Woodlice

[Bugeyes]

Commercial organic growers sometimes have HUGE problems with woodlice - they are capable of chewing large holes in leaves (especially cucumber) and when plants are small they can chew through the stems. Growers try all sorts of things such as leaving wood around and then blasting the woodlice that accumulate underneath during the day with a flamethrower! The best way I have seen so far is to introduce an indigenous spider of the Dysdera species early on and watch them sort out the problem. One grower wanted to introduce hedgehogs but failed to find a supplier! Best advice as before - hygiene

[Palustris]

The problems are caused by the fact that there is nothing else for the woodlice to eat. But you are absolutely right, the answer is hygiene. No places to hide and they have to go elsewhere!
Talcum powder is supposed to stop them, but never tried it!

[pickledtink]

They are welcome in my compost heap. However as I do not garden on the flat and have erratic Sun plus I have to hang off a rope tied above to reach some bits I can't exercise good hygiene.
For those of us gardening under less than ideal conditions it's an absolute gutwrencher when woodlice destroy male flowers before they have a chance to pollinate females then all your fruit shrivel and get eaten as well.
From personal and very bitter experience they do not only invade where another has made a breach. They do actually chomp into things themselves. I've been battling this close up for years. * Hurls very smelly compost covered glove to floor*

[pickledtink]

The problems are caused by the fact that there is nothing else for the woodlice to eat. But you are absolutely right, the answer is hygiene. No places to hide and they have to go elsewhere!
Talcum powder is supposed to stop them, but never tried it!

Thanks. I will try anything. Having raided the bathroom the only talc I have is Edwardian Lady by Floris ( perfumiers to HRH).
These woodlice will be going out in style.....

[bramble]

Can i really say a sincere thanks to all who went to the trouble to give me some useful advice as this is a really big problem to me this year. Don't know which of the advisers said it but perhaps the woodlice are not the main culprit. There are a hugh ammount of young slugs (little black ones) and snails on the plants. Never had this before. Perhaps the woodlice are just taking advantage of the holes the slugs are making and jumping on the bandwagon so to speak. In any event, i am being plagued. Am picking the toms as soon as they start to turn and then leaving them in the greenhouse where they are ripening.

[Snadger]

Thanks. I will try anything. Having raided the bathroom the only talc I have is Edwardian Lady by Floris ( perfumiers to HRH).
These woodlice will be going out in style.....

Might not stop them, but you will certainly see where they have been! Lol

[bramble]

Hi Pickledtink, just been reading your post and wondering did you have any luck with the talc.

[martini]

Hi Bramble - I just did a google on woodlice as I've just found a load of adults and babies in the garden According to the site I was on they can damage seedlings, eat strawberries but mainly enlarge damage already done by slugs and snails. The site says you can use Doff Woodlice Killer or Ant Stop Powder but you can't use these near plants. The only other way to keep them down is to clear all rubbish - I must admit I found mine under a pile of old wood - time for a clean up!

[bramble]

Hi Martini and thanks for that. As my toms will be coming to an end soon am going to make sure everything is cleared so the little b's have no place to hide. Good luck to you too.