Garden

[KayinMN]

My marigolds are missing the tops! Is something eating them? I thought critters hated them? They are just sheared off...I have sprinkled cayenne pepper around the containers too? Any help would be appreciated.

[Nataliesgramma]

Yep...sounds like something is eating them.......The cayenne pepper works as long as you resprinkle every couple days.....

[Sweetbay magnolia]

Sometimes dried blood (powdered, in a bag) will deter critters.  They may think there is a predator nearby (but they also wise up!).  You could try moving the containers for a few days to test if the animal will move on to greener pastures.

Marigolds are "supposed" to be "resistant" to damage by wildlife - but not always.

[RedTop]

My first thoughts are rabbits or a groundhog. Flowers are like a salad bar to both animals, altho a groundhog would eat the plant down to ground level before stopping.

[Scooby Doo]

The marigolds are the first thing in my flower beds that the bugs eat.  I've replaced some of them because they were stripped.  I think it's the potato bugs that get them.  I sprinkled a little bit of Sevin around those flowers and nothing is eating them now.

[JustJazzmom]

Slugs are eating them probably. Do you see any slime trails near them?

[mousiegirl]

Diatomaceous earth works to keep snails and slugs away from plants.

[JustJazzmom]

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@mousiegirl wrote:

Diatomaceous earth works to keep snails and slugs away from plants.

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This is the non pool diatomaceous earth (the ones in the pool filters are not the kind used to repel slugs).

Also crushed egg shells around your plants and copper strips also work well.

[jpie]

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@KayinMN wrote:
My marigolds are missing the tops! Is something eating them? I thought critters hated them? They are just sheared off...I have sprinkled cayenne pepper around the containers too? Any help would be appreciated.

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My guess is squirrels or perhaps chipmunks.

Red Pepper Spray:

5-6 oz. Hot Sauce (such as Frank's)

one tsp. Dawn  detergent  (this allow the spray to adhere to the plant's surface)

Mix these two ingredients into one gallon of water.

I use an one gallon pressurized garden sprayer.

Some will criticize that it will hurt the animals eyes, but I know that it works!  It works especially well if you spray at the beginning of the season to establish that these plants are yours (establish as YOUR territory)!

[jpie]

Slug damage is often identified by holes in leaves (the damage looks like Swiss cheese).  I have not have marigold flowers damaged by slugs, perhaps their leaves, but not the flower itself.  

A small container of beer works, but has to be replaced after it rains or evaporates.  I purchased a product called "Sluggo" from Amazon that works great to battle slugs.  This product is granular and easy to apply.