What’s eating my sweet basil?

Question

Something is eating my entire basil plant from the top up, leaving me with only a few bottom stalks. This is not a bug nibbling on the leaves but rather something (not a neighbor!) taking the entire plant. I planted new ones in a different area of the herb garden but the fresh plant nearest the older ones was eaten last night. Any clues?

Answer 1

The most common culprit for this is slugs. They love basil and can literally devour plants overnight. Read this article for some advice on getting rid of them: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/facts-about-slugs-and-how-to-kill-garden-slugs.htm