So sorry for your eaten veggies, but I suspect you have either slugs or snails that only appear at night when the weather is cool or rainy. A practical way to discover what is eating your crops is to lay a damp section of newspaper near the plants and see if there are slugs or snails hidden under the moist paper after a few nights. You can then use a slug bait such as "Worry Free". It's safe for use around edible crops. The good news is that your young plants should outgrow the damage that was done once they grow a bit taller. Geckos are beneficial for the garden as they eat insects. Black beetles are also good as they eat slug eggs. So do garter snakes. Congratulations on your first vegetable garden, and Keep Growing, Marianne Binetti