roasting sunny morning.

[Snadger]

Only to peoples, apparently!

And greenfly?

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[Mikey]

Just come back from my second foray, we're down to a couple of slugs per plant which is good. I appreciate that it has been quite a dry day today so there would naturally be fewer, but I think they must be regrouping and discussing future tactics and how to avoid the chop!!, perhaps a different tack is called for tomorrow a dawn blitz may shake them out of their comfort zone.