Plant attackers back... what are they?

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OkieBeginner Tulsa, OK Mar 31, 2015

Last year I had a heck of a time protecting my plants against being demolished. I planted tomatoes and peppers, and when the plants were about 4" or taller, they would be munched down to the stalk. Sometimes it looked like someone went along and just took scissors and cut the tops (with the leaves) off and left the wilted dead part of the plant next to it. No leaves missing, no munched out holes... just like they bit the stalk off.

Sometimes the leaves would be gone and the plant munched down to the dirt.

We finally had to make a fence and put up bird netting and it stopped. I'd really prefer not to go through with all that labor, and figure out what the heck is doing this.

Seems like this pest is back. I have a pepper plant that was cut off and the leaves were left strewn around it.

I've dusted the plants with Sevin already. I have sprayed the leaves with hot pepper wax. I don't see any pest droppings.

We leave a live trap up in the back yard and occasionally catch a neighbor's cat. We let them go. I caught a raccoon the other day and just let it go in the back yard. Didn't have the time to drive it 3 miles away.

Could it be cats? Squirrels? Raccoons? Birds even? What the heck is doing this to my plants?

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BajaBlue Rancho Santa Rita, TX(Zone 8a) Mar 31, 2015

cutworms

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Diana_K Contra Costa County, CA(Zone 9b) Apr 05, 2015

cutworms, a caterpillar that lives in the soil surface.
Use collars around the plants, and go out at night and hand pick them.
If you have chickens, then turn them loose in the vegetable beds before you plant. They will find a LOT of pests and eggs of pests.

This message was edited Apr 5, 2015 4:09 PM

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