Marigold seedlings - what ate the leaves?

[biosphere]

*I know slugs could be the villan - can I save the seedlings?* if so how?* Would moving the flat elsewhere help?* Thanks so much

[thanrose]

Nope.

Oh, okay, yes, you can save them if you completely eradicate the snails or slugs. But for some reason once they develop a taste for marigolds they eat them to nothing. A few years back I could grow them, but not for the last two years.

Remove all mulch and leaf litter, even the top half inch of soil if you find them in there. Replace with sterile soil and watch them vigilantly for slimey intruders.

You can try the beer thing, but my experience is that they only go for the brewski after they've noshed on the marigolds.

If you have very sturdy plants that have branches and offsets, you may be able to cut them up and root them elsewhere. I used to take slips of marigolds and just plunge them into the dirt when I lived up north. They'd root in no time.

As far as moving the flats, that will possibly help. Just depends on where the snails or slugs live in your yard. Could be all over, but typically will have ground cover or mulch or fallen leaves under which they live.

[biosphere]

Thanks so much!* I have always had marigolds, and no problems.* Did notice slugs under fern in the courtyard, and that is where I had this flat.* I have 4 distinct ecosystems here, marigolds in 2 of them - will stick to those areas.

As for using beer - it would kill the slugs, but probably also attract a couple of the neighbors.....

[Newt]

Biosphere, I always found the beer in shallow containers helpful, but you could also use diatomaceous earth for slugs.* Be sure to use the food grade and wear a mask when you dust.* You don't want to breathe in the dust.* Since I don't use pesticides or herbicides the toads that have moved in seem to take care of them now.

Newt

[biosphere]

Perhaps you can comment on the frog/toad situation here.* I have lived in Florida all my life, but this property has absolutely no toads or frogs.* Have not seen a Cuban Tree Frog, either.* I am on the east coast, have a tropical shaded courtyard where I expect them to be.* Can I add them?* Neighbors do use lawn chemicals

[Newt]

I sure can comment on the sad situation of the state of the frogs and toads.**:(*** You were absolutely on the mark when you say that your neighbors use chemicals.* Amphibians, such as frogs and toads, are very sensitive to pesticides and herbicides.* There are several reasons, but two that come to mind are the fact that they breathe through their skin and because they spend part of their lives in water.

You can import them, but not the adults.* Once they become adults they have chosen where they want to live and will travel many miles to return.* You can import eggs or tadpoles if you have a water source, or young ones if you don't.

The easiest way that I've found to tell the difference between a frog or a toad:
frogs have smooth skin and toads have bumps
frogs hibernate in water and toads hibernate in soil.

Here's some interesting and helpful info on how to encourage and keep frogs around.
http://www.toadilytoads.com/index.html
http://www.nwf.org/frogwatchusa/

Maybe you can educate your neighbors about the detremental effect of chemicals and amphibians and have more of these wonderful predators in the garden.* :)* I'd be happy to help in any way I can.

Newt

[biosphere]

Thanks so much - will look at those sites.* I hope UPS will deliver tadpoles.....* I also have the large yellow cricket (sport model, looks like a locust) hanging around my Four O'Clocks.* They are a friendly critter, right?* Can't figure out why they like that particular plant.

[Newt]

Biosphere, you are very welcome!

I hope UPS will deliver tadpoles.....

Have you found a source for tadpoles online?* If so, I'm sure they have guidelines for shipping.* I do have some concerns that you might import tadpoles that aren't native to the area where you live.* Have you researched that?* Do you have a pond?

I also have the large yellow cricket (sport model, looks like a locust) hanging around my Four O'Clocks. They are a friendly critter, right?

Do you have a pictre?* Not sure it's a good bug in the garden.* Where do you live?* Oops, you're in Florida.* See if you can id it from here.
http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/misc/c.../crickets.html

Newt

[thanrose]

"Large yellow cricket" in florida is almost certainly the lubber. When it's a young grasshopper, like last month, it would have been dark or black with a bit of red flash on the wings. As the mature yellow and green and black and red one, the red is more noticeable when it is disturbed, hisses and spreads these tiny wings. They will eat through anything but love crinums. It's so sad to see a twenty pound crinum bulb that should have leaves seven or eight feet tall with many flower spikes but now has half eaten buds and great gaping holes in the leaves.

I'll save all sorts of insects and weeds and just about any form of life, but I now lop the heads off of any lubber I see on my crinums. They eat plenty of other stuff too, but it's criminal what they do to the glory of milk and wine lilies.

edit to add:
http://creatures.ifas.ufl.edu/orn/lubber.htm