But, but, but...NJ is the GARDEN STATE!
Sounds like your groundhog to me. Fencing buried in the ground is the only thing that will stop them. My groundhhogs pull new plants out of the ground and discard them to go after grubs and bugs around the roots. They seem to just go after the newly planted plants.
Ha...too true!
Come to think of it, there have been strange pits dug around the plants, so I bet you are right. I thought it was the kids. :)