Pat,
I garden in a plot near the woods and we have lots of critters. I tried the home-made remedies like cat poop- no good. We used something called "Deer-Off", you can look it up on web, they also make a "rabbit-off" but someone had ordered deer-off, and it worked somewhat.
The best thing I found is a very strong rigid fence. But if it's ground hogs you have, they can climb a fence, as they did to me last year, and eat all the leaves off my morning-glory. ^&^^^$)*^ grr
Fox urine didn't work.
Sorry I know more about what doesn't work than what does.
You have my sympathy. For me it's been an intractable problem, but maybe someone else has a solution.

ellen

Barn cats have always worked for me. Keeps the bunnies, chipmunks, moles and voles away.

Maybe it was a gopher and he just pulled it right under ground!! A lady in CA said that happened to one of her tomato plants. Did you look for holes in your yard??

Maureen

Dear Maureen
I know it wasn't anything like that because the root ball was still there.
Thanks anyway. The cages are working on the other two so far.
Pat