umm maybe to much water and or humidity

No, as I explained they are hanging under the eaves and so depend on me for water. They get no rainfall. Neither do I see how humidity would cause them to be cut off at soil level. They look as if they were chewed. FWIW, things seem to have stablized though I still don't know what would have been causing this problem.

I was thinking it could have been birds. I hear sometimes they are looking for food or making a nest. They are to high for most things to get to them. What about squrriels? Though my guess would be birds. I will some times get nut trees popping up in my pots I have seen scrub jays do it all the time. sometimes snails and packing peanuts.

That is a good suggestion. I am inclined to think some kind of bug? But I have no idea what bugs would be inclined to do so. Could be birds as you suggested. It is strange though that it has happened twice, right after we potted them. Then it appears to subside.