Have you checked for slugs?? They can do that VERY easily.

-Marie

I will check, but can slugs clean out the berries of 15 plants in one night? And none of the leaves are gone...

Hey Linda-
Sorry about your strawberries- Do you have raccoons? Their nimble fingers and street smarts allow them to do amazing things.... usually during the night too!
Did you notice any tracks or trails or other signs?
Julie

Nope. No tracks, but they are mulched with woodchips so that isn't a surprise. I am figuring either raccoons or rabbits at this point. Hope they leave my raspberries alone!

Linda

What ever you do- don't even think you can keep corn from them! They have all night to figure out how to get at their seasonal favorite! Even if you have a feild of corn just across the property line- they seem to like your sweet corn best!
Best of luck with your raspberries!
Julie

Hi Linda,

I just had to add my strawberry woes. Apparently my DOG has decided she likes strawberries! For years she has stolen cherry tomatoes from the garden, now its strawberries! What a nut.

I hope your raspberries don't get eaten and all my sympathy on the strawberries. What a disappointment to have them all almost ready, then disappear!

Ann

LOL Ann, our poodle used to take crabapples off the lower branches of the tree and eat then. He also loved cherry tomatoes.

Linda, have you considered that it could be squirrels? I swear I have had berries disappear as well and that's the only creature around, though I guess the occassional rabbit does come through as well.

Glen

Glen, Never considered squirrels. You would think that with the pounds and pounds of bird seed and peanuts they steal from my bird feeders they would not be hungry. Bottomless Pits is what they are!

Linda

I've seen chipmunks steal my strawberries. And I gave up on raspberries (used to grow them in pots) since the chippy had breakfast there every morning.

Yep- my dog likes tomatoes too- and he is very good to only eat the fallen toms and raspberries- but the delicata squash is something I can never grow and expect to eat- as soon as they are ripe- they are his! He eats them after he has played with them a good long while- tossing them up high in the air and catching them- I guess they are too close to ball shape and they must smell pretty good too- at least to him! I'll never know....

It is good to hear that other people's pets play soccer with their produce! Most of the time I can maintain a sense of humor about sharing stuff with the wild and domesticated critters. Usually, they have so much to eat around here that there is not much damage. However, when three iris cristata are taken down to 1/2 inch by bunny babies, it's time for a talk!
It is so wonderful, though, to look out my kitchen window any time of day and see at least three kinds of wildlife having a ball in the garden and fountain. It's a "photo of the day" in living color and animated, besides. I love retirement!!
Lily
P.S. Oh, back on topic, sorry about your strawberries, Linda. I happen to have motion lights in the strawberry area. At least I can see "who" is eating them that way. Still lose 'em, of course. I've managed to keep the raccoons off my deck by throwing empty pop cans at them a few times. If they're everbearings, maybe you can salvage the next round with a six-foot fence? Good luck with the raspberries.