Bother that badger!

twopenny

Ah yes, I was told when I first moved in here and had joyfully planted my first bulbs that badgers dig them up.
So far 7yrs on I still have my bulbs.

kippers

I have an allotment and we have badger sets on site and they cause a lot of damage.  They are really strong animals and can easily move heavy slabs etc and they can squeeze through the tiniest of holes.  I have found the only way to stop them is to put small holed metal chicken wire around my plot attached to wooden poles as they dont seem to like the chickenwire.  I go 7ft tall and 60cm under the ground

Savvy_Sue

silverwhistle said:

How about an electric fence of the sort they use for controlling livestock? Switch on when you go to bed or on holiday..

  I am sure DH would love to do that, and actually it wouldn't take much to put it around the compost bin, but I'm prepared to bet that a) badgers would dig under it and b) there's a risk that if we drive him away from the compost bin, he'll start elsewhere. 

Savvy_Sue

subjecttocontract said:

Our part of Essex is heavy clay with a shallow covering of topsoil. That's no good for badgers except where there are mounds of top soil which doesn't tend to be in people's manicured gardens.

Nowhere near us, and I'm not moving ...

Savvy_Sue

twopenny said:

Ah yes, I was told when I first moved in here and had joyfully planted my first bulbs that badgers dig them up.
So far 7yrs on I still have my bulbs.

I think the theory is that you cover any pots of bulbs with chicken wire, which should also keep the squirrels out (don't get me started on squirrels ...)

But I've had fewer issues with bulbs than with the compost bin, and I have quite a few tulips, which apparently they are very fond of!

Savvy_Sue

kippers said:

I have an allotment and we have badger sets on site and they cause a lot of damage.  They are really strong animals and can easily move heavy slabs etc and they can squeeze through the tiniest of holes.  I have found the only way to stop them is to put small holed metal chicken wire around my plot attached to wooden poles as they dont seem to like the chickenwire.  I go 7ft tall and 60cm under the ground

So here's the question, how do you then get at the allotment? Move a pole?

twopenny

Pole jumping 🙂

Savvy_Sue

Thank you everyone. We're back from a weekend away, and so far badger has not moved the (broken) paving slab DH left in front of the hatch. Pretty sure there is no way we can keep him out of the garden altogether - we have wrought iron gates but next door has a solid wooden affair with not a lot of space underneath, which clearly doesn't stop him! So I think we'll try a multi-pronged approach:

a) DH wants to get a bit of plywood and tie it on, I am not quite sure how. To be fair, this may work because we're usually adding from the top rather than digging out of the bottom. I've wondered about a bungee cord but the length might be critical to make it tight enough. Wouldn't surprise me if badger chewed through either rope or bungee cord.

b) We've bought some cheap solar lights. IF they get enough sun to power them, they might put badger off a bit (and even if they don't, it will make emptying the indoor compost bin easier in the winter). And I'll try to get the motion-sensitive light on the garage working again. 

c) DH must water the compost heap, and any other area badger goes for.

d) Coffee grounds? - I've got some. Orange peel? - not convinced by this because there's lots in the compost bin. Sheep poo pellets - I've got some. Garlic? - I've been trying to grow some and I think he may have had a go at that so unconvinced. 

twopenny

Spray round the bin with jeyes fluid? Just a light spraying.
It works for ants.
Not the rats but where they come in is more difficult to do well.

Frugaldom

We have turned part of our garden over to the wildlife as they've been here far longer than we or the houses have. Lights don't deter them in the least, even the motion activated one or flash photography. Now, the vegetables are fenced in and the deer, foxes, badgers, pine martens, magpies, pheasants, ducks and any number of other visitors make for a great online photo album when captured on trail cameras. 'Our' badgers are bringing cubs with them now. We do leave out peanuts for everything so they go to those specific areas most times. Enjoy your wildlife as it's fast disappearing in many places.

Added in - decent little trail cameras available on A****n from around £25 including SD card and p&p.