tomatoes under attack!

[golden14]

Help! I have been growing tomato seedlings in largish number in my conservatory with great success. However once transported into plastic closhes outside a lot of the smaller plant appear to have come under attack in the past few days - I come out in the morning only to be left with a stem and no leaves! Yet the larger more mature ones appear to be being left alone.
It's driving me mad, no sign of slugs or snails as for one thing they can't get inside the closhes. I did however notice a couple of woodlice inside the closhes - could this be what's attacking the smaller seedlings? And if so what can I do to combat it?
Of note is that they have all undergone the same germination period inside in my propagators, then transferred to the shelves in my conservatory as soon as they have shooted. They then go outside when they are around 2 inches high.
All help much appreciated as I'm a full time house husband and thus the tomato plants are a much needed income

[MarkOlliethe2nd]

Originally Posted by golden14

It's driving me mad, no sign of slugs or snails as for one thing they can't get inside the closhes. I did however notice a couple of woodlice inside the closhes - could this be what's attacking the smaller seedlings? And if so what can I do to combat it?

I'm no expert but I had this happen to my lettuces when they were outside by slugs year before last, and was as puzzled as you are now when this happened last year in my polytunnel, but no snail or slug tracks.

I found it to be woodlice. There were a few small ones but as time went by and tomato seedlings dissappeared the woodlice were getting bigger and bigger. Could be something else, but I put my tom seedlings to woodlice last year. sorry cant be more help

[DavidT]

Not woodlice but probably slugs. Keel slugs, to be exact. They are black, about 1/2 to 3/4 inch long and live in the soil. They come out at night to feed and by the time you go out in the morning to check on the plants the slugs are curled up snug and warm and well fed in the soil. Just a little aside Golden14, don`t you think these toms are a little too small to be out yet, even under cloches? Especially as we are still having cold nights.

[MarkOlliethe2nd]

Originally Posted by DavidT

Not woodlice but probably slugs. Keel slugs, to be exact. They are black, about 1/2 to 3/4 inch long and live in the soil. They come out at night to feed and by the time you go out in the morning to check on the plants the slugs are curled up snug and warm and well fed in the soil.

[airconednightmare]

as per my other post - crack up some egg shells, sprinkle liberally round the base of your crops and no slug will come near it, from any angle short of falling onto it

[MarkOlliethe2nd]

I personally never got on with eggs shells, they just seemed to go over them no matter how big or small I made the crushed shell.

I have found this method (post 7) to be faultless and never had a problem since, yes it will cost 50p to £1 depending on where you shop but it is well worth it

Do I Need To Protect My Lettuces From Slugs, Etc? (post 7)

As DavidT says they come up from under the soil, maybe wrapping this gently round the bottom of the stem will work? Let us know how you get on with whatever method you choose

[DavidT]

I agree with Mark re the eggshells, snails just put down more slime to get over them.

[golden14]

Many thanks for the replies folks, sorry for not posting back sooner but got delayed in Brussels in the Volcano chaos - still worse places to be delayed than Brussels with some 2,000 beers on offer.
When I moved my plants I found loads of woodlice under them. But I agree with David I think it might be mini slugs - I've now put down anti slug gel all around my mini cloches (B&Q £7.49 jobs). And turned them over, sprayed the insides of the cloches with water and salted them (Heh, Heh!) which seems to have slowed down the problem if not stopped it.
With regards to putting them out early - Sorry should have said I live on the Isle of Wight and plant growing over here runs around 1-2 months of that on the mainland. I was still picking my runners beans in November last year. I am hoping to get a photo blog running soon. I'm still very much an amateur at this GYOVEG stuff, hence please bear with me if I ask more than obvious muppet like questions - we all have to start somewhere. I look after my daughter during the day so my plant income is vital to me. Hence all replies to my problems very much appreciated
THanks
Dickie