I've had a "shamrock" plant sitting on my deck for years. I put
"shamrock" in quotes because I don't know what real Irish shamrock
is, but I bought this in California and I'm quite certain it's some
kind of oxalis. It usually looks like the one in this photo:

http://thetrustygardener.com/blog/wp...03/Oxalis1.jpg

However, as of a couple of days ago, mine looks like this:

http://wintertime.com/Personal/Plants/oxalis.jpg

I found a little bit of snail slime inside the pot, but the plant
has been sitting in the same spot for a long time with no previous
problems of the flowers and leaves disappearing, despite the presence
of snails in the area for years. Also, I think a snail would have to
be pretty small to make it up those thin stalks. This plant was eaten
within two or three days.

The only other things I can think of that could have eaten that much
that quickly are squirrels and raccoons. Are either of them interested
in oxalis? A quick Google search didn't turn up anything.

I've got the plant up on a garden toolbox right now, and I can leave
it there so it can regrow, but I'm still curious what could have done
so much damage in just a couple of days! Any ideas?


Patty

On 20 Oct 2014 18:21:23 GMT, (Patty Winter) wrote:

I've had a "shamrock" plant sitting on my deck for years. I put
"shamrock" in quotes because I don't know what real Irish shamrock
is, but I bought this in California and I'm quite certain it's some
kind of oxalis. It usually looks like the one in this photo:

http://thetrustygardener.com/blog/wp...03/Oxalis1.jpg

However, as of a couple of days ago, mine looks like this:

http://wintertime.com/Personal/Plants/oxalis.jpg

I found a little bit of snail slime inside the pot, but the plant
has been sitting in the same spot for a long time with no previous
problems of the flowers and leaves disappearing, despite the presence
of snails in the area for years. Also, I think a snail would have to
be pretty small to make it up those thin stalks. This plant was eaten
within two or three days.

The only other things I can think of that could have eaten that much
that quickly are squirrels and raccoons. Are either of them interested
in oxalis? A quick Google search didn't turn up anything.

I've got the plant up on a garden toolbox right now, and I can leave
it there so it can regrow, but I'm still curious what could have done
so much damage in just a couple of days! Any ideas?


Patty

Groundhog?

Boron

In article ,
Boron Elgar wrote:

Groundhog?

Nothing like that around here (suburban San Jose). Haven't even
seen a possum in years. Squirrels and raccoons are the only things
bigger than a bird in this area.


Patty

On 20 Oct 2014 21:09:45 GMT, Patty Winter
wrote:


In article ,
Boron Elgar wrote:

Groundhog?

Nothing like that around here (suburban San Jose). Haven't even
seen a possum in years. Squirrels and raccoons are the only things
bigger than a bird in this area.


Patty

If it one of the edible varieties, perhaps a human came by and snipped
of the leaves.

On 10/20/2014 2:21 PM, Patty Winter wrote:
I've had a "shamrock" plant sitting on my deck for years. I put
"shamrock" in quotes because I don't know what real Irish shamrock
is, but I bought this in California and I'm quite certain it's some
kind of oxalis. It usually looks like the one in this photo:

http://thetrustygardener.com/blog/wp...03/Oxalis1.jpg

However, as of a couple of days ago, mine looks like this:

http://wintertime.com/Personal/Plants/oxalis.jpg

I found a little bit of snail slime inside the pot, but the plant
has been sitting in the same spot for a long time with no previous
problems of the flowers and leaves disappearing, despite the presence
of snails in the area for years. Also, I think a snail would have to
be pretty small to make it up those thin stalks. This plant was eaten
within two or three days.

The only other things I can think of that could have eaten that much
that quickly are squirrels and raccoons. Are either of them interested
in oxalis? A quick Google search didn't turn up anything.

I've got the plant up on a garden toolbox right now, and I can leave
it there so it can regrow, but I'm still curious what could have done
so much damage in just a couple of days! Any ideas?


Patty

Dirt around pot makes me think squirrels.

In article ,
Frank wrote:

[snip]

Dirt around pot makes me think squirrels.

Oh, sorry if I wasn't clear. The plant HAD been on the deck, but
I moved it atop a garden toolbox to minimize the chance of it
being attacked again. In the process, I took it out of its external
pot. The dirt you see is just the lower part of the roots that had
grown through the bottom of the internal part.

Nonetheless, squirrels are still suspects. Do you know whether
they eat oxalis?


Patty

On 10/22/2014 3:00 PM, Patty Winter wrote:
In article ,
Frank wrote:

[snip]

Dirt around pot makes me think squirrels.

Oh, sorry if I wasn't clear. The plant HAD been on the deck, but
I moved it atop a garden toolbox to minimize the chance of it
being attacked again. In the process, I took it out of its external
pot. The dirt you see is just the lower part of the roots that had
grown through the bottom of the internal part.

Nonetheless, squirrels are still suspects. Do you know whether
they eat oxalis?


Patty


I was curious and had googled and found this:

http://www.whatdosquirrelseat.info/

Maybe not specific but squirrels eat vegetation while raccoons are more
omnivore. I have trouble with both.

Deer are my biggest problem and when they have a tough time finding the
stuff they like they eat my ivy and even evergreens. Your critters may
be hard up for food.

On Monday, October 20, 2014 2:09:45 PM UTC-7, Patty Winter wrote:
In article ,
Boron Elgar wrote:

Groundhog?

Nothing like that around here (suburban San Jose). Haven't even
seen a possum in years. Squirrels and raccoons are the only things
bigger than a bird in this area.


Patty

Hi Patt,

I'm in Contra Costa Co and we have lots of critters. None of them eat plants, tomatoes, yes, plants, no.

However, I have had snails take down a plant overnight. This is what I suspect is the case here.

Nellie

In article ,
Nellie wrote:

I'm in Contra Costa Co and we have lots of critters.

Hello to CoCo!

None of them eat
plants, tomatoes, yes, plants, no.

Do you have deer? They eat any plant they can find, don't they? Mind
you, that isn't what happened to my plant; I'm just curious about
your situation.


However, I have had snails take down a plant overnight. This is what I
suspect is the case here.

I had snails take down a basil plant in a couple of days once. All the
way down to the dirt! Do you think they might like oxalis leaves, but
not the stalks? Also, could the stalks hold the weight of a snail
without breaking? That's what mystifies me--unless it was a horde of
very young snails. :-)


Patty

In article ,
Frank wrote:

I was curious and had googled and found this:

http://www.whatdosquirrelseat.info/

Hmmm, thanks, I guess that rules out squirrels!

"It might make sense for squirrels to eat leaves, but they actually
can not digest cellulose. Cellulose is the material in the cell walls
of plants, which means greenery of any sort is essentially useless
to squirrels."

I guess we're back to the snail theory, although as I mentioned in
my followup to Nellie's posting, I don't see how they could have
gotten up to the leaves without breaking the stalks. Oxalis doesn't
exactly have robust stalks.


Patty

Patty Winter said:
In article ,
Frank wrote:

[snip]

Dirt around pot makes me think squirrels.

Oh, sorry if I wasn't clear. The plant HAD been on the deck, but
I moved it atop a garden toolbox to minimize the chance of it
being attacked again. In the process, I took it out of its external
pot. The dirt you see is just the lower part of the roots that had
grown through the bottom of the internal part.

Do you have earwigs in your area? They feed at night and mainly
stick to seedlings, leaves, and flowers (when they are feeding on
plants).

I've also observed gold finches and house finches nibbling greens at
various times. They tend to hit one plant over and over, in my
experience. I've had them nibble on various herbs, lettuce, and
broccoli tops.

--
Pat in Plymouth MI

"Yes, swooping is bad."

email valid but not regularly monitored

Pat Kiewicz wrote:
Patty Winter said:
Frank wrote:

Dirt around pot makes me think squirrels.

Oh, sorry if I wasn't clear. The plant HAD been on the deck, but
I moved it atop a garden toolbox to minimize the chance of it
being attacked again. In the process, I took it out of its external
pot. The dirt you see is just the lower part of the roots that had
grown through the bottom of the internal part.

Do you have earwigs in your area? They feed at night and mainly
stick to seedlings, leaves, and flowers (when they are feeding on
plants).

I've also observed gold finches and house finches nibbling greens at
various times. They tend to hit one plant over and over, in my
experience. I've had them nibble on various herbs, lettuce, and
broccoli tops.

Use this:
http://www.amazon.com/GW-Security-In...E17B5KHB J8D8

In article ,
Brooklyn1 wrote:

Use this:
http://www.amazon.com/GW-Security-In...E17B5KHB J8D8

Thanks, I do own a security camera that I could set up, but it's
too late now...


Patty

In article ,
Pat Kiewicz wrote:

Do you have earwigs in your area? They feed at night and mainly
stick to seedlings, leaves, and flowers (when they are feeding on
plants).

We do, although I don't recall ever seeing them up on the deck, just
down on the ground. That occurred to me, but how much could a single
earwig eat in a day or two? Seems like there would have had to be a
whole bunch of them to eat all those leaves so quickly, even if they
had found their way up to the deck.


I've also observed gold finches and house finches nibbling greens at
various times. They tend to hit one plant over and over, in my
experience. I've had them nibble on various herbs, lettuce, and
broccoli tops.

Interesting. We do have house finches (or some type of finches) around
here. A plant sitting behind a railing on a deck doesn't seem like the
likeliest target for a bird, but who knows...


Patty

Once upon a time on usenet Patty Winter wrote:
In article ,
Nellie wrote:

I'm in Contra Costa Co and we have lots of critters.

Hello to CoCo!

None of them eat
plants, tomatoes, yes, plants, no.

Do you have deer? They eat any plant they can find, don't they? Mind
you, that isn't what happened to my plant; I'm just curious about
your situation.


However, I have had snails take down a plant overnight. This is what
I suspect is the case here.

I had snails take down a basil plant in a couple of days once. All the
way down to the dirt! Do you think they might like oxalis leaves, but
not the stalks? Also, could the stalks hold the weight of a snail
without breaking? That's what mystifies me--unless it was a horde of
very young snails. :-)

I wish snails ate oxalis as it's a noxious weed here in New Zealand and
spreads very quickly. I see a lot of snails around at night and they eat
most everything I don't want them to eat. However all of the oxalis is
healthy and untouched. :-/
--
Shaun.

"Humans will have advanced a long, long, way when religious belief has a
cozy little classification in the DSM."
David Melville (in r.a.s.f1)