Something Chewing on Stems

So, I went out today to look at my plants and one of them has the stem almost complete chewed through at the base (right above the dirt). It looks like a beaver cutting down a big tree. There are no signs of any bugs on them and I've been spraying neem oil every 3-4 days. The plants look healthy otherwise. I did kill a huge grasshopper yesterday near the grow. I covered what's left of the of the stem with shade cloth and gave a thorough spaying of neem oil. My other plant has some bark missing from the main stem but no major damage.

It will be interesting to see if the plant survives - there's not much base left - not sure if it can get nutrients to the rest of the plant.

Would like to hear thoughts on what people think did this. From other posts, it sounds like it's a grasshopper. There are rats in the yard, but not where the plants are.

Sounds to me like a rodent. Could be a gopher, rat, or?? You say rats are in the area, and who knows where they are in the dark hours.

Do what you can to 'patch' the stalk. Even if it is just wrapping it with tape, but it is amazing just what these plants can endure. I've had broken branches hanging by a thread, and wrapped them with nursery tape, supported them, and they have been fine. Best 'o luck!

Thanks for the advice. Can't be a gopher - plants are in pots. Could be a rat - I'll put some poison out. As for the stalk, I've LST'd the plant. So, the I don't need to tape (stalk is horizontal already).

Go buy about 10 mouse traps and line them around your stem upside down. They will come up to your plant and hit the traps. The traps will go off but not catch the critter. Just scare the hell out of them.

If you know it rats then just turn them right side up.

edit I did not see the above post.

Put the traps inside the pot then. If it is a bug then you will know. Traps around your grow work good on deer and other animals also. And you know when they were there.

do deer like MJ??

northwoodsmoker said:

do deer like MJ??

Click to expand...

Like a fat man at a buffet they do.

Grasshopper for sure man.

They did me the same way.

The fuckers can do a lot of damage....they seem to like the outside hard part of the stem and when they get down to the softer inside they move up the plant....that way they leave a big scar on the outside....like you said looks like a beaver. I sprayed mine with some safer and moved it and it was okay. You just need to stay on top of them.

ya im pretty sure they are grasshoppers. My plants r starting to bud so i have stopped using neem oil n a fukn grasshopper cut my plant in half. I found a bunch of em and i dont kno if I can still use neem oil without screwing up the bud. They blend in so good. Do u kno if it is still ok to use neem oil even though the plants r starting to bud?good luck

Do you think neem oil will stop the grasshoppers? I can't move my plants, so options are limited.

grasshoppers it is i say!.,.,they munch on the leaves of my plant all the time my main stem is tough as leather and huge so they leave that part be.,.,.,they also se3m to leave buds alone,at least for now.,.,i have a huge spider living in my plant its be3n ke3ping bugs in check.,.,much luck

I don't think neem will really phase them.

My dad had the same problem told me he had 79 big budd clones when he got down to 7 clones left he put out a trap and caught a raccoon. He beat it to death with a shovel lol.
no more come up missin, he said it looked like a beaver did it so im jsut saying. raccoons.

Update:

Last night around 6:30 PM I checked my plants - nothing new going on (just buds starting to thicken a bit - been showing flowers for 2 weeks). This morning around 7:00 AM I checked them again. This time I had bark removal on the larger plant and a stem chopped in half on the other (luckily it wasn't the main stem). We know for sure we have rats on 3 sides of our house - they've been eating the poison like crazy and should come up dead real soon. My conclusion is that since the feeding (on my plant) happened at night, it has to be the rats. I don't think a grasshopper would feed at night. Please tell me if you feel differently (anybody). Also, when I checked them this afternoon and there are no bugs of any kind in the area where the plants are (too much neem, I think).

Needless to say, I'm taking a new defense - traps and poison everywhere. I hoping it is rats, because I think they'll be much easier to get rid of than grasshoppers (since I've only seen one and it wasn't even on the plant).

definitely rats. i've had the same problem. rat poison will do the trick. i usually find small dead rats within 5 days. tape them so they can't continue to chew the same spot or the plant will fall over and you'll be outta luck.

Final Update:

Inspected my plants this evening and discovered that my small plant is dead - chewed to death. And I don't think it was rats after all, since they're all dead from the poison I left out. It was some bug - I guess most likely grasshoppers, although a saw leafhoppers on the plants.

Anyway, after getting over the shock, I decided immediate action was in order. I moved my larger plant indoors to finish - can't risk losing that one - it's one of the biggest plant I've ever grown - 4 feet wide and only 2 feet high. I was hoping to get some nice fat buds from the hot sun, but it looks like I'll have to take what my CFLs will give me. Something is better than nothing, right?

That's my story - maybe this info will help someone with a similar problem.