The Mystery Of The Missing Zucchinis
In my determination to grow more veg and flowers this year, I planted some courgettes, nasturtiums and sweet peas in little pots. I nurtured them on the windowsill in the back bedroom. They sprouted and grew to a manageable size. On Easter Monday I carefully planted the dozen little courgette plants out in the vegetable bed. I put the nasturtiums and sweet peas around a pyramid framework for them to climb up. I checked them just before we went away, and they were fine. I went out to take photos of their progress on our return from Norfolk.
The courgettes have completely disappeared!
The row of earth where they were is just earth now. Not one left. I have no idea where they have gone. Jim-next-door says some of his flowers appear to have been disturbed. He suspects foxes. Do foxes eat courgettes? I am trying not to be too disappointed. But I really do wonder if I will ever get the hang of this gardening lark.
I suspect it may have been slugs or snails.
ReplyDeleteCarolx
I agree with Carol. Slugs and snails seem most likely, particularly if the plants were small. We don't put ours out until they are bigger and less juicy and tender to the slimy critters and once all risk of frost has passed - which makes it late May early June up here.
ReplyDeleteSlugs love burgeoning courgettes, I'm afraid. Plant some more but only when they are a bit bigger, and surround them with broken eggshells or something called SlugGone, which is sheeps wool, and not harmful to birds (or courgettes). Apparently slugs won't crawl over it. It is possible that the courgettes might still regrow from the roots, so do protect them, NOW!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Carol....they can easily gobble-up entire plants at night...especially the tender ones.
ReplyDeleteSLUGS - they ravaged my courgette plants and then the courgettes that I had rescued from them.
ReplyDeleteA little bit early to plant out courgette plants. We're still having overnight frosts in Suffolk.
ReplyDeleteAs others have said, probably slugs and snails. Or, if you have rabbits in your area, they might have eaten them. Also, sometimes, birds like to eat young plants. Good luck with the next batch of plants!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely the evil little blighters known as SLUGS!!! The swines decimated many of my plants and tiny seedlings last year!!
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear your efforts have been thwarted. I once lost a lot of little lettuce plants. I assumed it was slugs but discovered the true culprits to be pigeons!! Good luck with the next batch.
ReplyDelete