Menopause Matters Forum

General Discussion => This 'n' That => Topic started by: purplenanny on July 19, 2014, 02:59:34 PM

Title: Help..What's eating my flowers!
Post by: purplenanny on July 19, 2014, 02:59:34 PM
I have grown sweet peas from seeds and they are just coming into flower
 But, each morning when I check them I am finding long stems with the buds nipped off and gone. Like someone has cut them with scissors.
Very frustrating. Does anyone know what this can be please? >:( (http://>:()
Title: Re: Help..What's eating my flowers!
Post by: Joyce on July 19, 2014, 03:05:29 PM
First thing which springs to mind is rabbits. They took interest in one of my plants this year. New buds & they nibbled every one of them.
Title: Re: Help..What's eating my flowers!
Post by: purplenanny on July 19, 2014, 03:12:27 PM
They would need a ladder! Plants are about 5ft tall...sorry, I  should have said.
I have one lot against a fence and another lot in a large pot with a wigwam type structure.  Same happening in both. No lower damage just the buds gone
Thank you x x
Title: Re: Help..What's eating my flowers!
Post by: Dyan on July 19, 2014, 03:20:12 PM
Sorry to hear that PN.
I love sweet peas.
Wonder what it could be? :-\
Title: Re: Help..What's eating my flowers!
Post by: CLKD on July 19, 2014, 03:37:26 PM
Neighbours? 
Title: Re: Help..What's eating my flowers!
Post by: littleminnie on July 19, 2014, 03:45:11 PM
Birds?
Title: Re: Help..What's eating my flowers!
Post by: CLKD on July 19, 2014, 03:46:32 PM
Have they snapped off in the wind?
Title: Re: Help..What's eating my flowers!
Post by: Rowan on July 19, 2014, 03:56:59 PM
I recon its those sweet pea fairies
(http://www.fairiesworld.com/weblog/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/Sweetpea-fairyNewSmall.jpg)

They visit my sweet peas often.
Title: Re: Help..What's eating my flowers!
Post by: CLKD on July 19, 2014, 04:15:03 PM
 :-*  ………
Title: Re: Help..What's eating my flowers!
Post by: Joyce on July 19, 2014, 05:05:08 PM
Maybe they're very springy rabbits. :) So annoying when you look forward to plants flowering & they get nibbled. My mum grew them, I used to get job of tucking stragglers into net. It's a mystery.
Title: Re: Help..What's eating my flowers!
Post by: Taz2 on July 19, 2014, 05:45:46 PM
earwigs?

Taz x
Title: Re: Help..What's eating my flowers!
Post by: purplenanny on July 19, 2014, 06:50:12 PM
Well ladies. . I may be disappointed with my flowers disappearing. ..., but you have all put a smile on my face and made me chuckle!
Loving the idea of flower fairies, I used to collect everything flower fairies in my teenage years
And the thought of a jumping rabbit or very naughty neighbours! Very long arms required.
I am going with maybe earwigs and will go out tonight with a torch. ..will let you know!
PN x x
Title: Re: Help..What's eating my flowers!
Post by: oldsheep on July 20, 2014, 03:22:36 PM
slugs. They love sweet peas. Hope you get them and do dark deeds to them  ;D
Title: Re: Help..What's eating my flowers!
Post by: CLKD on July 20, 2014, 03:23:41 PM
I'll hold the slugs, you hit 'em ………. we have a trail camera to see what happens in our garden in the night  8)
Title: Re: Help..What's eating my flowers!
Post by: purplenanny on July 20, 2014, 03:52:41 PM
I am embarrased to confess that I am actually very cruel to slugs and snails. I won't tell you what I do but suffice to say it is not nice.
Did not get chance to go out searching last night but hopefully will tonight!
Someone else has suggested earwigs as the culprit
Bet you get some interesting happenings on your night camera CLKD?!
PN x x
Title: Re: Help..What's eating my flowers!
Post by: CLKD on July 20, 2014, 06:16:40 PM
Mice; hedgehogs; cats - one watches the camera, like he's posing …….  ;D ; early morning blackbirds ….. no foxes thankfully
Title: Re: Help..What's eating my flowers!
Post by: purplenanny on July 20, 2014, 06:38:20 PM
Oh how funny.  You are lucky to have a hedgehog. I am hoping I have one..got a 'calling card' on the patio, hubby thinks hedgehog ,so fingers crossed. I am out tonight to watch for earwigs so hoping to see him. Any idea what time they appear CLKD?
Title: Re: Help..What's eating my flowers!
Post by: CLKD on July 20, 2014, 06:42:52 PM
All day ………. they like to hide in dahlia flowers over-night.  GIve the plants a gentle shake into a bucket to see what falls out!

The hedgehog has a grunt at the other 'hog when it gets into the same part of the garden, they walk round each other for ages ……..
Title: Re: Help..What's eating my flowers!
Post by: purplenanny on July 21, 2014, 03:53:25 PM
Went out last night with the torch and said goodbye to 78 slugs and 11 snails.
Is it any wonder I have no flowers!!!!!  >:( (http://>:()
Sadly no hedgehog not even after leaving him such a huge tasty supper
Going out there again tonight but there cant be many left????
PN x x
Title: Re: Help..What's eating my flowers!
Post by: oldsheep on July 21, 2014, 03:55:12 PM
Went out last night with the torch and said goodbye to 78 slugs and 11 snails.
Is it any wonder I have no flowers!!!!!  >:( (http://>:()
Sadly no hedgehog not even after leaving him such a huge tasty supper
Going out there again tonight but there cant be many left????
PN x x
HA. You could be down to your last 100  ;D
I put down some saucers of beer and caught 2 slugs that were the size of goldfish recently - one was a speckled monster. Revolting. Bet it ate my dahlia in about 10 mins  ::)
Title: Re: Help..What's eating my flowers!
Post by: purplenanny on July 21, 2014, 04:00:32 PM
Yes oldsheep, some of these were biggies, mostly medium size and a few littlies.
They seem to like the damp grass and appeared from under the hedges....it was like an invasion in the torchlight
We do have a huge garden so there are probably thousands of the devils!
x x
Title: Re: Help..What's eating my flowers!
Post by: CLKD on July 21, 2014, 04:41:41 PM
 ;D  ………. DH does un-speakable things to slugs ……….  :-X

The larger ones are quite special - apparently  ::)

No ear-wigs then?
Title: Re: Help..What's eating my flowers!
Post by: purplenanny on July 21, 2014, 05:00:51 PM

Oh i also do terrible things to them!!
No, not seen any earwigs, thank goodness, I've got enough to contend with at the moment!!
Title: Re: Help..What's eating my flowers!
Post by: Taz2 on July 21, 2014, 05:21:30 PM
Earwigs are special - they are one of the few insects who parent their young. The mother earwig stays underground with her eggs until they hatch and turns them regularly. She will be with them until they are old enough to fend for themselves. Amazing.

Taz x
Title: Re: Help..What's eating my flowers!
Post by: CLKD on July 21, 2014, 07:58:02 PM
 :thankyou:  ear-wigs can nip though  ;)
Title: Re: Help..What's eating my flowers!
Post by: purplenanny on July 26, 2014, 11:53:12 PM
Well done to the ladies who suggested earwigs as the culprits.  I was removing some of the leaves and found one! I put him down the end of the garden but he has probably found his way back by now!![url] >:(] (http://[/url)I put him down the end of the garden but he has probably found his way back by now!!http:// >:(
PN x x
Title: Re: Help..What's eating my flowers!
Post by: CLKD on July 27, 2014, 12:48:33 PM
Big boots required ……. lift leg high and  :-X  :D
Title: Re: Help..What's eating my flowers!
Post by: purplenanny on July 28, 2014, 10:36:04 PM
Fall over!!  ;D ;D (http://;D ;D)
Balance not too good these days!
PN x x
Title: Re: Help..What's eating my flowers!
Post by: CLKD on July 29, 2014, 10:08:34 AM
 ;D