what is eating my seedlings in the greenhouse

The most common pests in a greenhouse include sap-feeding insects, pollen feeders, caterpillars, and slugs. Some are considerably harder to control than others, making constant monitoring vital to successful greenhouse production.

What is eating my seedlings at night?

There are several possibilities for the damage you see, most likely either snails, slugs, earwigs or birds. Soil and plant moisture levels from all the rain we've had right now favor the likelihood of snail, slug or earwig. These pests are night feeders.

How do I keep bugs from eating my seedlings?

Insects Bugging Your Plants? Try These 10 Natural Insecticides

Soapy water. Mix 5 tablespoons of dish soap with 4 cups of water in a bottle and spray plants with the solution. ...
Neem oil spray. ...
Pyrethrum spray. ...
Beer. ...
Garlic. ...
Pepper spray. ...
Herbal water spray. ...
Alcohol spray.

How do you get rid of greenhouse pests?

Greenhouse Pest Control: Top 10 Tips

Keep your greenhouse clean. As with any form of disease or pest prevention, cleanliness is the number one priority. ...
Inspect your plants. ...
Disinfect your tools. ...
Use insect catchers. ...
Use netting. ...
Move pots outside in the heat. ...
Use potting soil. ...
Rotate crops.

What is eating my new seedlings?

For those of you starting seedlings indoors for the fall, or outside in your garden, and are finding half-eaten leaves or seedlings nibbled to the stem, check for armyworms and cutworms. ... They often eat at night and spend the day just beneath the soil near the stem.

How do I protect my bird from seedlings?

Netting is the preferred way to keep birds away from seedlings and is very easy to implement. Use bamboo poles, tall stakes or fence posts to create a framework around your plants. Drape your netting over the stakes and anchor it to the ground using bent wire. Try to drape your netting so it forms a V-shaped tent.

How do I keep animals from eating my seedlings?

Here is a look at the options.

Put in a barrier fence. Among the most foolproof deterrents are physical barriers like fences. ...
Spray Them Away. ...
Scare them off. ...
Plant their least-favorite foods. ...
Plants Deer Dislike. ...
Spring-blooming perennials. ...
Summer-blooming perennials. ...
Groundcovers.

How do you cover seedlings?

To speed germination, cover the pots with plastic wrap or a plastic dome that fits over the seed-starting tray. This helps keep the seeds moist before they germinate. When you see the first signs of green, remove the cover.

How do I protect my seedlings?

An easy and inexpensive way to protect your wee plantlings is with a plastic pop-bottle cloche! Any plastic bottle will do. Small ones are good for individual plants that grow straight up, and larger ones will cover multiple seedlings or ones that become bushy. Unscrew and discard the cap.

Is soapy water bad for plants?

Soapy wash water from dishes or laundry will help keep plants alive in an emergency, but you should be aware of certain possible problems. Chlorine. Bleaches commonly contain chlorine, which can damage plants, particularly if it touches the foliage.

How do I get rid of slugs in my greenhouse?

How To Manage Slugs In Your Greenhouse

Keep the greenhouse and surrounding area clean. ...
Make barriers. ...
Use beer traps. ...
Use copper rings. ...
Biological control. ...
Clean your gardening equipment. ...
Know Your Enemy: A Bit About Slugs.

How do I control aphids in my greenhouse?

To prevent the introduction of new aphid species into your greenhouse, carefully inspect all new plants before placing them in the growing areas. Eliminating all weeds in or near the greenhouse can be useful because it will help suppress potential reservoirs from which aphids might enter the crop.

What are the major diseases of greenhouse crops?

Diseases of Greenhouse Ornamental Crops. ...
Bacterial Blight (Xanthomonas campestris) ...
Bacterial Stem Rot(Erwinia carotovora pv carotovora) ...
Black Root Rot(Thielaviopsis basicola) ...
Botrytis Blight (Botrytis cinerea) ...
Crown and Root Rot (Phytophthora spp.) ...
Fusarium Stem and Root Rot (Fusarium solani/Nectria spp.)

What is eating my spinach seedlings?

The majority of pests that eat spinach are leaf-eating insects. Cutworms, cabbage loopers, corn earworms, snails, slugs and diamondback moth caterpillars are all common pests of spinach. Symptoms are irregularly shaped holes on either the leaf margins or in the middle of the leaves.

What is eating my broccoli seedlings?

Common Broccoli Pests

Insects enjoy eating broccoli plants almost as much as the people who grow them do. ... Cabbage worms cause serious damage by feeding on broccoli leaves. Hand pick as many as you can. Young larvae are easily controlled with insecticides containing Bacillus thuringiensis or spinosad.

What is eating my watermelon seedlings?

Cucumber Beetles – These bugs don't even try to hide their damage to your watermelon patch, and often feed openly on leaves and flowers. ... If it bothers you and is limited to a few leaves, you can always pick them off. Spider Mites – They're not technically bugs, but spider mites are frequent garden visitors.

What smell do birds hate?

Essential Oils, Garlic, Cayenne Pepper and Professional Products are all known to be smells that birds hate. Keeping birds away by using smell is a effective and simple way of deterring birds.

Do windchimes scare birds?

Do Wind Chimes Keep Birds Away? Any unusual or unexpected noises do work to keep birds away, but as soon as they get used to the noise, they'll likely return. Placing wind chimes in your yard may yield temporary results, but it's unlikely that it will work for years to come.

Does baking soda keep birds away?

Sprinkle baking soda around roosting areas to keep birds from perching. Coat common perching areas, like eaves or the tops of outdoor lights, with a thin layer of baking soda. Birds don't like the feeling of baking soda under their feet so they'll avoid landing there.

What animal is eating my plants at night?

Many caterpillars, beetles, and especially earwigs and slugs, feed at night and hide during the day. Handpicking caterpillars, beetles and slugs and dropping them into soapy water can be effective in home vegetable gardens.

Will black pepper hurt plants?

Black pepper can be added to water and sprayed on garden plants or household plants as a natural insecticide. The pepper does not harm the plant but smell lingers on the plant long after the water has evaporated.

How do you keep critters from eating your tomatoes?

Repellant sprays, such as those made of chili peppers, can help keep squirrels off your tomatoes. You could choose a commercially available spray or make one at home. If you're using a homemade, food-safe chili pepper spray, you can apply it directly to your developing tomatoes to deter hungry critters.