I am doing my first ever vegetable garden by myself and I am having a problem that is just so weird I had to share with others in hopes of finding out what it is. I went out to my garden to water it yesterday and I noticed that the top of one of my hot pepper plants had been "cut" off. It looked like someone had walked up and snipped it with a pair of scissors leaving behind a 2-inch stub. So, no one seems to know what's going on. I live in a city-type area, so I HIGHLY doubt that it was from a deer. Today, I woke up to water the garden again and the top of one of my cantaloupe plants had been taken off. But here's the weird part...the top was laying on the ground next to what was left of the stem. WHAT IS DOING THIS!!!???!!!

There's an insect called a cutworm that severs the stems of young plants...not usually 2 inches up, though. Take a paper towel or toilet paper cardboard spool (the inside...you know?) and cut a 1 and 1'2 inch piece. Cut up one side, at a slight diagonal, and place it around the plant, pressing it into the ground a bit. That will provide a barrier to the cutworm...if that's what it is. Dixie cups or similar things also work. When the cut top is still there, that's usually what it is...
You could also run to a nursery and get some diatomaceous earth...I'm pretty sure that will provide control, if I remember right...ask if they know, I'm pretty sure it will.

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Dave
Even my growlights are getting restless!