Experienced gardeners please help!!!!!!?

Question

I am growing courgetes in my garden . There is some sort of animal that every night cuts the base of the flowers. What is it and how can I get ride of them. I am furious as I see my courgetes to be never being born!!!

Answer 1

Are you sure it is not some sort of fly or bug?  Maybe you need to put some little bit of old carpet underneath that bit of the plant.

Answer 2

Good Morning Troutbeck,

It would be good to know where you are when answering questions like this.

Your Country, State, Growing Zone, and such like things.  This helping you and answering your question(s) much easier.

If you are in a warmer climate, then the "Culprit" can very well be the "Cut Worm" (q.v.).

This is a Larvae of a moth and/or beetle, that loves to "Clip" off young plants.  They can usually be found hiding around the base of the plants, in the loose soil.

Killing them is easy.

There are poisons, but I never recommend poisons.

I have provided a link, below, that may help . . .

Good Luck!  John W.

Answer 3

What do you mean by 'cut'...?

The most common problem is slugs - they are a pain and eat thru the plants very quickly - the trouble is, they only come out at night or very early morning.

If you suspect slugs - try one of these two ideas.

Get a small dish or low sided tray - dig a small hole to the point where the lip of the bowl/tray is a ground level - pour some beer into it and leave beside the plant at night - the slugs are attracted to the smell of the beer and go to the bowl and drown.

Also - at a distance from the plant base - approx 3" sprinkle some salt - not too much or you will pollute the soil and kill the plant - check in morning to see if you have dead slugsaround the plant base - they will shrivel up and die. If that is the case - then you will benefit from slug pellets - not to expensive - sprinkle these around the plants but not touching the plants - the slugs will eat these and die or dissolve.

To be honest - it sounds like slugs - try the above first.

Answer 4

Its probably your neighbour.LOL

Answer 5

Are you sure it is an animal/insect cutting the flowers?  Most of the cucurbit family,  squash, cucumbers, summer squash which includes your courgettes, usually produce male blossoms well before the females arrive.  Naturally, many of these male blossoms fall off without ever pollinating anything.  Even after the female blossoms do appear the males still fall off when their job of pollinating is finished.  Lastly, if the plants are stressed:  Excessive heat, huge differences between day and night temps, not enough water etc, they will drop their blossoms as a survival defense.

Answer 6

Could be a mole? Squirrels are pretty pesky