losing seedlings every day

landarch 4/4/2017, 10:34 pm

potted up some pepper seedlings a few days ago...had great germination (100%) but started losing seelings almost on a daily basis...some missing tops on otherwise healthy plants...lost way over half then ordered more seeds.

Lost two more today...and the tops are flat out missing...starting to think I have a critter in the basement near my grow lights? Would a mouse eat pepper plant tops? Only thing left from really nice seedling starts are about 1" of main stem. Could there be cutworms in the soil mix? Wouldn't cut worms cut right at soil level?
losing seedlings every day Top10

BeetlesPerSqFt 4/4/2017, 11:29 pm

Good photo - envelope for contrast and scale gets a thumbs up from me.

The internet says yes, mice eat pepper tops - I've had voles ('meadow mice') chomp through bean plants at about that height. I've seen cutworms leave a short stump - but shorter than what you show.

**sanderson** 4/5/2017, 3:41 am

Landarch, losing nice pepper seedlings is terrible. I hope you find the culprit so you can stop it. I would have said slugs but maybe sowbugs. I sprinkle a bit of Sluggo Plus around newly planted seedlings to give them a fighting chance.

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losing seedlings every day

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