Q Pests have eaten all my veg seedlings. What can I do?
Pam Newton, by email
A MATT SAYS Horticultural fleece creates a useful barrier against airborne pests, such as whitefly, carrot fly, aphids and pigeons, but it can’t stop ground-dwelling pests or those that are already established in the bed.
If you are certain it is not slugs, the caterpillars of several different moths, called cutworms, could be the problem. You can find caterpillars at any time of year, so regularly poke around the affected plants to find them and remove by hand.
Birds, ladybirds, wasps and ground beetles are their natural predators. Keep your crops well-watered and weed-free, use biological-control nematodes and cover with fleece in summer.