Invisible pest eating my seedlings, what is it?

[hellohelenhere]

This is indoors, on my kitchen window ledge; first a pot of flower seedlings, and now my basil, have gone the same way. I see the first tiny seedlings, then after a day or two - they're decapitated. Fungus gnat, I'm assuming would eat them from under the soil, not chop their heads off? I've seen quite a lot of adult fungus gnat around. I think I saw a tiny trace of snail slime - could it be a very small snail which is hiding IN the soil itself? I haven't seen a snail anywhere, though I looked hard.

I guess I'll start again with fresh compost and washed pots, just wondered if anyone knows what this most probably is?

[hellohelenhere]

[manicscousers]

if you've seen slime, I'd opt for the slugs.the slimey little beggars can hide anywhere, could've been an egg in a space in the pot  ::)
hope you have better luck next time  :)

[saddad]

slugs...  >:(

[hellohelenhere]

Thanks chaps, you must be right - there must be teeny slugs in there somewhere! Dagnabit! Well, I've had miraculously good luck so far with pests, other than a plague of flea-beetle that means a lot of my greens are rather lacy. This is the first 'total loss due to pests' of the year, which is pretty good going. :D

I'll start again with the basil. I think that I had all my dianthus seed in that one pot - might try sifting the soil to find the offending beastie... see if anything can be salvaged.

[Digeroo]

You can now get organic slug pellets.  not sure if I approve of them. Some of my courgettes and cucumbers have been disappearing, never seem to see the blighters.

[hellohelenhere]

I saw this stuff, Fito Slug Stoppa, in Lidl today for about 1.30 a box:
http://www.webbsdirect.co.uk/product.asp?pf_id=161805

Looks good, it's a 'barrier method' - the slugs can't crawl over it - rather than a toxin. Might go and get a few boxes tomorrow, bound to come in handy. But probably doesn't help much in this sort of case, where they magically appear from the soil... I'll just have to be more careful in preparing pots and compost for seedlings.

[littlebabybird]

i was wondering about trying to find copper wire to put round my raised beds
what do you think?
lbb

[1066]

I saw this stuff, Fito Slug Stoppa, in Lidl today for about 1.30 a box:
http://www.webbsdirect.co.uk/product.asp?pf_id=161805

Looks good, it's a 'barrier method' - the slugs can't crawl over it - rather than a toxin. Might go and get a few boxes tomorrow, bound to come in handy. But probably doesn't help much in this sort of case, where they magically appear from the soil... I'll just have to be more careful in preparing pots and compost for seedlings.

Helen, I've used this stuff for a while now and find it very good at protecting the more vulnerable plants. I find you do need to be generous with it for it to be effective. Very good for things like Hostas in pots. Also use it on tender seedlings like courgettes. I tried a sheep's wool thing, which didn't work just went into a big blobby mess and didn't seem to stop the slugs and snails much (I'll try and find a link so I can explain better)
LittleLadyBird, I haven't tried the wire, tho I have used copper tape around pots and that has also seemed to stop the worst of the snails getting into the pots

1066