I don't think it was slugs...

[MojoJojo]

So on Monday I planted out my Pak Choi - I don't have much space, so only six plants, but I thought I'd try this cardboard method I'd heard about on here as it sounded very practical.

I checked on them today -



The other 3 did a bit better



Bit surprised (ok, annoyed) by this - my spinach has been out for several weeks with nothing but a bit of slug damage.

What did this? My guess is it has to be cats, since we have a lot in our garden - our 2, the neighbours 2, the house's behind 1, and at least 4 others I don't see regularly enough to identify.

The plant damage could be birds - the second photo may not show that leaves have been stripped from the plants that weren't pulled out. But I can't imagine birds ripping up the cardboard like that. Wouldn't they have done the same to the spinach too? And I would have thought the cats were a deterrent.

My quick remedy - pushed the the pulled out plant that looks like it could recover back and covered everything with netting (just over the top, didn't have time to make a cage or anything) and reminded myself I have more seed than space anyway.

[lettucegrow!]

Something's been very busy! Sure it's not birds?

[Two_Sheds]

My instinct tells me blackbirds (they're after the worms under the cardboard): they did big holes like that in my soil, and our female has managed to destroy a rotten tree stump simply by scratching and scratching at it: strong feet, for their size

I would get some pop bottles over your remaining seedlings to protect them until they're more firmly anchored in the soil

[kathyd]

I agree TS, I've got old cola bottles over my tiny brassicas to protect them from .. well everything really.. I tend to lay fleece over the top of small things I'm not covering with bottles, mainly to keep the chickens off them until they're big enough to fight back. It's quick and easy, and helps protect them if there's an unexpected frost too.

[MojoJojo]

Thanks for the tip - the remaining plants are now under old cola bottles.

Pretty sure it was one of our cats now. When I was out earlier Charlie was chewing on the cardboard and pounced on one of the dead pak choi's. Think they are a tempting target sticking out of the hole like that are. Shouldn't have given her cardboard boxes to play with as a kitten.

I've put netting over everything, which I think will discourage her.