A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Plant pests and problems Mystery Thief!

When you look at the pix of my garden from yesterday to today you would see that my okra is gone! It is almost like someone stole it! So I don’t really think that is it, but is weird! I went out there today and my 3inch okra plant is just gone! Even the roots were gone! The dirt did looked moved around, but there was no hole, like someone dug it up and just filled in the hole,,,, There was no munched up looking leaf pieces or anything.. Do you know what could have done this? I live in the city of Sacramento CA in a quiet neighborhood (no like raccoons or anything.) Any ideas?

wonder if a deer would do that?

that is one smart deer if it could even do away with any scrapes and smooth the ground back out,, could a squirrel do something like that,, He may have hidden something in place of the okra and covered the hole so it looks undisturbed by other animals seeking something?

maybe a neighbor stole it.

I was yawning and looking out my window as I tried to wake up one morning. My prized columbine had its first bud and I was eagerly awaiting the grand opening. Right in front of my eyes, the whole plant disappeared, straight down. Just like a Bugs Bunny cartoon or something.
The wascally wabbit wasn't at fault but a gopher was. I did get the pesty thing. But not my beautiful plant back. It left no clue on top of the ground, not even a hole. Honest, I never blinked!
Poke around with a sharp instrument and see if the ground 'gives' anywhere around where your plant was.

were you having Irish coffee that particular morning?

I probably wouldn't have believed my own eye if I saw that Were you able to retrieve any good piece of your plant Tina??
I would have never thought 'Gopher ' makes sense tho from the bottom up as a way to steal something .
At least I know what can happen should that ever occur here,

No I've always had my morning coffee naked. I laugh about it now. Because it was really funny. But I was so broke back then in the early 80's that the loss of a hard earned plant hurt big time.
And, no Diane, I lost that plant forever and ever. But I have had lots of columbines since and only a few losses to the gophers since.

Do gophers like small broccoli plants too? I just planted mine a few days ago that I grew indoors from seed and they are are gone except two of them. Nothing is left--no tracks. I wonder if the other two will be gone by tomorrow morning....pesky critters!

hope the curtains are closed.