The curious case of the uprooted Tangie seedling

[TangieFanatic]

Hi growers,
I went to my main guerrilla patch today where I have 3 Tangie seedlings planted and was horrified at the sight I saw. One of the Tangie seedlings (very young with only 2 sets of leaves) was cut from the stem laying on its side. The stem was uprooted with the tap root and laying a few inches from cut growing tip. No soil was disturbed. The leaves were not damaged but there wasn't even enough stem still attached to try and plant the top.

The seedling was growing in a 7 gallon pot with plastic mesh fencing surrounding it.

Is there some type of insect that would do this? I found some type of caterpillar in one of my other pots and quickly killed it.

My first thought was a thunderstorm did this but I just don't understand how wind could both top a seedling and rip the stem out of the ground.

 

[theJointedOne]

Critters come in all shapes and sizes, including humans.

 

[TangieFanatic]

I really wish I knew if it was a critter. I still have two Tangie surviving in other pots. I really pray whatever happened doesn't happen again.

Critters come in all shapes and sizes, including humans.

 

[MJPassion]

I would bet that neither was the case.
If the top of the cage is open it was more than likely a bird that didn't like the plant after it was uprooted.

I've got several auto seedlings popping out of the ground right now. Every day or two a couple seem to disappear. Since they're well protected from the wind and there are no animal tracks around I suspect birds are the culprit.

I suggest, for future OD grows from seed, to make/find yourself a nice cross that you like and make enough seeds for the next 6-10 years. Then you can plant your plots with more seed for the critters to examine, eat, uproot, trim, etc., and still pull off a crop. If the critters don't get em, you can do the thinning.

Good luck w this evening& future grows.

 

[TangieFanatic]

Hi,
I forgot to mention that the top of the fencing was closed. I basically just took one sheet of cut to fit plastic mesh fencing and wrapped it around the pot. I the folded the top down of the mesh down so that it was closed and tied it off with twist ties. It allowed there to be about a foot of room between the top of the cage and the soil.

You may be right about it being a bird. A bird could have sat on the top of the fencing and weighed it down enough to be able to reach down through the fence and grab the seedling. I could picture that in my mind.

As for making more seed, I don't think I am going to make it past this season. I can't shake this depression that has a hold on me. I wouldn't have bought such expensive seeds if I didn't think it was going to be my last year on this planet.

Thanks for your help yet again MJPassion. I hope you have a great season.

I would bet that neither was the case.
If the top of the cage is open it was more than likely a bird that didn't like the plant after it was uprooted.

I've got several auto seedlings popping out of the ground right now. Every day or two a couple seem to disappear. Since they're well protected from the wind and there are no animal tracks around I suspect birds are the culprit.

I suggest, for future OD grows from seed, to make/find yourself a nice cross that you like and make enough seeds for the next 6-10 years. Then you can plant your plots with more seed for the critters to examine, eat, uproot, trim, etc., and still pull off a crop. If the critters don't get em, you can do the thinning.

Good luck w this evening& future grows.

 

[Featherfoot]

Probably a rodent; a rat or mouse.
Rats in particular are vandals, they don't eat the plants, they just chew through the stem or chew branches off or chew leaves off.
They do it just for fun, but sometimes carry the leaves back to their nest to line the nest.

That's why guerrilla growers don't plant out seeds; sprouts and small seedlings are too vulnerable out in the bush; they germinate them at home and grow them to about 8 inches or a foot and then take them to the patch.

Don't give up; you have learnt an important lesson on the road to becoming a guerrilla grower; it is a long and interesting road and there will be many more failures and lessons learnt before you master the art.

 

[TangieFanatic]

Hi,
Thanks for your kind words.

I have been guerilla growing for two years with these pots and fencing and have not had that happen.

However, I have had animals dig up holes that I planted seeds in the ground with no fencing. I use both pots and the contractor bag method for planting. I use both below the ground and above the ground planting.

Whatever did this had to be nimble enough to get its mouth or tongue through tiny plastic mesh fencing and uproot a seedling from a pot without disturbing even a tiny bit of soil. There are no openings in the fencing.

I don't like to transplant because it's too risky for my situation. I don't want to ever get busted with plants in my possession. Harvesting the plants in the fall is risky enough for me and must be done in complete darkness. Not to mention I like to run autoflowers along side photoperiod plants. You can't transplant autos or they will be horribly stunted.

I really wish this war on drugs was over. I could just use a greenhouse in my back yard .

Probably a rodent; a rat or mouse.
Rats in particular are vandals, they don't eat the plants, they just chew through the stem or chew branches off or chew leaves off.
They do it just for fun, but sometimes carry the leaves back to their nest to line the nest.

That's why guerrilla growers don't plant out seeds; sprouts and small seedlings are too vulnerable out in the bush; they germinate them at home and grow them to about 8 inches or a foot and then take them to the patch.

Don't give up; you have learnt an important lesson on the road to becoming a guerrilla grower; it is a long and interesting road and there will be many more failures and lessons learnt before you master the art.

 

[Kygiacomo!!!]

Hi,
Thanks for your kind words.

I have been guerilla growing for two years with these pots and fencing and have not had that happen.

However, I have had animals dig up holes that I planted seeds in the ground with no fencing. I use both pots and the contractor bag method for planting. I use both below the ground and above the ground planting.

Whatever did this had to be nimble enough to get its mouth or tongue through tiny plastic mesh fencing and uproot a seedling from a pot without disturbing even a tiny bit of soil. There are no openings in the fencing.

I don't like to transplant because it's too risky for my situation. I don't want to ever get busted with plants in my possession. Harvesting the plants in the fall is risky enough for me and must be done in complete darkness. Not to mention I like to run autoflowers along side photoperiod plants. You can't transplant autos or they will be horribly stunted.

I really wish this war on drugs was over. I could just use a greenhouse in my back yard .

i use jiffy pots so i dont have to transplant no more. just take the whole pot put it in the hole that u have dug and fill the soil in around it and watch it grow. the jiffy pots work awesome for me bc there is no transplant shock or stunted plants

 

[gekolite]

maybe cut worms

 

[Jellyfish]

Sorry to hear about your bad luck, but here's my question- There's Tangie seeds? Where'd you get them, I want some!

 

[RckyMtRdnk]

Sorry to hear about your bad luck, but here's my question- There's Tangie seeds? Where'd you get them, I want some!

I thought Crockett family farms put some Tangie seeds out. i could be wrong too.

I think reserva privada has some too.

 

[TangieFanatic]

Hi,
I got my pack of Tangie from Reserva Privada. They are feminized. But if if you're in the market for regular Tangie seeds, I would definitely go with Crockett Family Farms. They also have some interesting Tangie crosses if you're adventurous.

Sorry to hear about your bad luck, but here's my question- There's Tangie seeds? Where'd you get them, I want some!

 

[TangieFanatic]

Hi,
I just wanted to let you know that you were right, it was cut worms. I identified one of them next to my plants. Thank you for being the only person to look at this post and figure out the problem.

maybe cut worms

 

[Featherfoot]

To he honest, I don't think it could have been cutworms.

Cutworms eat through the stem at or just below ground level, but in your case you say the plant was pulled up by the roots and the root section dumped a few inches away.

I don't think a cutworm would do this.

 

[TangieFanatic]

Well, even if the damage wasn't caused by a cutworm, I still found two of the little buggers on two different occasions and killed both. I didn't know they were called cut worms until I googled the image of one.

To he honest, I don't think it could have been cutworms.

Cutworms eat through the stem at or just below ground level, but in your case you say the plant was pulled up by the roots and the root section dumped a few inches away.

I don't think a cutworm would do this.

 

[gekolite]

your welcome

your welcome

Hi,
I just wanted to let you know that you were right, it was cut worms. I identified one of them next to my plants. Thank you for being the only person to look at this post and figure out the problem.

cut worms are evil, they hide ,and come out to eat .if big enough , since they come from under the surface , they can uproot a fresh seedling .

 

[TangieFanatic]

Hi,
Thanks again for suggesting cutworms. They cost me three Tangie seedlings before I took care of the problem. An expensive little bug to say the least. I'm just glad I figured out the problem before I lost everything. I still have three girls left that have been moved to fresh soil at a new grow site. I just went to the store and bought insecticide and sprayed the plants thoroughly as well. Everything SHOULD be ok from here on out.

cut worms are evil, they hide ,and come out to eat .if big enough , since they come from under the surface , they can uproot a fresh seedling .