Knowledgebase
Pole beans nipped about 4-6 inches from the ground #854902
Asked November 07, 2023, 6:44 PM EST
Hennepin County Minnesota
Expert Response
I had the same problem with my pole beans!
Did you happen to notice the bite? If the bite was at a 45-degree angle it was definitely a rabbit.
Thank you for your speedy reply! I've already cleaned up my garden for winter, so I can't check the bite angle, but your idea definitely sounds plausible. We'll just have to do more with fencing to keep them out of that part of my garden. I'm just glad that it sounds like a rabbit and not a vole, mole, or insect that might be even harder to protect from. If I didn't love homegrown green beans so much, I'd probably give up. But even the farmer's market beans, which are usually picked when they're much larger than I let mine grow, aren't quite as good as those picked when they're tender and steamed right away for supper. Again, thanks for your help. It's so nice to be able to ask gardening experts who are right here in Minnesota...Karen