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20 Oct 11 Jen (Australia - cool/mountain climate)

What pest would not only nibble through the delicate seedling Asparagus frond but eat every bit of green? On checking this morning there is NO sign of any frond left and there is no soil disturbance on the surface of the big pot? I am still speaechless... Any ideas outhere and what do I do now, wait and hope for more fronds to grow OR compost the lot??? and yes should you be wondering I am the same gardener who submitted the previous question and mistakenly clicked on NZ but this is the correct location, I am in Tasmania..\

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23 Oct 11 Rowena (Australia - sub-tropical climate)

Perhaps cutworm? They do eat the entire plant if it's tender enough :O) I got the following advice from the Yates website and it worked for me: Cutworms are only active at night, so go out after dark with a torch and check for caterpillars at work.Prevent cutworm attack by placing small, open-ended plastic cups around plants or by wrapping plant bases with aluminium foil. (Start just below the surface of the soil).

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