skip to main content

Something keeps eating my plants! Please, someone help!

20 years ago

I need your help.

I live near Sydney, right on a national park. Periodically I get caterpillars, possums and wallabies. I think I get snails too, although I haven't been able to pinpoint damage done by them yet. I bought Dipel for the caterpillars, and it seemed to work well. I prefer non chemical fixes. A fence keeps the possums and other little fellas out.

Last night, which was the first really dry night after a longish wet spell, the plants on my balcony (ie not even in the garden!) were massacred by an unknown assailant. I checked them at 9pm and they were fine. By 7am this morning the damage was done - ie. it happened overnight.

Whatever ate them, it started from the top and worked its way down. I have noticed other plants in the garden being eaten overnight in this way too.

I made a web page with pics, and I would be eternally grateful if someone could visit this web site and tell me what they think ate all the leaves. Surely not the caterpillars that Dipel was working so well for? Why would all this damage happen in just one night? How come it happened to some plants which had had Dipel applied just hours beforehand? Surely a possum doesn't eat plants in this way? I have had possum damage before and it was far more "messy".. you could easily see the bites that the critter took out of each plant. This time it seems like an insect. HELP!!!

The web site is:

http://www.geocities.com/save_berowra_valley/

Regards

Adrian

Here is a link that might be useful: My overnight horror

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

gardenlen
20 years ago
g'day adrian,

that's a lot of damage for an insect/bug to do in one night then not be around the next morning early, my bet is the possum maybe?

len

mail len

lens garden page
drutah
20 years ago
Hi Adrian.
As Len mentioned, there is no way that all that damage was done by an insect in the space of 10hours. And possums do tend to have fun when eating our garden plants as you mentioned. Wallibies on the other hand can stand at eye level to the pots and plants, and therefore very gently munch away without tearing everything to shreds. They also prefer only leaves and new shoots and won't generally eat stems and fibrous branches in comparison to possums who'll eat just about anything once.
Cheers
Tony
Related Discussions
Help - Something is eating my plants
Q
Comments (1)
You see the bumps on the leave? I recall those are due to some insect laying its eggs there and the young hatching inside a protected cell. That will distort the leave and use some of the plant's energy, but are more ugly than dangerous. However, it also appears that something is having a midnight snack on your leaves. Probably some transient caterpillars. Does not look like herbicide damage. Have you been out at night to look for pests? Dennis
...See More
PIC-something is eating my celery, basil, etc.... please help
Q
Comments (7)
Good advice on going out at night. I did that just now and it looks like I found the culprit. I am not sure what exactly it is though. Here is a link to the photos: http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h273/johnmiki/IMG_0720.jpg http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h273/johnmiki/IMG_0724.jpg Pics are a bit blurry but it is the best I could do. It is a small critter, about 1/3 inch long. Body is wider at one end and then narrows. At least I know what it looks like, now I just need a name. Thanks for your help so far. John
...See More
Something or SomeONE is eating my tomatoes
Q
Comments (17)
It could be almost anything. Squirrels, turtles(if the fruit is close to the ground), rats, birds(if they're thirsty), dogs(they don't usually leave anything behind), tomato horn worms(they can eat a surprising amount for their size) and a bunch of other wild critters have been known to dine on tomatoes. You could try and pick up a cheap IR game camera. So long as it isn't the horn worms it should tell you what's been nibbling on your maters. Anything that goes after my tomatoes gets more than a water hose aimed at it.
...See More
Something eating leaves off my plants please help
Q
Comments (14)
@jxbrown lowes nearby didnt have sluggo so i bought the bug-geta. I believe the only difference is that main ingredient. Iron phosphate vs metaldehyde. IF there is slugs, they didnt go after the bug geta. But like i said to @vgkg, i did not see slugs under anything. I transferred the plants to a concrete area yesterday and no snail trail or damage to my plants
...See More
muezzin
Original Author
20 years ago
Dear Tony and Len - Thanks for your advice. I'm beginning to think you're both right. I guess I thought that the plants were too close to our balcony to be inviting for a possum... but then again they DO nest in people's roofs! And at night they would not have much to worry about no matter how close they came.

I thought that maybe snails did the deed, but I'll take your advice that it was just too much for snails to do all in one go.

Thanks again guys - You have put me on the right track. Time to think about fencing off my precious plants :-)

Regards
Adrian
Daz2
20 years ago

I think you'll find possum proof fencing is a bit of a myth too....hang a couple of apples out...away from your plants so you are neither encouraging nor feeding the intruders....and if the apples go it's possum..... then it's up to you.
We installed a blue heeler with overnight success. .

Daz.

Related Stories

DISASTER PREP & RECOVERY 7 Ways to Help Someone Hit by a Hurricane

By Alison Hodgson

The best things you can do in the wake of devastation are sometimes the most surprising

PETS Garden Alert: 22 Plants to Keep Away From Pets

By Marianne Lipanovich

Avoid potential danger by keeping dogs and cats away from these landscaping and houseplant favorites

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Silphium Perfoliatum Pleases Wildlife

By Pollination Press LLC

Cup plant provides structure, cover, food and water to help attract and sustain wildlife in the eastern North American garden

MOST POPULAR 7 Ways to Design Your Kitchen to Help You Lose Weight

By Mitchell Parker

In his new book, Slim by Design, eating-behavior expert Brian Wansink shows us how to get our kitchens working better

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Ceanothus Pleases With Nectar and Fragrant Blooms

West Coast natives: The blue flowers of drought-tolerant ceanothus draw the eye and help support local wildlife too

REMODELING GUIDES 8 Lessons on Renovating a House from Someone Who's Living It

By Restoring our 1890 Victorian

So you think DIY remodeling is going to be fun? Here is one homeowner's list of what you may be getting yourself into

PETS 6 Ways to Help Your Dog and Landscape Play Nicely Together

By Marianne Lipanovich

Keep your prized plantings intact and your dog happy too, with this wisdom from an expert gardener and dog guardian

NATIVE PLANTS 5 Ways to Keep Your Native Plant Garden Looking Good All Year

By Benjamin Vogt / Monarch Gardens

It’s all about planning ahead, using sustainable practices and accepting plants as living organisms

ORGANIZING Get the Organizing Help You Need (Finally!)

By Laura Gaskill

Imagine having your closet whipped into shape by someone else. That’s the power of working with a pro

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Snowberry Pleases Year-Round

Bright spring foliage, pretty summer flowers, white berries in winter ... Symphoricarpos albus is a sight to behold in every season

Sponsored

Davidson Builders

1 Review

Franklin County's Full-Scale General Contractor

More Discussions

Can I have full overlay cabinet with reveal between counter and door?

9

Stone enhancer on flagstone

1

Can cobblestone be painted?

6

any ideas how to utilize this space?

5

HOA what value is added?

34