New plants destroyed

momvet 4/5/2015, 4:03 pm

I am not a new gardener but it has been a long time since I have planted crops other than tomatoes, which seem to do fine here until I have to pick the tomato worms. I finally put in my starts 2 days ago, and lo and behold, an entire pepper was eaten. One of my cukes has nibbles and most of my newly planted kale is in shreds. A live lettuce that I replanted is devastated. I am so frustrated. I sprayed everything with insectical soap but then read it hurt the bees. Last night I covered many of my plants with mason jars and they seem OK today. Is is OK to use the jars or will that make it too humid (fungus?) I only plan to cover them at night.

**sanderson** 4/5/2015, 10:02 pm

momvet wrote:I am not a new gardener but it has been a long time since I have planted crops other than tomatoes, which seem to do fine here until I have to pick the tomato worms. I finally put in my starts 2 days ago, and lo and behold, an entire pepper was eaten. One of my cukes has nibbles and most of my newly planted kale is in shreds. A live lettuce that I replanted is devastated. I am so frustrated. I sprayed everything with insectical soap but then read it hurt the bees. Last night I covered many of my plants with mason jars and they seem OK today. Is is OK to use the jars or will that make it too humid (fungus?) I only plan to cover them at night.

Have you gone out at night (official gear is bathrobe, flip flops and flashlight) to see what is crawling around? My bet for our area is sow bugs (roly poly) or slugs. Sluggo Plus works great on both, and is surprisingly safe around veggies and cats.

**kauairosina** 4/6/2015, 4:02 pm

Yeah, we just had two rows of beans devastated. And some of our starts. Flashlight time. Just need to remember dang it!

Triciasgarden 4/6/2015, 4:09 pm

That is so sad Momvet and Kauairosina!

Rahab222 4/7/2015, 2:32 am

Put used coffee grounds around all your new plants and seedlings. You can get all you want free from StarBucks. The caffeine in the grounds affect the nuero-transmitters of the slugs and snails so they won't cross the line of coffee grounds to get to the plants/seedlings. I saw this on YouTube. The guy put a line of coffee grounds alongside one row of plants (left) and none on the other side (right). He then dumped a slug in there and put the video in fast motion. The slug wanted to cross the line of coffee grounds, but never did. He just raced up and down the line of grounds trying to find a way around. It repelled him. The slug finally gave up and went for the row of seedlings where there were no grounds. Really interesting to watch. I've done this the past two year and haven't lost a seedling, etc. yet. It works! Hope this helps!

CapeCoddess 4/7/2015, 10:44 am

WOW, Rehab! That is great news!!!! I was picking slugs off my kale and throwing them into snow banks just this morning.

Thank you!
CC

**kauairosina** 4/7/2015, 3:36 pm

What a great idea! I'm going to put coffee grounds around my strawberry plants. Tiny slug-like thingees attack the berries. I'll let you know if it works.

Razed Bed 4/7/2015, 6:00 pm

oh how i hate to lose future yumminess to pests. if it is not slugs then maybe you can send the culprit away by spraying high chitin compost tea on your plants. you can buy from boogie brew or research how to make it yourself. i love brewing it from my own compost. the sound of the aerators provides great white noise to take an afternoon nap.

sorry once again for my dumb phone not allowing me to capitalize or punctuate.

has55 4/7/2015, 6:29 pm

Rahab222 wrote:Put used coffee grounds around all your new plants and seedlings. You can get all you want free from StarBucks. The caffeine in the grounds affect the nuero-transmitters of the slugs and snails so they won't cross the line of coffee grounds to get to the plants/seedlings. I saw this on YouTube. The guy put a line of coffee grounds alongside one row of plants (left) and none on the other side (right). He then dumped a slug in there and put the video in fast motion. The slug wanted to cross the line of coffee grounds, but never did. He just raced up and down the line of grounds trying to find a way around. It repelled him. The slug finally gave up and went for the row of seedlings where there were no grounds. Really interesting to watch. I've done this the past two year and haven't lost a seedling, etc. yet. It works! Hope this helps!

rahab222 do you have a link to that wonderful video mention in your post? Enqure has55 wants to know Smile

TinySpock 4/7/2015, 8:01 pm

I'd love to watch that video, also!

**sanderson** 4/8/2015, 12:53 am

Didn't One Yard Revolution do one on crushed egg shells and coffee?

has55 4/8/2015, 8:03 am

sanderson wrote:Didn't One Yard Revolution do one on crushed egg shells and coffee?

Yes he did. but more visual proof as described above is worth viewing, In his video, some of the snails cross over if I recalled. correctly. I have put coffee down in a friend SFG bed this year because ants got into his bed and for fertilizer. It ran the ants off.

Rahab222 4/9/2015, 12:18 am

Okay, gang. I couldn't find the exact video I was talking about using coffee grounds to repel slugs from seedlings and plants. However, I did find another one that basically shows how the grounds repel the slugs. Try this link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fw0whAdhOG0

You can go to YouTube and do a search for Coffee Grounds Repel Slugs and you will find LOTS of videos showing/discussing the same thing.

I hope this helps! All I know is it works for me.

plantoid 3/29/2016, 8:42 pm

Last time I went to Starbucks or possibly a Costa place here in South Wales UK ( Most likely the final time methinks ) for a cup of disgusting tasting very much over priced sludge & a stale bun , I noticed that someone had put half a dozen taped up pound an a half or so sized bags of , " Used coffee grounds " out by the self service counter in a wicker basket with a handwritten notice declaring .........

" Fantastic garden & plant pot compost material "
Only £ 3.50 each "

That's about $5 .00 USD , you guys over the pond get them for free.

landarch 3/30/2016, 11:15 am

I would guess rabbit when it comes to eaten plants...rabbits tend to eat the tops of our pepper plants...if you're patient they may come back stronger than ever after being topped off.

I have used coffee grounds around eggplants to keep away damaging flea beetles.

cpl100 3/30/2016, 5:13 pm

Are coffee grounds good to top dress garlic plants? Mine have sprouted and I'll head to Starbucks if necessary. (No coffee drinkers in this house!)

Thanks!

ralitaco 3/30/2016, 8:07 pm

Momvet, did you ever figure out what got your plants?

scruffyfeathers 3/30/2016, 9:15 pm

cpl100 wrote:Are coffee grounds good to top dress garlic plants?
Thanks!

Hey cpl100.

My monster garlic did very well when the bed had been treated to large quantities (fifty pounds per 100 sq. ft.) of coffee grounds added directly to the soil with horse manure and compost toppings. Having said that, last season was my first year growing garlic so I can‘t say for sure how the coffee grounds contributed. What I can say is the combination of the three amendments worked exceptionally well.

**camprn** 3/31/2016, 12:20 pm

cpl100 wrote:Are coffee grounds good to top dress garlic plants?
Thanks!

Yes, but you would be better off giving it a greater boost of nitrogen halfway through the growing season. That's what I do.

has55 3/31/2016, 1:09 pm

camprn wrote:
cpl100 wrote:Are coffee grounds good to top dress garlic plants?
Thanks!
Yes, but you would be better off giving it a greater boost of nitrogen halfway through the growing season. That's what I do.

campers, how much coffee are you adding in inches for the boost? I will need to do this for the onion, since they are heavy nitrogen feeders.

**camprn** 3/31/2016, 1:11 pm

has55 wrote:
camprn wrote:
cpl100 wrote:Are coffee grounds good to top dress garlic plants?
Thanks!
Yes, but you would be better off giving it a greater boost of nitrogen halfway through the growing season. That's what I do.
campers, how much coffee are you adding in inches for the boost? I will need to do this for the onion, since they are heavy nitrogen feeders.

I use dried blood sprinkled LIGHTLY to give a boost to all leafy greens, not coffee grounds. The coffee grounds go into the compost pile.

cpl100 3/31/2016, 1:14 pm

camprn wrote:
has55 wrote:
camprn wrote:
cpl100 wrote:Are coffee grounds good to top dress garlic plants?
Thanks!
Yes, but you would be better off giving it a greater boost of nitrogen halfway through the growing season. That's what I do.
campers, how much coffee are you adding in inches for the boost? I will need to do this for the onion, since they are heavy nitrogen feeders.
I use dried blood sprinkled LIGHTLY to give a boost to all leafy greens, not coffee grounds. The coffee grounds go into the compost pile.

Uhm....dried blood? Come again?

**camprn** 3/31/2016, 3:05 pm

cpl100 wrote:
camprn wrote:
has55 wrote:
camprn wrote:
cpl100 wrote:Are coffee grounds good to top dress garlic plants?
Thanks!
Yes, but you would be better off giving it a greater boost of nitrogen halfway through the growing season. That's what I do.
campers, how much coffee are you adding in inches for the boost? I will need to do this for the onion, since they are heavy nitrogen feeders.
I use dried blood sprinkled LIGHTLY to give a boost to all leafy greens, not coffee grounds. The coffee grounds go into the compost pile.
Uhm....dried blood? Come again?

Yup, dried blood. Just for a bit of a boost. My homemade compost is a bit light on nitrogen, and topdressing doesn't really do much for my garlic.

http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/blood-meal-fertilizer.htm

http://www.planetnatural.com/product/blood-meal-50-lb/

http://www.masternursery.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/fertilizer_chart.jpg New plants destroyed <a href=

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cpl100 3/31/2016, 4:40 pm

So buy something called blood meal, correct? Thanks. Top dress with it?

**Scorpio Rising** 3/31/2016, 5:33 pm

Yes, blood meal; top dress, lightly rake in. It shouldn't come in direct contact with foliage if possible, but I never have had any problems when it did!

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