mjhjmtu

I have some rows of beets, and it seems that something has started to eat their beet greens. Interestingly, whatever is eating them seems to be working its way methodically up the row, rather than eating the biggest ones first. There are not many fallen greens on the ground which makes me think it is a critter and not a bug. I have a fenced-in yard so nothing bigger than a raccoon could get in (there is space under the fence). If it helps, I am in the US Pacific Northwest region.

Are there critters out there that like to eat beet greens?

UPDATE

Animals we have seen in the past

• Cats


• Moles


• Rabbit (in a previous year)


• Dog

We also have other vegetables that have not been eaten (yet!)

• Tomatos


• Cucumber


• Beans


• Brussels Sprouts


• Carrots

UPDATE

I was able to get a footprint, but unfortunately it is not well-defined. The fact that it is so light does make me think that the critter is more rabbit-sized than deer-sized.

Looks like rabbits to me. Where is it you live? What animals have you observed? This is how rabbits eat; they leave the tougher main vein and eat the leaf completely.

PNW is famous for slugs. Surely you are able to recognize a slug slime trail? Were there any slime trails?

I see bunnies snacking. We have wild bunnies that are easy to keep out of the garden using wire fencing...just 2 to 3 feet in height.

If you had evidence of tomatoes or cucumbers or squash being eaten then I would say rodents: Mice, voles, rats. Far smaller than Raccoons who like oysters, chickens, richer foods than just vegeys. You need to put in a wire fence that baby bunnies are not able to get through.

I am worried about that beet plant in your picture. Why would those leaves on the periphery be acting like they are in drought? Look at the beet itself. Beets that large should be harvested and eaten anyway. You should be enjoying those leaves cooked like spinach! Total yummmmm! Look to see if that beet is being chewed on by...rabbits or rodents. Mice and rats will go for the beet, a tomato, an eggplant, shelling peas over sugar flat pea pods. Do you have cats? Whatever you do do not put out poison!

If you could take a picture of the 'chew marks' left on those petioles, that would help narrow the suspect (s) down considerably. Look at the beet poking above the soil. Pull the soil back and look for chew marks. Pull the chunky mulch stuff back and put fine soil down around your plants. You will readily be able to see tracks and scat!

It sort of looks like deer damage to me. Could a deer leap your fence? If the weather has been dry the hoof marks would be harder to see than in moist soil. My concern about it being rabbit is that rabbits would work their way up one side of the row, that is from the side, deer would work from the top down and both sides. Deer can come at night and be gone by early morning. Deer are fond of beets and beans, what other plants are under attack as well as beets?