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Disappearing garden #865345

Asked April 21, 2024, 7:24 PM EDT

My mom. age 91, has a disappearing garden. For the past 2 years, we plant seeds which grow into pretty leafy vegetables. The next time I go out they are disappearing with large holes or totally gone overnight. I tried to replant but nothing came up. When I dug up the row, no seeds were there. It is a raised garden with sand. It is very frustrating to put in so much effort and get very little to harvest. Do you have any idea what could be causing her garden to disappear? I do see ants on the ground and we have sprayed for bugs but no help.

Defiance County Ohio

Expert Response

It sounds as though a critter is removing your plants.  It could be deer, a squirrel, or a raccoon, or possibly a ground hog or gopher or vole.  The first article below is a response to a similar question by another Ask an Expert Master Gardener volunteer.  The second is a more general overview of different garden wildlife pests and how to control them.  It will be helpful if you can identify the specific pest, since control measures vary depending on the pest.
https://ask2.extension.org/kb/faq.php?id=624854
http://npic.orst.edu/pest/wildyard.html
Good luck to you in avoiding a 'disappearing' garden this season.
An Ask Extension Expert Replied April 23, 2024, 2:10 PM EDT

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