Something is destroying my green lettuce and snow peas as soon as they break ground - Ask Extension
I have a fairly large vegetable garden, 9 8'x3' raised beds behind a 9' high deer and rabbit fence. This year I have had most of my green lettuce and...
Knowledgebase
Something is destroying my green lettuce and snow peas as soon as they break ground #865090
Asked April 19, 2024, 10:16 AM EDT
I have a fairly large vegetable garden, 9 8'x3' raised beds behind a 9' high deer and rabbit fence. This year I have had most of my green lettuce and almost all of my snow peas destroyed as soon as the plants break ground. I've had successful harvests for over 40 years. This is the second year my snow peas have failed, and yesterday I found two of the 1" tall snow peas cut off at ground level. I have only two plants left out of 16' of planted rows. Red lettuce, radishes and carrots are fine, but black-seeded simpson, cos and butter crunch have been devastated. What is doing this? What can I do?
Montgomery County Maryland
Expert Response
There are several potential culprits, and it can be hard to narrow-down which it might be without photos of the damage. (If it keeps happening, feel free to send pictures later.) Could rabbits have dug under the fence, or does it have a buried portion (especially if it angles out at an L shape to discourage digging)? Similarly, could groundhogs have gotten in? They can dig under fences, but can also climb surprisingly high up and over a fence in some cases.
Cutworms can sever seedlings at ground level. While activity often peaks in May, they might be out now, given our spells of warm weather earlier and a mild winter. If you inspect plants at night, you might catch them in the act. If found, the linked page includes management options.
Voles may be less likely, but if any plants are missing entirely (roots included), they might be at fault. Runways near the soil surface tend to give them away, but in recently-churned soil from planting, might be harder to spot.
This web page lists a few other insect, disease, or wildlife possibilities: Vegetable Seedlings or Transplants are Damaged, Eaten, or Fall Over
Miri
Cutworms can sever seedlings at ground level. While activity often peaks in May, they might be out now, given our spells of warm weather earlier and a mild winter. If you inspect plants at night, you might catch them in the act. If found, the linked page includes management options.
Voles may be less likely, but if any plants are missing entirely (roots included), they might be at fault. Runways near the soil surface tend to give them away, but in recently-churned soil from planting, might be harder to spot.
This web page lists a few other insect, disease, or wildlife possibilities: Vegetable Seedlings or Transplants are Damaged, Eaten, or Fall Over
Miri
