Stinkies break ground

[Piper]

You're mean, Gin!

Julie

[Brutal_Dreamer]

Lol!

[LJA]

The Stinkies were doing great--Bruce was even starting to like them! --but we went out this morning to check on them again--everything was fine-- and literally, *an hour later*, I was passing by, and the biggest konjac was chopped off right under where the leaves came out of the stem.

I couldn't believe it. DECAPITATED. And the whole head of leaves was gone. Missing. Nowhere.

Some Damn thing had munched it.

I was furious. So I Sevin dusted all the rest of them. I have no idea what happened or what did it.

[TundraKev]

Poor baby.

Squirrel maybe?

I have a feeling these things probably have a few dormant eyes that will take over if the main stem is chomped. It might just take a while to regrow. To be on the safe side I would do a couple of things: sprinkle blood meal around the plants. Squirrels really hate this stuff and stay away from plants treated with it. You have to reapply it after a few rains. It's also a good source of Nitrogen.

To be really safe, put a couple of stakes around the stem and wrap some chicken wire around - like a little cage.

Sorry this happened.

[LJA]

I'm glad about the dormant eyes--thanks for telling me that. There's still hope!

I don't know if it was a squirrel or what, but I'll do the blood meal thing. Actually, uncasteeb sent some Fish Blood and Bone a little while back--may just try that on it.

[TundraKev]

Just thought of another critter control thing that has worked for me. For some reason they stay away from pots that I've topped off with lava rock or gravel. This is the second year I've tried this and so far no digging or no chewing. I don't think they like the sharp edges of the rock. Just a theory.

[TundraKev]

I've been checking around for you about your problem. Here's a response I got from a guy in Germany (that's why the post reads kind of strange). I asked him if these will sprout from dormant eyes if the main stem is chomped.

Hi, yes they have! After blooming ( from top of the stem, which is built as a tuber ) a dormant eye ( you have litterally translated the same word as we have! ) or more start for the foliage. I have seen pictures on the web of Indian farmers cutting big paeonis in "little" pieces of one pound to till their field ( hope I found the right expression in my dictionary! ) I.e. make the pieces grow for the next harvest.
Seeems crude to ( for? ) us, but that's lfe!
Bye
hermann

[LJA]

Kev, thanks. We're now on number two down, and the cage idea is looking more and more appealing. The odd thing is, I'd planted the two smallest bulbs in the same pot, and those are the two that got munched. The others coming up in pots right beside that one haven't been touched. Made me think it was some critter living in the soil of the pot itself, but if it is, it's gotta be one fat freakin bug at this point. I'm going to unpot the bulbs in the morning and see what, if anything, there is to see.

[TundraKev]

This is so strange. If the leaves are gone, something took them. A mouse wouldn't do that I don't think.

Do you have kids around there? I caught some little ones once tearing the big leaves off my elephant ears. They were using them for hats.

[LJA]

OMG "hats". lol!

No, no kids (well, there's Bruce... ). These are all in the back on the deck, so it's gotta be some cheeky critter. Makes me ballistic, that's for sure.