carrot problems

[chilliking]

this is my first year growing carrots.

all of the ones i planted in pots have done really well however those that i put in the ground have not....

...the top of all of them looks to have been nibbled away about 1-2 cm down such that if i try and pull them the foliage breaks off. the nly way to salvage anything it to dig them out.

any idea what has caused this? i don't think it can be rabbiits as we are in a walled garden. would it be carrot fly (they were surrounded by onions) or slugs maybe?

[rustylady]

Carrot fly don't eat foliage, they lay eggs that turn into grubs which tunnel into the carrot below the surface. My guess would be slugs or snails.

[chilliking]

sorry, the foliage isn't damaged, just the top 1-2 cm of the carrot (the shoulders if you like) has been completely munched away.

[mrpaulbradley]

Could be a wee mouse? Not likely to be squirrel as I know from sorry experience that they can have the strength to nab the lot!