It could be anything. Armadillos to Zebras (not really :), but I know that Armadillos can tear up a lawn and flowerbed. They don't want the plants, they want the bugs under the plants. Cats are also a possibility, though they are looking to use the site as a litter box. Personally, I would bet on the armadillo. To stop them, there is a spray that I use, which is basically a type of 'scare factor'. The scent is unpleasant to animals, invoking a fear response, which gets them to leave the area and look for a more welcoming garden. It will work for deer, voles, moles...just about anything. And it is humane. I've used Plantskydd for rats (I live out in the country) that were digging up my strawberries. It worked! I wish you well! I know how frustrating that can be. Here is a link that might be useful: Plantskydd

Sue it sounds like deer. In the spring they ate my leaves as they were emerging. But, last week, just the buds on one of my dl's, my strawberry plants and leaves off my cherry trees. Didn't touch my hostas right next to the DL or any of my roses. I was lucky they only ate the buds off one of my noids and the buds from one scape on the dl next to it. There were hoof prints in the mud where I had watered the night before so I'm positive it was deer. I mix 2 eggs with a gallon of water and mist my dl's once every other week. Seems to be working.... Knock on wood. Andrea

If you have an animal problem, pick the tomatoes at the first blush of pink. Place them on a plate in the house, out of the sun. They will ripen there and be delicious. Just before frost, I pick every green tomato and ripen them indoors that way.

Hi, Bluegrassmom. Fortunately, there are not many deers running around my development. If there are, I am sure they would go for my rose bushes first. It looks like the culprit is the squirrel. They run rampant around here. With two neighbors growing 4 oak trees, it is inevitable. It started innocently enough, this peony love. I bought a few peonies to try several years ago. Then I added a few more. Then there were the sales that I couldn't pass up so I added a few more. Then I saw photos of oh so beautiful peonies posted on GW, and I gotta to grow these peonies too. Before I know it, I have added over 100 peonies to the home garden. It is crazy. But every spring that I see their blooms, it seems to be all worth it. I have gotten some new itoh peonies this fall that I am very excited about and can't wait to see their first bloom.