the "rascal" strikes again :(

buttaflie143 on 5/15/2011, 6:31 am

Help!!!! What can I put up around my garden to keep the "rascal" out? This time he dug up my green beans. I have replanted them three times. Can this little critter give me a break. Sad

Seriously. Whatever it is, its digging and leaving a little pile of soil on the side of the box.

Tril on 5/15/2011, 6:47 am

Is this happening at night? Is it eating the plants... or just digging? Skunks will dig to find worms but they won't eat the plants. Woodchucks will eat the plants. Doesn't really matter what it is... the important thing will be to keep it out of your garden. You're going to need some sort of fencing or cage covering to keep it out.

Here's an example... or two, since a picture is worth a thousand words.

Here's a link to how one person made one:
http://www.charsgardening.com/2010/10/19/how-to-build-a-multipurpose-raised-bed-protective-cover/

This is what he/she made...

buttaflie143 on 5/15/2011, 6:59 am

Thanks Tril,
It is definitely digging at night. The weird thing is that it hasn't bothered my 4x8 box. I found germinated beans on the ground in the pile of soil on the box and it didn't bother the tomato plant next to the block it dug up. I just don't know what the deal is.

Tril on 5/15/2011, 7:05 am

Sounds like a nocturnal critter looking for worms/insects in your easy to dig up MM.

buttaflie143 on 5/15/2011, 7:18 am

But what could it be?

Tril on 5/15/2011, 8:25 am

Skunk, fox, mole, porcupine, raccoon, possum, vole... that's off the top of my head. Anything that eats worms or grubs would do it.

buttaflie143 on 5/15/2011, 8:50 am

Tril,
How did you build your cover? I have a trellis on the north and west sides of my box. How can I build a protective cover to accommodate my trellis?

Tril on 5/15/2011, 12:37 pm

I don't have one. Those are just photos I found to show you what I meant! I haven't planted my box yet.... still too cold.

**middlemamma** on 5/15/2011, 12:41 pm

Do you have blood meal in your box?

I heard dogs will dig when they smell it? Any loose dogs in your area?

As far as fencing goes you can make a cheap fence with chicken wire and metal t stakes. Since you have trellises you might try that route.

buttaflie143 on 5/15/2011, 5:50 pm

Thanks for the insight. I built a cover. I tried to build it according to the instructions in the book. Its not pretty, but hopefully it will work. I also set some traps around the garden.

**middlemamma** on 5/15/2011, 5:51 pm

Wow, fast work.... Smile

buttaflie143 on 5/15/2011, 5:55 pm

Now what do I do when the vines start to grow?????? Sad

**middlemamma** on 5/15/2011, 5:58 pm

Well hopefully by then the rascal will lose interest in the dirt...

buttaflie143 on 5/16/2011, 5:55 am

No sign of the rascal. It looks like the beans I planted initially are sprouting.

It's a beautiful morning!!!!!

**middlemamma** on 5/16/2011, 8:27 am

the "rascal" strikes again :(

the "rascal" strikes again :(

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??? the trellis

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Re: the "rascal" strikes again :(