Something js eating my plants!

[LastYearsStocking]

The children planted some sunflowers and sweet peas. Something has eaten all the sunflowers which were a couple of inches high and has started on the sweet peas!

I can't see the culprit. Is there are thing I do to stop this? I have pets so don't want to spray anything that could hurt them. Thanks

Sounds like slugs and snails. Sourround each plant with grit/ broken egg shells or coffee grounds.

Yep, sounds like slugs and snails.

B*stard slugs'n'snails. Check the plants daily under the leaves and throw any away that have made themselves comfortable. I am evil and use slug pellets sparingly as have too many plants I don't want destroyed but neighbour swears by using straw around the base of the plant as they don't like it.

The jury's still out on slug pellets:

some info here

I wondered about organic pellets but had a hunch they might not be effective.
Conversely if they're poisonous to a slug they'd be poisonous to other creatures?

Like Tipsey I use the evil blue ones to protect plants

Asda seem to do some bargainous organic ones with mostly good reviews, I might give them a try:

here

Also look for slugs buried immediately under the soil around the plants. Sometimes they dig themselves in a little to protect against the sun.

Evil f*ckers

There is a fantastic, ultra green, hedgehog friendly way to keep slugs away from plants
Slug Gone - wool pellets
I put a 6 inch layer around all plants
they are utterly non toxic
but slugs and snails hate to cross them
and they rot doen into fertiliser
and they are a waste product of UK hill farms
what is not to like

Thanks for the tip @TalkinPeece!