I have radishes and sunflowers growing together. The sunflowers are about 6" tall. Something is devouring the radish root where it grows above the soil, and also something is devouring the sunflower leaves. I've not seen any insect pests. The weather has been wet and cool. My first guess is slugs, since we have plenty of them here, and the weather is wet and cool. Will slugs eat sunflower leaves?
And a romp through google land has not given me any clear ideas about how to control slugs. copper...chemicals...egg shells...garlic.... Anyone here have some practical experience - something that works - that they would care to share?
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Pat Kiewicz
Clean channels and shallow pits on the surface? That could be slugs. Small holes heading right into the middle of the root would be root maggots.
It might be slugs. It could also be earwigs.
A night-time scouting expedition is in order.
...copper barriers can work as long as you are certain the slugs are all on the other side of it...
The iron phosphate based slug baits ("Sluggo" is a brand name) work and are safe around animales. I can personally vouch for this one.
Pretty useless, IME.
Traps: empty in the morning and destroy the slugs by whatever method you choose (I've heard chickens and ducks will snap them up)
Hand-picking at night (tedious but can be effective)
Here's the UC Davis IPM page on slugs and snails:
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There was a slug and snail FAQ out there somewhere, which used to be posted to this group at intervals, but the last link I have for it is now 404.
I was able to find these posts for the -2 November 1996- version via Google Groups:
Part 1:
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Part 2:
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grimm
My first guess would be slugs but I've also had problems with mice in my poly-tunnel, although they can't reach your sunflower leaves... Check for nibble marks :)
Also check for little black eggs under and at the base of the leaves, could be caterpillars.
Slug pellets? You can buy them in every gardening shop in the country. If you've got kids and dogs around, try and get the non-toxic ones though as they look like little blue sprinkles :D. They're pricey enough but they do the job.
G.
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Andrew Ostrander
Sunflower beetles are a major pest on my sunflowers. They are striped beetles that resemble potato bugs, and they eat the leaves. (Google them for more info.)
Andrew
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agentelrond
hum will have to try that thanx
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Billy
You may want to get the water bottles from your neighbor;-)
New York Times Canada Bans Plastic Bottles Tied to Health Concerns
By IAN AUSTEN Published: April 18, 2008
OTTAWA ? The Canadian government moved Friday to ban polycarbonate infant bottles as it officially declared one of their chemical ingredients toxic. Skip to next paragraph David McNew/Getty Images
Nalgene brand water bottles had used bisphenol-a, which some studies in animals linked to hormonal changes.
The move by the departments of health and environment is the first action taken by any government against bisphenol-a, or B.P.A., a chemical that mimics a human hormone and that has induced long-term changes in animals exposed to it through tests.
³We¹re not waiting to take action to protect our people and our environment from the long-term effects of bisphenol-a,² the environment minister, John Baird, told a news conference.
The most immediate impact of the toxic designation will be a ban on the importation and sale of baby bottles made with clear, hard polycarbonate. That move will not take effect until the end of a 60-day discussion period, however.
The health minister, Tony Clement, told reporters that after reviewing
150 research papers on B.P.A. and conducting its own studies, his department concluded that the chemical posed the most risk for newborns and children up to the age of 18 months. The minister said that animal studies suggest ³there will be behavioral and neural symptoms later in life.²
Not only are potentially unsafe exposure levels to B.P.A. lower for children than adults, Mr. Clement said that cleaning infant bottles with boiling causes the release of the chemical into their contents.
He suggested that the government had planned to also ban the use of epoxies made with B.P.A. and sprayed into most infant formula cans as a lining. But, he added that no practical alternative is currently available.
Both ministers, however, insisted that current research showed that adults who use food and beverage containers made with B.P.A. related plastics were not at risk.
³For the average Canadian consuming things in those products, there is no risk today,² Mr. Clement said.
The government will, however, begin monitoring the B.P.A. exposure of
5,000 people between now and 2009. If research indicates a danger to adults, the government will take additional action, the officials said.
In addition to its concerns about infants and young children, the government said that its B.P.A. review found that even low levels of the chemical can harm fish and other aquatic life forms over time.
If the baby bottle ban takes effect on June 19, an event that can only be derailed by significant new evidence, it may have little practical effect.
Reports earlier this week indicating that the government would declare B.P.A. toxic prompted a rush by most of Canada¹s major retailers to remove food-related B.P.A. products from their stores. The company¹s largest druggist, Shoppers Drug Mart, took the step on Friday at its
1,080 stores shortly before the announcement.
Nalgene, the company that turned polycarbonate bottles from a piece of lab equipment into a popular drink container, has also decided to drop the plastic and use others plastics that do not contain B.P.A.
In Washington on Friday, Senator Charles E. Schumer, a Democrat from New York, said in a statement that he intended to introduce a bill that would create a widespread ban on B.P.A.-related plastics. It would prohibit their use in all children¹s products as well as any product use to carry food or beverages for adults. More Articles in Business »
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grimm
:o
Oh noes! I think I can feel the 'hormonal changes' already. :D
Oh I forgot to mention make sure you puncture some holes (2 or 3) in two sides of the bottle, this will allow a wee bit of fresh air to flow through.
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Billy
That wee bit of air will keep your plants from frying in the heat, which is what happened to my peanuts yesterday. I had been very careful not to leave a plastic lid over the plants slightly raised, but in moving some small potted plants, including the peanuts, I forgot to check the lid. Hope I have a few seeds left, otherwise it's wait till next year. Dang :o(
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grimm
heheh :)
agreed, which reminds me, beter go do some watering :o
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