I have been growing some medicinal plants in an area near my garden but that has alot of weeds/ other plants growing there and i noticed one day that one of my plants was snipped off completely and nothing is left except the stem of the plant. Then a few days later the same thing happened to another plant. Does anyone know if some sort of insect is doing this? I mean i planted some tansy nearby and the other plants seem ok so far. Tansy from what i know has repellant properties because it is a scented plant in the same family as chrysanthemums and marigolds. I wonder if i should plant some more tansy nearby to prevent more damage? I dont know if it is one of those bugs that likes to snip off the main growing point of the plant? ( i cant think of the name of the insect but ive heard of it before). Besides that ive decided to put bait out to get rid of slugs. I heard beer will attract slugs and then get them to dround in it. It may be something other than slugs but ive took the precautions anyways if it is slugs. Does anyone know what kind of insect pest this may be? I know some insects like cutworms will just snip the top of your plant off? Please if anyone has advice let me know
I've had this happen. You didn't mention how big the "medicinal plants" were. But if the entire plant was gone, nothing left but a stub, my guess is .....rabbits. Peace, poor_old_dad
How about cutworms? Use aluminum foil colars at the base of the plant. My experience with rabbits is they eat a few leaves, and then a few more tomorrow. For rabbits, mix egg in a blender of water use a sprinkling can and sprinkle the mixture over the leaves of the affected plants.
if it were cutworms, the top of the plant would still be there, laying sideways, possibly still attached by a thread or two to the stump. bunnies will eat the entire thing, leaving just a gnawed on stick poking up out of the dirt.
Have you seen any large-ish holes in the ground anywhere nearby? My mom has a groundhog that does this to the onions, beans & carrots every year. Otherwise, I'd guess rabbits too. They take out most of the herbs & flowers in my mom's garden as well. Chicken wire or that plastic "fence" stuff makes a relatively effective barrier against rabbits, but I've not found anything to keep the groundhogs away yet. love, mom
Well im thinking of planting something that rabbits dont like in between to keep them away. Any suggestions of plants that rabbits dont like? Do they generally avoid weeds but like garden plants and such like petunias?
I went to a local garden center and the horticulturist there said to buy some wire cages or fencing and i decided to do that. He told me that it may only be necessary temporary until the plants are a few months old and then the rabbits will prefer other plants as they like tender young plants mostly? Is that true? I think ive heard that someplace else as well? The plants i am growing by the way are strawberries and some American ginseng. If anyone else has any other comments to add please let me know and post them here, thanks alot.
That 100% fits my experience. Around here, rabbits will eat the strangest things. I think they'll eat something just because they've never seen it before. I've had rabbits trample all over baby lettuce, just to get to, then dig up and eat radishes!!! Peace, poor_old_dad
dear have been known to do that too, i would suggest tying up a dog near by, and you might want to plant garlic around the plants, lots of pest hate garlic
