Cabbage Attack!!

[Artisan]

Can anyone tell me what would have attacked my over wintered cabbages. I found this morning that three of the plants stems had been eaten through at ground level but had not had their leaves touched. All three plants had also been tossed off the raised bed on to the surrounding grass.

I am sorrow but I do not have any photographs of the damage as I had cleared them away before I thought to ask this question.

[Jungle Jane]

Could something like slugs have eaten through the stems & the wind blown them on the grass? Rabbits destroy everything planted? Would rats eat all of it,if it’s a rat you might find a hole around the border edge of your garden or see flattened earth where they run along the edge of the garden,would a mouse do it,my cat caught a mouse about three days ago,they’re probably really hungry at the moment?

[Greenleaves]

Rats will eat the stalks of brassicas because of the sugar content....but very much depends on the size...

[Artisan]

Could something like slugs have eaten through the stems & the wind blown them on the grass? Rabbits destroy everything planted? Would rats eat all of it,if it’s a rat you might find a hole around the border edge of your garden or see flattened earth where they run along the edge of the garden,would a mouse do it,my cat caught a mouse about three days ago,they’re probably really hungry at the moment?

I suppose it could be rats or rabbits as we live in a rural location. The stems were around 1/2 to 3/4 of inch thick. I think the damage happened overnight because I had done a visual check of all the veg yesterday afternoon and all was good then.

[Jungle Jane]

I hope nothing else gets damaged,my parents garden has loads of wildlife it’s difficult to pinpoint a culprit,my dad blames rabbits for everything they love tender young plants,just to destroy though. I wonder if some netting would help?

[Artisan]

I hope nothing else gets damaged,my parents garden has loads of wildlife it’s difficult to pinpoint a culprit,my dad blames rabbits for everything they love tender young plants,just to destroy though. I wonder if some netting would help?

One of my fears in using netting is the possibility that wildlife could get caught in it. Having said that I do use butterfly netting in the summer with a much finer mesh.

[Jungle Jane]

I know what you mean it is a worry & it feels like you’re baby proofing it for them when you put it up but if it’s cut to size with no flappy bits to run into it should be ok & secured down with bricks,tent pegs,keep a daily check that the construction hasn’t blown down,bamboo sticks help to keep the netting taut. It would be interesting to see if something nibbles through the net or if whatever it is gets the message to get off your plants.

[4Shoes]

Could they have just broken off in a strong wind?

Rabbits tend to eat leaves and tender bits 1st - not the stem

I've seen slugs eat round the bottom, but then it will not look like a clean wound

Is it the whole cabbage head that was off?

[Artisan]

I think I have the answer. My wife has just seen a 'B' great big rat running across the raised beds where the cabbages are planted. Bless Him! (Not)

[bikermike]

oh no!

On the "plus" side, at least you know what you are dealing with.
Is there any building work going on near you to disturb them? They tend to be creatures of habit, if you can put them off coming back now, you might get lucky.

Generally, Rats like dry undisturbed locations, so if you can avoid creating them as much as possible, that will help. Might be worth sticking a fork in your compost heap (and your neighbours' if you can get away with it).

there's always asking it in a polite but firm voice if it wouldn't mind awfully going somewhere else...

[Jungle Jane]

Careful if hedgehogs are at the bottom of the compost heap though,about thirty years ago my parents had a raised bed in a garden wall & there was a rat hole in that bed,if you find a small hole you can put some rat poison in there then block it off with stones or a tile.

[4Shoes]

Have a good look round and remove any cover and sources of food and water.

They don't like change and going across the open ground.

Food attracts them and they need lots of water daily

[Snadger]

I had problems a few years ago with rats eating my ball headed spring cabbage and my swedes. The swedes looked like a cartoon version of an eaten apple, where they had munched all around them leaving the tops and bottom.

[Mark_Riga]

Rats are one of my favorite pests (along with mice and slugs and aphids and...). I don't grow climbing beans any more as twice, just when harvesting should start, whole rows were gnawed through at ground level. Dwarf beans have been OK - and they mature sooner also. Last year, they left my sweetcorn looking like peeled bananas. I'm not keen on poisoning them though as the poison is not good in the environment and I don't think the affect on the rat is very pleasant.
This year I'm trying to keep the areas with at risk plants clear of cover - a bit difficult if you want to have an environmentally friendly garden - rats and mice come with the butterflies and bees. I also have an Owl nest box and want to put up a couple for kestrels now (probably only encourage crows but I can hope).

[bikermike]

our local fox took time out from riffling through dustbins to kill a rat a few days ago, so probably worth not discouraging them. (not that they don't have their own problems)