Help! Something is eating my plants

[Bonnie Hildebrand]

Hi all,

Something has devoured almost my entire winter garden. The only this left alone seems to be the chicory (all the lettuces are gone, most of the kale and chard, too).
Take a look at the photo of what's left a large healthy choy and let me know if you have any ideas what may be eating away at the plants and what I might do about it.

Thanks,

Bonnie

[Cindy Koczy]

Hi Bonnie,
I am certainly not the expert, but perhaps Jill or Stephanie will chime in.It looks to me like some worm or caterpillar, or grub is eating away, just by observing the way the leaves are eaten from outside to inside. Did you notice this for the first time and not during summer growing season?Maybe some kind of bug/worm/grub layed eggs in the ground during summer and now they are waking up with ravenous hunger?I wonder if the straw you bought introduced something into the garden, or the plants you purchased?If I had noticed on the picture you sent - a slime trail anywhere, I would guess it to be slugs!
Sorry to hear your winter garden is not doing so well:(

Just m y 2 cent worth,I'm only guessing.
Cindy

[Ole Ersson]

I am also just venturing a guess here, but I imagine it is a slug attack. Looks like you have a mulch of straw. Slugs love hiding in mulch and will come out at night to graze. (That is the one down side of mulches.) I suggest coming out after dark with a flashlight to see what is going on.
I doubt it is caterpillars since, given the cold, wet, weather, I don't think any are active at this time. (That is why winter cruciferus gardens are immune to cabbage butterfly attacks.)

--
Experiments in sustainable urban living
http://kailashecovillage.com/experiments
Permaculture and intentional community living in inner SE Portland, Oregon
http://kailashecovillage.com

[Ji...@nwveg.org]

How disappointing! My guess would be slugs too.  It looks exactly like what is happening to my plants, which luckily are large enough to withstand some damage.  I also went out on some of our rainy days and did some "slug harvesting." They liked to nestle down at the base of cabbage leaves, and it was so wet out that I found a lot mid-leaf on kale.

 

Jill

 

[Stephanie Lucas]

Yes, I’ve experienced the same on some of my kale.  It could be slugs.  If you have raised beds, you can put copper tape around the edges to keep them out.  It really works.  I agree that it does seem too cold out these days for much larvae activity.  Although, a couple of weeks ago I was still finding cabbage butterfly larvae on some of them.  They’re green and sometimes hard to spot.  Shaking the plants may make some of them fall to the ground.  I transfer them to the parking strip.  Good Luck!

 

Steph

[Stephanie Lucas]

Just wanted to pass along this email from Helen Atthowe who spoke re. veganic permaculture at our last VegFest.  She has positive news re. the evolution of veganic agriculture.

Steff

 

 

Lots of  exciting  veganic news the past 2 months as I have buried myself in creating a small, simple fulcrum from which to turn over the world. Two major farm conferences (one on each North American coast) have asked for presentations on veganic agriculture.  A new vegan friend from Britain sent news that "veganic permaculture" has made it to Wikipedia, and many young farmers and young vegans have contacted me from my website seeking support, advice, and guidance.  Most exciting for me, my on-going debate about killing animals for food with a Tibetan rinpoche has resulted in an invitation to Tibet and Bhutan. I have wanted to visit Bhutan for 35 years!

 

 

I have listed below the Wikipedia reference and times/places where I will be presenting in person or in webinar about veganic and ecological design farming. I have not yet committed to the Pennsylvania conference. I wonder if there is someone on the east coast who would like to present at the PASA conference? I would be glad to help. I included the description of the veganic farming presentation from the Eco-farm conference in CA to show what is the thinking of many farmers who have contacted me.

 

I have lots of ideas about where to go and what to do with the many  veganic/vegan contacts I've had this year, incorporating the great things you are all doing (the articles, conferences, and presentations, the Master Veg class, the mushroom composting idea) and you, of course. That is another conversation.....

 

 

For now, the water still flows in a new gravity system from the spring above my 100 year old  cabin (for free!) despite single digit temperatures, the new sun room and greenhouse on the south side were 10 degrees warmer than the old cabin yesterday on a sunny 30 F day,  the cold box "refrigerator" on the shady side of the cabin is cooling food  (also for free!), the humanure "technology" is functioning, and the Stevia plant I met in Panama, grew, and nurtured  (to replace honey) is surviving in the greenhouse at nearly freezing temperatures. Today all the best seems possible!

 

 

Thanks for all you do and being my "sangha"!  Helen

 

I thought you may be interested in the development of this Wikipedia article:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegan_organic_gardening

 

eOrganic webinar

Tuesday, December 13, 2011 2:00 PM - 3:15 PM EST  Webinar -- Reduced Tillage in Organic Vegetable Production: Successes, Challenges and New Directions 

2012 EcoFarm Conference http://www.ecofarmconference.org/glance.htm

Veganic Agriculture  Saturday February 4  8:30  - 10 am 

More farmers than ever are interested in farming without the use of animal products. Whether it is because of concerns about food safety from manure, or a philosophical commitment to being vegan, or the desire to incorporate vegan permaculture principles into a practical system, veganic farming is thriving. Our speaker’s background includes 17 years farming her own 30 acres of organic crops and 15 years as a county extension agent in Montana. She has developed conservation farming techniques using reduced tillage, increased species diversity and closed nutrient cycles on her farm. This led her to a “veganic permaculture” with permanent soil cover, minimal weeding and protection of all beneficial creatures.

Pennsylvania  Association for Sustainable Agriculture Farming for the Future conference