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Something is eating my Basil
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Posted by magan Z4, S-W Ontario (My Page) on Mon, May 30, 05 at 22:55
| This was hapenning in my previous garden. I would bring home plants of Basil, plant them and in few days they would be gone...eaten all the way to the ground. I could never grow Basil there. I even spread the egg shels around...still the same. Basil was gone.
I moved (not because of Basil). Last week I bought Basil plants and planted them. In the morning I found that one small group of them is gone. Last night I went out with flash light at midnight and then again at 5 a.m. to see if there is anything there. Nothing.
What could it be? What can I do? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Something is eating my Basil
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| I'd like to hear someone's reason for this too. |
RE: Something is eating my Basil
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| Snails love my basil plants. I'll have to try some beer traps. I bet bunnies would love basil too! |
RE: Something is eating my Basil
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- Posted by magan Z4, S-W Ontario (My Page) on
Fri, Jun 3, 05 at 3:13
| No bunnies here (only cats). I am patrolling my basil (night and day) but cannot see any slugs. I read somewhere that circle of coffee grinds around each plant could help to keep slugs away. It is after 3 a.m. and I am still wired after drinking all that coffee. Coffee grind rings are there and I am waiting to see if it works. I let you know if there is any more damage. |
RE: Something is eating my Basil
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| At my place it would be sheep. We keep fixing the fencens and they keep finding new ways out. Your problem may be cutworms. They work at night. Try placing a collar around your plants. It should extend and inch into the ground and a couple of inches above and completely circle the plant. A ring of cardboard will do it. |
RE: Something is eating my Basil
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| I thought cutworms just cut the plant off at ground-level. It appears that magan's culprits EAT the plants down to the ground. My suggestion: plant basil in clay pots on your patio like I do. End of problem! lol |
RE: Something is eating my Basil
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- Posted by magan Z4, S-W Ontario (My Page) on
Wed, Jun 22, 05 at 3:05
| Just update on my Basil. When checking at night, I have seen a few flat gray oval bugs crowling over coffee grinds. I have seen those bugs before close to cement wall. Don't know their name. However, I gave up, dig out my basil and moved it elsewhere. It was fine for about week till these basil eating creatures arrived. I quess they were relocating too, but their leggs were shorter. I am really fed up. I LOVE basil and can never grow it. This weekend I will follow previous posters suggestion and move them into pot by my door. Hope it works. Thanks for your advice. |
RE: Something is eating my Basil
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| Flat oval bugs near cement walls sound like sow bugs. I've never seen them eat anything. We used to call them "basement bugs" when I was small! I would bet your problem IS cutworms. Try this - wrap the stem of your basil plant with a piece of aluminum foil, about 3 inches up the stem. We do this to all our vegetable garden transplants: tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, etc. I hate cutworms! When I find one, it gives me great pleasure to deposit it on a lily pad in our small pond - the frogs gulp them down very satisfactorily! |
RE: Something is eating my Basil
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| I found out this past summer that japanese beetles love basil. Dang those things! |
RE: Something is eating my Basil
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- Posted by Jroot 5A Ont. Canada (My Page) on
Fri, Dec 23, 05 at 9:19
| Right about now, I'd be eating your fresh basil. Oh, how I miss the plantings on the deck off the kitchen. Have a great Christmas holiday, and try not to dream of your favourite dish of wilted fresh basil mixed with baby spinach, crisp bacon, and 18% cream. Hmmmmm. I can hardly wait.
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