NOooooooo!!!!

I feel yer pain. The tree rats dug up a bunch of rose pogonia this morning. No matter what I use it keeps 'em away for a while then I have to change tactics. Didn't reapply pepper after the rain.

"nipped off and were lying next to the plants. "

Sounds like slugs or a cutworm of some kind? I hope you get great big pitchers out of the deal at least.

The flower buds were far enough away from the plant that it looked like something bigger must have done it.
Actually it may be better for the plants that they won't be allowed to flower. I grew them in pots last year and just got them into the bog this spring so they'll have some time to get established this year. One of my flava was blooming when I planted it out so I at least have that.
I put one-foot square sections of a kind of plastic mesh around each of the plants so the squirrels will have more difficulty uprooting the plants (maybe). A lot of holes have been dug in the non-mesh areas.
So pepper has worked for you? I might try that.
Bob

It has. I go to the dollar store and get great big containers of black pepper, cayanne, curry powder, chile powder. I keep changing which one I use. They don't mess with it for a while (week?) then they seem to overcome their distaste and I change to something else. They are better, more patient at this "game" than I am. If it rains they go straight for the bog garden, nice fluffy stuff to dig in. A couple more weeks and most of their digging should be over.

I also protect my most treasured plants by placing broken stones close to them. Maybe I'll try some mesh too.

Good luck!

I've had this happen before too. Seems that they wait right until the flowers are about to open then destroy them. They don't even eat them - just tear them apart and leave their colorful remains scattered all over.

Kwoods, I wonder if one could get Habanaro powder? That might do the trick!

Problem with Hab powder is that if a gust of wind comes by the next three City blocks would suddenly have major respiratory problems.