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Something is eating my plant

Something is eating my plant
Posted by Kelly Jo from Wisconsin on 2005-10-22 11:25:00

I had two little pots with some clipping of some Wandering Jew. I had repoted them from some of my own clippings. A moring a few days later I saw that there was dirt all over my end table. It looks as if there was something digging in the dirt. I cleaned up the dirt and it happend the next night. I set mouse traps up and haven't caught anything. After awhile, I noticed that the plants were being eaten as well. Several of the clippings were down to the stub. I decided to throw out the plants, dirt and all. I got clippings from a friend and potted them up yesterday. I set it on the same table. This morning somthing had messed with the dirt again. I wouldn't think a mouse would eat a plant...and if I have a mouse I usually catch it in the trap within a day. What else could it be? Could a bug make all that mess in the dirt? Help!
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    Plants being eaten
    Posted by Jeannie from Ontario 5 on 2005-12-12 09:08:00

    Here it is two months later and I cant believe you haven't received some suggestions from others before this.

    Not that I have the answer....just interest in seeing your problem solved.
    I do hope something has come about to save your plants.

    It certainly sounds like something from without is getting into the pot within....and digging.
    Right away I suspect somebody who lives in....a pet...a dog or cat.
    Mice, I've known a mouse to eat plants...they find messy kitchens and dine there. 'Course at this time of season, a warm house makes for a fine nest where they might venture out and eat the roots of plants...such as our lawns. You can see their top of surface tunnels...not exactly under the lawn...their raised mounds signal their presence. I suppose if they will eat roots of a lawn, they might indeed eat at the roots of a houseplant.

    The trap should have caught them...and you surely should see other evidence of their presence...their fecal matter for instance.

    There is on the market a tape that is double sided...the mouse ..or ??
    walks on it, gets stuck and tries to remove it, getting further stuck..finally has to eat his way out...even to the point of eating his own leg off. It is not nice to see...even for a mouse. No child should be told how it works...it is really inhumane.....but where there is a need.....

    There is also sticky stiks...but these are usually set on the surface of houseplants to catch the gnats that infest our plants. BUT...these are VERY TOXIC to pets. A cat who licks at this "STIK" could get violently sick...so use caution there.

    I hope you have solved your problem and here it is two weeks before Christmas....so
    have a happy, safe Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

    Jeannie
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