My guess is that it's rabbits or deer (and deer usually leave tracks). Rabbits are very territorial. If you can find FRESH rabbit manure, spread it around the perimeter of your garden and the bunnies will stay away. You may need to reapply. I've noticed that once my plants become large, they're less appealing to rabbits.

Jennifer

Definately not deer. A small animal that digs for sure, i'm almost positive it's a rabbit but maybe others may have other ideas. Now if i could only find some fresh rabbit poop that didn't come from the one who's been eating my plants.......

Maybe someone on Craigslist could help you out. My cousin bought a spray that kept rabbits away but it wasn't a very frugal or organic method of pest control. Good luck.

My dad had this problem in East Texas so he set up an electric fence. Yes, it's uncomfortable for the rabbits but doesn't really hurt them but it works.

While watering my plants today i saw something poke it's nose out from under the deck and it resembled a mouse i didn't see the whole body so i can't say for sure. Is it possible that mice destryed all those plant?

Just as an update for anyone who might be having similar problems. 2 mice caught in traps who knows how many more poisoned as i see they have been munching on bait. No more signs of foliage stripping activity so i replaced the plants lost in the ground (good thing i had lots of extras). As for the experiment of planting a full month and a half (maybe even 2 months) early for my zone i'm pretty happy with the results so far. I see flower buds on one of my stupice plants :).

If you have rabbit problems, chicken wire is really fairly cheap and easy to set up as a temporary barrier. The two foot size would likely stop all but the really aggressive bunnies. You wouldn't have to make it tight and pretty, since as has been said, the plants lose their appeal when they get bigger, and you could take the fence down, roll it up, and use it for many years to come. I strung some around a raised bed with cucumbers and squash in it because the bunnies were chewing on things. Aside from having the cucumbers grow into it it was pretty effective. I just had stakes at the corners and in the middle for my 4x24 bed.

Chuck

Maybe you could adapt this to swoosh away those whilly rabbits.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rabbit swoosher

Yep field mice are real problem. They seem to appear early and stake out a claim to any new seedlings that show up. Trapping and poisoning is the only for sure methods I know of but if you're lucky their natural enemies show up too so you don't have to resort to those methods. Nothing I like better than to hear the screech of a hawk or the hoot of an owl when those mice show up. I,then, know that the cycle is complete.

I had most of my tomatoes carried off by squirrels and rabbits in 2007. Last year I got a battery operated electric fence at Tractor Supply and it really did the trick! I had a bumper crop in 08.

I know how to deal with rabbits. What would you do about raccoons?

Large cat manure can be purchased at some nurserys. Spead it around your garden and reapply when it gets washed away. That will scare anything away. Rabbit,Deer,Raccoons it doesn't matter what.

that might scare me too.