What Is Eating My Plants?

“What is eating my plants?” is a question that thousands of gardeners ask yearly. Unfortunately, realizing that your plants have become someone’s meal is the easy part. Discovering who the culprit is may take a little detective work. From the tiniest bugs and slugs to rabbits, deer, and even coyotes, our gardens can fall prey to all sorts of plant “predators.”

With a little common sense and some know-how, it is possible to rid your garden of unwanted pests, large or small. This article will discuss some of the best and most affordable tips to protect your garden so that you and your family can once again enjoy the taste of freshly grown fruits and vegetables.

Your garden is an entire ecosystem taking place right in your backyard. From unseen microbes and wriggling earthworms just below the soil surface to the honeybee pollinating your newly planted raspberry bushes, your garden has a naturally occurring balance of good and harmful “pests.” The gardener’s job is not only to care for and nurture the plants but also to care for and nurture the beneficial bugs and microbes living there. Therefore, when ridding the garden of harmful pests, avoid using pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals, as they can harm beneficial bugs such as honeybees.

When asking, “What is eating my plants?” If you have small holes in leaves of plants, you are probably dealing with a bug problem. The list of insects that eat plants is long, so let’s run through some of the most common species.

Even though eliminating bugs from your garden is impossible, reducing the number of harmful bug visitors is possible.

Deterring birds from your garden can cause the gardener more harm than good. A natural predator to many garden pests, birds benefit gardeners in many ways. Unfortunately, birds will sometimes feed off of berries and tender young plants. Try the tips below to prevent birds from harming your berries or plants.

You have crossed bugs off the list, but your plants are still getting destroyed. Which has left you pondering, “What’s eating my plant leaves?” The likely culprit is probably rabbits. So the next question may be. How to get rid of rabbits without killing them?

The good news is that rabbit-proofing your garden doesn’t have to be difficult, as rabbits can be very easy to deter. While there are many ways to discourage rabbits from your garden, the list below contains some of the most proven.

The first thought in a gardener’s mind when they wonder, “What is eating my plant leaves?” is probably not a deer. However, deer eat many plants and are notorious for destroying not just your garden plants but also shrubs, bushes, and fruit trees. While they may be one of the most challenging creatures to keep out of your garden, it is possible to deer-proof your vegetable garden.

Are coyotes omnivores? Yes, they are. While most coyotes prefer to eat meat, they also enjoy fruits and vegetables from your garden. Coyotes are the number one predator of growing watermelons. So, if your watermelon is being eaten on the spot or carried away, chances are your garden thief is a coyote. Like all garden predators, the best way to protect your vegetation from coyotes is to deter coyotes from visiting in the first place. Due to their intelligence and athleticism, coyotes often jump or climb fences to get into your garden and have also been known to chew through and dig under fences.

However, it is possible to deter coyotes from your garden and build a fence to keep coyotes out. While nothing is foolproof to deter coyotes, following these suggestions should help prevent coyotes from gaining access to your fruit and vegetables.

Need more help deterring pests and animals from destroying your plants? Check out the two quick lists below.

The best ways to avoid unwanted visitors in your garden checklist include:

Check out this quick checklist for a way to repel animals from your garden.

So, what is eating my plants? A lot. But with the proper tools, it is possible to repel pests and animals from your garden so you and your family can enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Erin Snyder lives in the Northeast with her family and flock of pet chickens. You can follow her at her gluten-free blog: Kristi’s Country Kitchen

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