Red Potatoes – What Has Been Eating At The Roots?

Q: We planted red potatoes but one of the plants has been eaten from the roots.

A: I think it could be a vole (meadow mouse) eating the potato. These shy creatures make runs beneath mulch and weeds to reach their springtime meals of plant roots. Be sure to keep groundcovers and weeds low around your garden in winter. Consider setting a few mousetraps, covered to exclude birds, around your garden.