Hi,
Something has defoliated all my marigolds. In the past I noticed a few nibbles and thought nothing of it. Then the other day I see one marigold plant defoliated but I ignored it. Today while watering I noticed all were defoliated (3 plants). But the flowers are still alright and new buds are coming out. I am just puzzled at what could do such a thing.
I guess it is not too heartbreaking because these marigolds are coming to the end of their lives soon. I will be putting new ones in Spring time.
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PunkRotten
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uugh, earwig stripped my kale starters down to the stems !! They even climbed up my snow pea tripods. Oddly they didn't eat the peas 
You can tell by the small chomping marks. no sign during the day- as they come out at night to feast. Appears the young earwigs are eating , while mother is still nursing more in a near by nest.
T
You can tell by the small chomping marks. no sign during the day- as they come out at night to feast. Appears the young earwigs are eating , while mother is still nursing more in a near by nest.
T
yeah, they hit my potatoes last year.
Best advice is to set out a folded up wet newspaper at night, and dispose of in the morning. It'll be filled with them. That and a small bowl of veg oil. They'll jump in and drown.
After performing these steps, it greatly reduced them. But now, they're back so I'm being proactive and trying to lower their populations before the spring starters go in the ground.
Best advice is to set out a folded up wet newspaper at night, and dispose of in the morning. It'll be filled with them. That and a small bowl of veg oil. They'll jump in and drown.
After performing these steps, it greatly reduced them. But now, they're back so I'm being proactive and trying to lower their populations before the spring starters go in the ground.
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PunkRotten
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I'd love to reduce their numbers but not completely wipe them out. I hear they are beneficial too cause they feed on some bad bugs and their eggs. The ones I get are really a nuisance. Last year they attacked my pepper seedlings. After some time they went away. Now they are starting to become active again. I planted some Dill and radishes last month and they ate all the seedlings. I ahve been finding them hiding out/nesting in my lettuce too.
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lorax
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I misread the title of this thread and thought it was "Who Likes To Eat Marigolds?" (I do, I do). Seeing as it's actually "What" I'm going to go with slugs and earwigs; they're about the only two critters set up for that kind of bitter bitter leaves.
Cardboard trapping for earwigs will get most but not all of them, leaving a sufficient population for pest-control of other, more damaging, insects.
Cardboard trapping for earwigs will get most but not all of them, leaving a sufficient population for pest-control of other, more damaging, insects.
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TheRipeTomato
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Glad I have my greens( mesclun, cilantro, ), and roots ( daikon, carrots) under row covers because of this. This time of year are when they chow down LOLPunkRotten wrote: Last year they attacked my pepper seedlings. After some time they went away. Now they are starting to become active again. I planted some Dill and radishes last month and they ate all the seedlings. I ahve been finding them hiding out/nesting in my lettuce too.
They went away in summer right?
I had a leisurely war with some earwigs today, any moisture holding object on the soil surface (cinder blocks, cardboard, pots, plastic) will have earwigs trying to colonize
I literally repotted some thyme to rid of them, from under and within the pot. And , yes the critters eat much of the foliage. Gee, couldn't they work in the compost bin instead?
T