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Unwelcome Gardener
updated: Sep 16, 2012, 9:13 AM

By Edhat Subscriber

Hunting for worms? grubs? Same pots, same thing, every night. What could it be, possums, raccoons, rats? What can I do to stop it (next year, I shall put in wire in a vegetable garden but that won't take care of the rats that ate the tomatoes)? Anyone else with the same problem and what did you do? thanks!

Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

COMMENT 320680P	2012-09-16 09:23 AM
beats me, might be possums or skunks--they eat soil dwelling insects. If you have rats, try snap traps. Don't use the blood thinner baits like Warfarin or Tom Cat. Second kills predator species--hawks, bob cats, coyotes, your cat or dog...
COMMENT 320695P	2012-09-16 09:41 AM
Cover the soil with cayenne pepper and hope that does the trick.
COMMENT 320727	2012-09-16 10:43 AM
Birds are also notorious for moving soil. Usually in the early morning.
COMMENT 320735	2012-09-16 11:02 AM
Raccoons, skunks, possums looking for worms and bugs......do not set traps you may injure these beautiful animals. Call a good garden supplier and see what products they recommend to deter the creatures without harming them.
COMMENT 320748P	2012-09-16 11:29 AM
There is a product you can buy made with coyote urine that is supposed to deter all of the above. I am not making that up. Go to Amazon and search for Coyote Urine or go to a good garden shop and ask them about it.
COMMENT 320755	2012-09-16 12:05 PM
A small bowl or container of ammonia nearby usually works. Coyote urine is available at Western Farm, but I've had zero sucess with it. I agree with the above, do not use poison bait. If it becomes a real big problem, live traps and then a call to County Animal Control for relocation. Do not think racoons are harmless, they will tear your eyeballs out when pissed and/or cornered. Last, you could set out a small camera to find out exactly who are the culprits. Good luck!
COMMENT 320757	2012-09-16 12:11 PM
Urban wildlife follow pre-established trails often using scent markers. You can trap one pesky visitor and relocate to a more critter friendly location but soon another will just take it's place. Disrupting the scent trail may take your property off the "must see" brochure the critters create. Ask a high testosterone male in your household to urinate around the plants you want to protect or just at access points into your yard. You don't need a much so a bottle with a pump spray can go a long way. Given how so many Edhatters use the shower why not place an empty bottle there and ask the boys to fill 'er up.... and rinse it when done.
COMMENT 320768	2012-09-16 12:30 PM
"Coyote urine is available at Western Farm, but I've had zero sucess with it." maybe it was bootleg fake coyote urine!
COMMENT 320788P	2012-09-16 01:28 PM
757's idea sounds like a plan and cheaper than the coyote urine. Also, it made me laugh. Thanks.
COMMENT 320822	2012-09-16 03:03 PM
We have skunks doing the nightly digging, I am having my 20 something sons use the parameter fencing for "anti skunk spray" use rather than the bathroom. Have another bottle of water son.....
COMMENT 320826P	2012-09-16 03:30 PM
Rain bird sprinkler system with motion sensor. Works every time. You can also pace bars of very strong scented soap around the pots. Zest or Irish spring work well.
SBALAX	2012-09-16 03:47 PM
Cayenne pepper has worked for me this year. They only go after the empty pots -- i.e., the ones I've pulled plants out of getting ready for Fall planting.
COMMENT 320859P	2012-09-16 05:20 PM
Thanks. There's no scent of skunk - and the yard is fenced; however, occasionally I have seen/smelled skunks. I'll try cayenne pepper (no immediately accessible male urine available.) It's definitely not birds. These are rather large, about 2 inch in diameter that go nowhere. Whatever it is goes to the same pot over and over again - citrus, blueberries as well as a raised bed that has basically been made useless - small onions, for instance, dug up and pushed aside. I would not use poison but I would like to trap whatever it is and relocate. As for the rats, they've destroyed the tomato crop --- and I can't use snaptraps because of concern for the dog getting hurt by them I've just ordered this online from critter-repellent.com: Shake-Away Small Animal Repellent - Fox Urine Granules
COMMENT 320877	2012-09-16 06:08 PM
Relocation does not work. If you ask County Animal control to relocate wildlife, that wildlife will be gassed. Relocation is a myth. Ask the rehabbers; they know. Once an animal is removed, another takes its place. The animals all have their territories. These territories can encompass many square miles per animal. You pull a skunk or possum or raccoon out of its territory and stick it someplace else, it will then be displacing some other animal. Poisons and rat traps are not the answer. Put up a Barn owl house, if your rat problem is so severe. You must have a tall tree nearby. Put up a residence for your natural prey control. In potted plants, put brambles atop soil. Works for me. All the critters that dig have sensitive paws.. Be kind to the wildlife. They're just trying to make a living. (And as for 755's eyeball scary tale---documentation?)
COMMENT 320927P	2012-09-16 09:03 PM
Thanks, all. I don't know about another whatever taking its place --- this is the first year, I've had the problems of digging in the pots and it does havoc to delicate feeder roots. I've scattered cayenne on the surfaces of some and it will be interesting to see. As for brambles, I have also put down nylon mess but whatever just pushes it aside. Rats are endemic here on the lower east, but owls are not ---probably luckily since my neighbors do use poison, I think. Haven't seen any raccoons here in the last years, but I know they're in the general area.
COMMENT 320955	2012-09-17 06:45 AM
we have a skunk living under our shed, and I was quoted a price of 4-5oo dollars to have it trapped and taken away. He also told me to get a long extension cord, and place a radio by the entrance and play talk radio all day, they can't sleep and then will leave, then place leaves by the entry once you think they have left and if they are not moved around, place chicken wire around the shed to keep anyone new from moving in, I hope it works!
COMMENT 321017	2012-09-17 09:23 AM
This time of the year it's racoons. They're digging for grubs or worms. Put the pots up high if you can.Don't use any fertilizer with bloodmeal or fish emulsion. Resign yourself, or stay up at nite with a hose with a sprayer end. It'll end soon when the babies grow up and leave. I know, I have a fountain. (i.e. racoon swimming pool) .
COMMENT 321019	2012-09-17 09:28 AM
Racoons live in the yard next to me but don't bother our garden due to our dogs. Even though the dogs are in all night so basically the racoons could do anything they want. They still won't come in the yard and have left our tomatoes alone. I have very much appreciated that.
COMMENT 321026	2012-09-17 09:38 AM
Crows are primary culprits and will peck up insects, grubs and worms in the early morning hours, particularly. They can move a lot of dirt with those large beaks. They used to dig up and leave large tufts of uprooted grass and plugs of grass and soil all over my lawn looking for food.
ESL TEACHER	2012-09-17 10:04 AM
So, 026, how did you stop those crows or did they just move elsewhere?

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