Taters broke at stems

[simplycountry]

I am growing taters for the first time this year. The plants are coming up and have filled them in once. I found a couple of plants broke at the stems and holes in a few of the leaves. The only insect around was ants. We don't have fire ants here.. yet.. well.. unless they just got here. Any suggestions on getting rid of them or if that's what did it?

[Paquebot]

Plants broken off just above ground level would sound like cutworms. You wouldn't see them since they do their work at night. Scratch an inch deep and 3 or 4 inches around damaged plants and you might find them. If not them, and no sign of a borer inside the broken section, then probably not an insect.

Martin

[ronbre]

i agree, cutworms, you should wrap paper around the stem and bury it a little in the soil..or put a nail right next to the stem..cutworms have to wrap all the way around to cut off the plant..but i generally don't trust the nail to work and use paper or plastic around the stem

[simplycountry]

Thanks ya'll. I will go check them in the am and see what I got. Hubby just told me the chickens made there way down there today.. that may have been the culprit also! Dang chickens! LOL