Something is eating my bean sprouts..GRR!

[Collector]

Not sure what it is, but as soon as they pop up the leaves are eaten off and just a stem is left. Could it be birds, we have lots of quail running around, and the last couple years there has been population increase of ring neck doves living in the spruce trees next to the garden. What else do you think it could be, I am hot sure a bug would eat them clean off like that. Some of the plants are fine and growing ok, but there are bare spots in the rows, we are starting more beans in the cold frame and plan on transplanting when they get larger. what ever it is it doesnt bother the plants if they get a few days old.

 

[NwMtGardener]

I also had a weird problem with my bean seed and sprouts being munched on this year!! It was right when the bean seed started to open and push up out of the soil, something would chew on the bean and sprout, leaving it damaged or even eat it completely. I finally found the culprit, some tiny little white worms!! There were several of them in the seed i found, so you can imagine how small they were. I never did anything about them, i didnt have time to deal with them. And the few bean sprouts that did make it to couple inch high seedling stage have something chewing on their leaves!! Probably the same worms...? It does sound like our problems are somewhat different, i havent seen entire leaves gone, just chewed, but i was thinking some DE around my beans probably would have helped.

 

[digitS']

Collector - What about chipmunks, ground squirrels, marmots, rabbits and deer?

If you can get a little further into the season, they will probably leave them alone, altho' I don't know about the worms Heather talks about. I have zero bush beans planted. They are my best 2nd crop. I used to think I could plant them right thru July but can at least go until the 15th without losing the crop to frost.

The few pole beans are in another garden where I've never seen a rabbit so they are a little safer from those guys. I think I'll get some bush beans in where the radish are coming out next week. There have been years when it seemed that half my veggie garden has been planted to beans by the end of July .

Steve

 

[lesa]

Same exact thing happening here.... Always something!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I had that earlier this year. Every night, one or two bean plants would be eaten down to a short section of the stem. Leaves and everything were gone. This was within a week or two of them sprouting. They started at one end and were progressing down the row, taking each plant in turn.

My culprit was rats. Big rats. After the rats were removed, my problem went away.

I'm sure other things could be doing it for you, but yeah, it is always something.

 

[desertlady]

I just lost my beloved green bean vine last week. It lived to be at least 6 weeks old . Darn mice, or ground squirrels. GRRRR!!!!!!!

 

[ninnymary]

When my beans are eaten like that, it's snails. I put oyster shell around them and that works. Later when they start growing, snails will occasionally make holes in the leaves. I think it's because by then some of the oyster shell gets buried when I water.

Mary

 

[catjac1975]

I had a thought. Did you ever see leaves? Has it been real wet? I have had beans stunted so as the leaves do not develop. If I remember correctly it was when we had a cool wet spring.

Not sure what it is, but as soon as they pop up the leaves are eaten off and just a stem is left. Could it be birds, we have lots of quail running around, and the last couple years there has been population increase of ring neck doves living in the spruce trees next to the garden. What else do you think it could be, I am hot sure a bug would eat them clean off like that. Some of the plants are fine and growing ok, but there are bare spots in the rows, we are starting more beans in the cold frame and plan on transplanting when they get larger. what ever it is it doesnt bother the plants if they get a few days old.

 

[Collector]

So yesterday I did some investigating and turned up nothing untill I saw my backyard neihbor. He was telling me how he lost everything in his garden as soon as it sprouted, and didnt know what was getting it, same problem I am having. A few minutes later he asks me if I have seen the squirrels yet;;;;; SQUIRRELS ,I have never seen a squirrel in this town for all the 16 years we've been here. I am stopping by my BIL place and picking up his live rodent trap today! Squirrels for crying out loud, Whats next prolly Elk.

 

[lesa]

I'm guessing it is squirrels leaving the teeth marks in my strawberries!