Butch 194 #1 Posted May 22, 2014 They're uprooting the plant and then chewing the plant off the root system. It can not be moles. There are no mole hills or anything indicating mole damage. But it's pissing me off!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Desko 610 #2 Posted May 23, 2014 Crows and other birds put pie tins on string up it'll keep them away Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bowtieguy 334 #3 Posted May 23, 2014 Most likely it is called a "cut worm"...at least that used to be the common term when I was a kid...nasty little devils that can ruin a corn crop!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jim_M 178 #4 Posted May 23, 2014 Rabbits will do that, groundhogs too. Last year I shot 5 ground hogs in my garden and 7 in my neighbor's. The hawks, bald eagles and owls took care of the rabbits. Between the rabbits, groundhogs and deer I had a pretty pathetic gardening year last year. This year I put an electric fence around the garden with one wire about 4" high and the other 4 feet high. I also planted a food plot for the deer and rabbits 150 feet away from the garden, close to the edge of the woods. So far it's all working. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Butch 194 #5 Posted May 23, 2014 Frank whatever it is it's pulling out the large root system. So I don't think it's a worm. We don't have groundhogs and I haven't seen a rabbit around here in years. If there was one I think my cat would kill it. Desko would the birds be pulling the root system out of the ground? The roots haven't taken hold yet. It's still has the shape of the cellular pack that it comes in. I do have plenty of squirrels and they love our tomatoes. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RMCIII 838 #6 Posted May 23, 2014 Got a photo of how it looks? Just listening to the thread, it sounds like it is a skunk. They dig up plants, and just eat the roots. Possum will sometimes do the same thing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Desko 610 #7 Posted May 23, 2014 Yes because they will be after the corn kernel. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Butch 194 #8 Posted May 23, 2014 I'll get a photo. They did more damage. We have had possums and skunks in the past. Now a mole just took our 8" tall tomato plant. These were pregrown and from a cell pack. So they have a good size root system in the peat moss and soil. That mole sucked EVERYTHING down into his hole. This has been a bad year for moles and our cat has already caught over a dozen of them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Desko 610 #9 Posted May 24, 2014 Time for another cat? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
steelman 251 #10 Posted May 24, 2014 Turkey's and crows are the likely culprits. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Butch 194 #11 Posted May 27, 2014 Crows and other birds put pie tins on string up it'll keep them away Hang pie tins from tree branches? How close to the garden must they be? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Desko 610 #12 Posted May 27, 2014 Not necessarily trees you can put poles up the sound it makes when it hits the poles scare them away Share this post Link to post Share on other sites