We got a late start to planting our graden this year because of my health and limited money. By the time we did actually get it going it was Mother's day. We had some corn that was growing from seed that my wife had planted a couple of weeks ago, in one garden it was about 4 inches high and the other it was about 6 inches high. Last week during the night something got into our main garden and ate the corn, just the bottom where the seed and roots were and left the small stalk and leaves. Whatever it was only ate the corn in one garden but not the other one? Today I was going to water the back garden but first wanted to take a look and everything was fine, I turned on the water and left it for about 1 hour, went back to check and BAM! all the corn again had been carefully dug up and just the botton seed and roots were eaten and a small hole where they were planted remained?
At first we thought that maybe it was a skunk or raccoon because it happened over night, but now that it happened during the day AND while I was watering the garden, we are not sure? We think maybe it was squirrels but are not sure? Anyone know what would dig up the corn like that but not touch anything else in the garden? Thanks
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Drumopelli
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rainbowgardener
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If the plants were dug up, then it was definitely some critter, not say cutworms or insects. I have groundhogs that live on my hillside and raid my garden. They seem to always eat things from the top down and leave little stubs at the bottom. But I gave up on growing corn unless I could have it fenced, because EVERYBODY loves corn... wood rats, mice, shrews, on up to the raccoons, squirrels, possums, groundhogs, deer .... And the critters don't care about letting it ripen (or in your case, even grow, though I haven't had so much trouble with that).
The other thing about your plants being dug up, makes me wonder what you planted them with. When I have planted things with fish emulsion or even sometimes not totally finished compost, I have cats and other critters dig the plants up to get to what I planted them with.
The other thing about your plants being dug up, makes me wonder what you planted them with. When I have planted things with fish emulsion or even sometimes not totally finished compost, I have cats and other critters dig the plants up to get to what I planted them with.
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Gary350
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I probably is not squirls I have 8 or 9 squirls they never eat anything in my garden.
I have rabbits in my blackberry patch next to my garden rabbits don't dig and they never eat my corn.
I have had deer visit my garden they don't dig either.
Moles live in the ground, they eat grubs, worms, insects, but they are not into vegatables.
It might be groundhogs they eat, leaves, bark, roots, seeds, saplings, dandelions, cresses, violets, plantains, raspberries, blueberries, apples, cherries, pears, beechnuts, hay, clover, alfalfa, corn, beans, grass, snails and insects.
I have rabbits in my blackberry patch next to my garden rabbits don't dig and they never eat my corn.
I have had deer visit my garden they don't dig either.
Moles live in the ground, they eat grubs, worms, insects, but they are not into vegatables.
It might be groundhogs they eat, leaves, bark, roots, seeds, saplings, dandelions, cresses, violets, plantains, raspberries, blueberries, apples, cherries, pears, beechnuts, hay, clover, alfalfa, corn, beans, grass, snails and insects.
Can't say I've noticed this before in sweet corn. Other than when I get a little off row with the cultivator set sweeps a bit wide...
Geese will pick seed out of the ground like you are describing... even pull up seedlings... have had chipmunks dig seed up also.. leaving a small hole like you stuck your finger in the ground. never have seen them take a sprouted plant though
Geese will pick seed out of the ground like you are describing... even pull up seedlings... have had chipmunks dig seed up also.. leaving a small hole like you stuck your finger in the ground. never have seen them take a sprouted plant though
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rainbowgardener
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I have tons of squirrels in my yard. They mostly don't bother my garden, but they do love corn (not the plant, but once there are ears of corn) and they also like to come by and take one bite out of a nearly ripe tomato and then leave the rest (GRRR...)
Groundhogs will eat pretty much anything. As noted my groundhogs eat everything from the top down, but they certainly are capable of digging, they dig burrows to live in, so who's to say it couldn't be them.
Groundhogs will eat pretty much anything. As noted my groundhogs eat everything from the top down, but they certainly are capable of digging, they dig burrows to live in, so who's to say it couldn't be them.
Not sure but the size of one of the newer holes was about 3 - 4 inches around, maybe slightly bigger. The stalks were lying down, some were broken but the bottom part of the plants, (the roots etc) was gone. laso as I said it happened both over ngiht and during the day time while I was watering the garden? I've seen squirrels, raccons, skunks, various birds, dogs and cats in our yard but never a rabbit or a groundhog?Gary350 wrote:I probably is not squirls I have 8 or 9 squirls they never eat anything in my garden.
I have rabbits in my blackberry patch next to my garden rabbits don't dig and they never eat my corn.
I have had deer visit my garden they don't dig either.
Moles live in the ground, they eat grubs, worms, insects, but they are not into vegatables.
It might be groundhogs they eat, leaves, bark, roots, seeds, saplings, dandelions, cresses, violets, plantains, raspberries, blueberries, apples, cherries, pears, beechnuts, hay, clover, alfalfa, corn, beans, grass, snails and insects.
Today as I was going out the back door and across the deck to the main garden I scared a squirrel out of the garden area. I didn't get to see where he was or exactly what he was doing but when I checked the garden I didn't see anything else disturbedf? Right now it has us stumped