Yesterday morning I took a walk down the length of the driveway to check on the plants in the bed alongside it. I noticed that my peppers plants looked a bit odd. They were sheered evenly along the top. Hot peppers and sweet peppers alike were affected. Then I noticed that the buds on my 'Chicago Peace' rose were gone as well.
There are two large rabbits and a tiny baby that have the front yard as part of their turf. Rabbits have been running around the front for years. I always make sure that any plant on their diet is along the front walk which they tend to avoid. I have never had a problem with them eating pepper plants. Even if they suddenly developed a taste for them, wouldn't they eat from the bottom up and not the top down?
There are deer very close, the mountain is full of them. I am hoping that this was an isolated incident. I moved once because I could not deal with deer eating everything in sight!
What do you think? Would rabbits stand on their hind legs and sheer off the top of a plant? I have a bad feeling about this...
My guess would be it's a deer. Rabits don't usually bother peppers. But deer are known to love roses.
ReplyDeleteMy vote is for deer. I'll have to wait and see of the damage reappears.
DeleteIf it were my neighborhood I'd say groundhog. But then we don't get deer here. I guess it is one nice thing about living in the city.
ReplyDeleteThat is the one animal I haven't spotted here. I used to have problems wiith groundhogs in NJ too.
DeleteI would second the vote for deer, especially if the bottom foliage is untouched. Can't see why a rabbit would reach for the top if food was available in easy reach.
ReplyDeleteI'll be keeping a close eye on things. I'm hoping it was a just a stray.
DeleteOh, no....not the peppers! Are the plants ruined? That's the "problem" with incorporating edible plants into the floral landscape. In a backyard vegetable garden you can build ugly structures and fences to keep the animals out. In the potager or ornamental garden, that would just defeat the purpose of combining food and flowers for beauty. Even in my regular garden I hate the looks of the net covered boxes over the beds, but shredded or leaf miner ravaged leaves are even uglier.
ReplyDeleteNever fear! The bulk of the peppers are in the backyard with it's 6ft privacy fence. If it is deer, I'm surprised that the tomatoes were untouched. I'll have to keep a clos eye on things.
DeleteWe have deer and rabbits and you name it. Deer will jump an eight foor privacy fence at a standing position. I have seen it. They are amazing. I had to build Fort Knox to keep them out of the garden--plastic fencing with a top. It is unusual for deer or rabbir to eat hot peppers. Lisa
Delete