What would chew through a morning glory stem?

Hi--I was wondering if anyone in this forum could be of assistance. This year I planted a bed of Heavenly Blues and have them trained up a trellis--everything's been going fabulously until yesterday when I noticed two of my vines wilting, which was odd because none of the other vines were wilting (I've grown to expect that mid-to-late afternoon wilt). I checked the bottom of the plants and noticed that something had chewed through the stems about an inch or so above the soil line. I still have a number of other vines so not all is lost, but I was just wondering what type of creature would have done this? Has anyone else had this happen, and if so is there anything I can do to prevent it? This all just seems very odd to me. Any thoughts and ideas would be very appreciated. Thanks!

Rabbits and chipmunks do it for me. Could be slugs too, did you see any shiny slime or sticky goo?

Chipmunks! Arrrrgh! ()*#&$(*&#. That must be it.

We put up a bird feeder last fall and this spring the chipmunks and the squirrels have been feasting on what the birds drop (we have a baffle so the critters can't get up it, but still enough drops to keep everyone happy.) We have hawks--I don't understand why more chipmunks aren't ending up on the hawk menu more often.

Thanks. :) Not sure what I can do about the chipmunks though. Any suggestions?

A couple cats...but then you got to keep Them out of your plants with fencing. :)

I always threaten to poison them but...never do. Just kind of say a few cuss %#*!! words at them and put up with it!!! ♥

Cutter worms perhaps(?)...
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/vines/msg0520395913999.html?11

Thanks for your suggestions everyone. I can't do the cats route because I do love our birds and I worry enough about them with the hawks. :) I also don't think I could do poison and no-kill traps are expensive, so I think I'm going to have to get out the deer-netting and set some around the base of the plants. I lost another three vines this morning--one vine had blooms on it.

I really, really wish the hawks would choose to have chipmunk fricase' more often. :p

I've had the same thing happen here. I think my "chewed" vine was from an insect. I guess one more reason to grow the MGs in a pot rather than directly in the ground. :-/

(fingers crossed) They haven't feasted on my plants this year, but what is up with the wildlife this year? Night before last I was out on the deck at dusk and spied a pair of skunks clammering toward the house along the chainlink... I mean they were bumping up against it and making noise. One came within about 25 ft of me and I grabbed something and banged on the railing... (yuck! I'm on the deck every night!) It was trash day the next day so we had trash cans at the end of the driveway (with bungy cords to hold lids)... a friend had visited me and she said when she left (it was dark by then) there were 3 racoons scrounging around the trash. They just looked up at her and went back to foraging..... she tried to startle them from a distance, and one she could have touched. I live in a small town with fields on one side and the "city" on the other, so I expect to occasionally see a "passer-by", but really they are so brave! We have opossums too! I do have a burn pile of broken tree limbs and bush trimings, I should burn it soon. Might try throwing some moth balls around.....Burning the limbs would probably help some, but they don't appear to have any fear of humans. I don't know what I'll do if they decide to visit my flowers when I'M outside in the evenings! I really don't want to catch a skunk in a no-kill trap. Toooooo messy!

Ron--sorry, I did mean to add in my last post that I thought cutworms worked solely at soil level and mostly affect fairly young and tender seedlings. These bases are fairly "woody" at this point and the chewed through part is a few inches above the soil line, so I don't think it's cutworms, but what I know about gardening could fit on the head of a pin so I could be wrong.

Becky--what insect do you think yours was?

Aunt B--wow--it sounds like you really have a lot of activity going on around you! I don't know if you try to garden organically, but you may want to reconsider the mothballs. I had someone suggest to me to put mothballs in the ground when I plant my fall bulbs to discourage the critters, but it turns out that the mothballs you purchase today are definitely NOT organic and actually contain known carcinogens. Just thought I'd share that with you. :)

Well, gosh. I didn't know. Thanks for the tip, Niere..... Still might throw them around on the ground where I keep my trash cans.... I'd call the city department, but they would probably just have the sheriff kill them. The critters are just doing what comes naturally.... the foraging NOT the coming to sit on my lap part. I'll start by getting rid of the burn pile. I mean Snow White IS my favorite Disney movie and all, but THIS is ridiculous! Ah, Ah, Ah, ah, ah! I'm wishing, I'm wishing.... that the skunks go away.

Shunks and racoons are mostly nocturnal animals that like to rumage through garbage at night...lids on the cans helps but not everyone keeps lids on the cans...waiting until it's light outside to put the garbage out helps prevent the skunks,racoons and bears from coming around at night...

Otherwise predator urine will work but is a bit expensive
http://www.getridofthings.com/getridofskunks.htm

TTY,...

Ron

I do have the lids strapped down with bungy cords and we keep the "food garbage" in the garage, trash men come before I'm outta bed.... but I know what you're saying, Ron. I just think they seem pretty domesticated for animals I wish would just go back to the prairie.. well, I live in the Flint Hills so I wish they'd just head for the hills! Interesting trap they had... but once captured, JUST THROW A SHEET OVER IT and relocate...???? I don't think I'd want to have just a sheet between me and it!

I have no idea what is chewing up the stems on my MGs. But I do believe it is an insect not a squirrel or some other critter.

I say slugs. They come out of the ground at night, and are scarce during the day unless it is pouring down rain. If it is an insect you should be able to find some. I would put some slug bait out there anyway just to be safe. Frank

Might it be a grasshopper? I've noticed they are hanging around my pretties more than they were a month ago.

Well--it's happening again! This year I planted my mg's in a different place and sprayed with Bobbex--it works great keeping deer away, thought it would work well for chippies too. Well, at this point I don't know what it is. The other day I found two vines that were nibbled at the top--that's when I sprayed the Bobbex. Today I go out and find a handful of vines cut off and soil level and couldn't find a cut worm.

I've got some mg's in pots that seem fine but I'm about done with trying them in the ground. Ugh! :p

I had a rodent (rat) chewing mine at the base of my vines. Destroyed several vines before I used a 2 liter bottle cut off at the bottom and top and slipped over the vine and wedged into the ground. Haven't lost any more vines lately. And no problem with any in pots either. :-)

Sorry to hear it happened again to you. I feel your pain! Been there, too ...

This message was edited Jul 22, 2008 6:12 PM

The soda bottle's a good idea! Can't try it this year, as the MG's are WAY too big, but next year definately! I don't have chipmunks, but I do have rabbits and slugs. I've noticed that I have alot less critter problems when I leave my perimeter lights on at night.

Becky--I like the soda bottle idea! Will have to save it for next year though. Broncbuster--my mg's are just out of range of our motion detector lights. Figures!

Just called my local gardening extension and this is what I'm going to try so as to hopefully cover all the bases:

1. Toothpicks at the base of each plant, just in case it is cutworms and I can't find them.

2. Bloodmeal sprinkled in the bed to keep critters away.

3. Will spray again with Bobbex, just in case any got washed off.

If this doesn't work, I will officially give up on mg's grown in the soil. If it does work, I'll be happy to let you know! :) Thanks everybody!

You could still try the soda bottle idea ...

Slice the bottle up the side, pull it open, slip it around the base of the vine, then tape it closed, and wedge into the ground. Worth trying.

I am always afraid to use bloodmeal because it attracts dogs, cats, and raccoons to that part of my yard. They either roll in it or dig in it.

Seeds are the food of rodents...and mice and their larger nocturnal relatives will eat just about anything,including many things that may deter other types of animals...e.g., blood may deter strict vegetarians like deer,but not animals that will eat any type of flesh...

Rodents establish very definite 'runways' that they memorize and like to keep cleared so that they can scurry and get away from any potential predators very fast...nocturnal rodents are particularly vigilant about keeping their runways cleared,especially any runways along the edges / borders of things e.g., fences,walls etc.,...

The companies that offer the predator urine will not tell you how to get it to work the longest,because they want you to continue to buy it more often...

The predator urine does wash away when it rains...

I've heard of people making dispenser / dispersal units for the predator urine consisting of some type of covered device with a reservoir of diluted urine with a wick in it...this way the urine is dispensed at a steady rate and the covering will not allow the rain to completely remove it...so,several strategically placed air-dispensers (secured firmly in place so that they cannot be knocked over) may be the right trick...also applying the urine to the water protected under-surface of objects where it will not wash away easily is better than applying to the upper surface where it can be affected by the sun and rain...


Traps placed strategically along runways may be necessary if the choice is between MG's or rodents...

Predators that hunt during the daylight hours may not adequately address nocturnal rodents...and I haven't seen any owl urine offered as of yet...

You can likely rescue your cut MG vines by carefully placing the upper cut end into a container of water to rehydrate the vine and afterwards attempting to root it by placing it into appropriate rooting medium / potting soil...you might need to carefully unwind some of the lower stem to free up enough of the stem to place it into a container that is elevated somewhat off of ground level...if you can keep it very well watered >the lower portions of the base stem are often very responsive to re-rooting...

Hope that helps...

TTY,...

Ron

My cats take care of the chipmunks!! Last year I had a chain link fence covered with MG's, now I see the little munchkins running along the fence because the cats are camped under the tree waiting for them. Grrrrr!! But the same MG are coming up in strange places, by the basement door, in a flower bed on the other side of the house????


Susan

Ron - I agree with you about the rodents clearing their paths by chewing plants down. I am sure that was what was happening to my MGs until I added the soda bottles around the bases. Every once in while, I see another annual plant in that area falling over, which I don't worry too much about. I was mainly trying to protect the MGs and a couple of other vines. LOL!

Some of the rodents haven't been removed by the owls yet. I hear the owls hooting every night from the trees in the vacant property directly behind my backyard fence. :-) I am sure they hang out near my yard because they know the rodents come through my yard. :-) Dinner time I am sure! :-)

Here is a photo I got of one of the owls (there is a family of at least 3) taken back in February. It perches right on my birdfeeder, waiting for the rodents to come at night to eat the seeds on the ground. :-) I walked right up to this owl and snapped several photos. It's a small brown owl. Probably a Florida native. But looking at those claws, I wouldn't want it to get mad at me! LOL!

My yard seems to have become quite a habitat for numerous creatures. It's always fascinating to watch the eco-system here. :-)

I'll keep using my empty soda bottles until they chew through one! LOL!

Wish I had read this when I got home. :) Ron, your explanation about why the chipmunks are ripping down the mg's makes sense to me now. I've spent most of the day irritated because I couldn't figure out "why" they were doing it. Now I understand. Not happy about it, but it at least makes sense to me now.

As soon as I got home from picking up the coyote urine and bloodmeal I applied both, resprayed with Bobbex and covered the mg's with bird netting that is held down with rocks and small logs. My mg's are still small enough to do this (I got started very late with them.) I was able to thread the vines through the small holes in the bird netting.

Becky--I may still try the soda bottle idea, I just wouldn't have enough soda bottles to do the trick. If the above doesn't work I'll definitely try it with the few mg's I'll have left. And I love your owl picture! I know we have hawks and have no idea why they aren't taking care of the chipmunks for us.

I'm pretty sure it's not cutworms at this point--As I was leaving the house to pick up the coyote urine I checked on the mg's again and two more stalks were torn in half, midway up. Little (&#)($&#(*&#'s. :p

*Edit*--Becky--the soda bottles don't bake the mg's?

This message was edited Jul 22, 2008 7:05 PM

Neire - As long as I keep the vines/roots watered, the soda bottles don't seem to bother them. Of course, it's been rainy and cloudy here a lot lately, so maybe I just haven't had an issue with the bottles and the sun yet. Could you try it on one vine and see what happens?

I'm so sorry you are having this issue. I know how frustrating and discouraging it can be. I was very upset when it happened to me. :-( But you'll figure out a solution, I am sure! :-)

Well, so far so good. It's the next morning and nothing has been torn, eaten, ripped up and out or shredded. Woo hoo! :D