Do gophers climb into raise bed? Do they verbs plants out of the ground? I built a raised bed that is in the order of 10...
I built a raised bed that is in the order of 10 inches off the ground, and have be growing brocolli, carrots, and bell peppers contained by it. The last few days one of my brocolli plants was chewed completely down to the stem overnight, and the second dark, about half of another brocolli plant be chewed off. There was no signs of digging up from underneith, as the soil be undisturbed. (the bed is surrounded by concrete patio) So, the 3rd night, I covered the brocolli plants near plastic bags and that worked, except that one baby carrot plant have been completely plucked out of the ground leaving a tiny hole where on earth the developing carrot had been. Are these gophers climbing into my garden or is this some type of bug?
Answers: Doesnt sount resembling a gopher, as they tend to eat 'from below'.
Sounds more like a 'surface' animal. Depending on where on earth you live, the critter could be a turtle, rabbit, bird, or even a deer.
I'd suggest you sprinkle something around the perimeter, to see what gets tracked through it, or set up a camera and recorder to identify the critter.
If it is deer, afterwards you might try a motion sensing light to scare it rotten.
Smaller animals can be deterred by erecting a short fence of chicken wire.
Good Luck
I found quail ingestion my lettuce plants. Other birds may do the same. Gophers usually eat from below and near carrots I found the green slightly low and pulled it out with no carrot. Moles will get through notches through carrots to build their tunnels. I used chicken line below my raised beds to cut damage. It rusts out after a few years and does not allow tilling each year. Unless you achieve a swarm of locust, I doubt you would have enough insects to use up a plant to the ground.