Foxes and my new raised bed.

[smearedinfood]

DP built me a lovely raised bed.

I filled it with Delphiniums, Lobelia, Gladioli, Asters.

Lill smeared who is one, loves hiffing water cans over the side of the raised bed to water the garden.

He gets changed into dry clothes a lot.

A fox went digging in the raised bed. A lot. I put the raised bed back together.

I sprayed Scoot.

A fox dug a little less the next day.

How do you deter foxes? (I'm one of those clueless foreigners...).. please tell me.

Should I ask DP to wee in the raised bed.

In my experience, you cant stop foxes going in your flowerbeds, unless you can stop them coming in/through your garden....

I've been told the neighbours who live 3 doors down like having them live in the garden, so that seems a bit unachievable.

Un-achievable how?

Are your fences very low so they jump over? Or do they crawl/dig underneath? If the latter, you can find a solution as they can only dig so deep!

Just because neighbor A is happy to have foxes in their garden does not mean you should have to give them access through!

How high would you have your fences, so that they couldn't jump?

They can jump our 1.50 m fence, but not our 1.80.

Do you have a lot of bare soil in the raised bed? Normally, it's best to leave plenty of space for newly-planted plants to expand, but if you have foxes digging where your son wants to play, it's probably better to fill the gaps. At this time of year, nurseries and garden centres are often selling bedding plants very cheaply. Then find a neighbour with a holly bush or other prickly plant, take some clippings and poke them into the soil, again to deter digging.

Are you sure it's foxes? Much more likely to be cats.

I did wonder about that. I don't claim to be an expert on poo but, as far as I can tell, the foxes in our garden just poo on top of things whereas it's the cats who poo and dig/scrape to cover it. Anyway, the dense planting and sharp clippings I suggest above work for both.

I was certain a fox was digging up our newly done lawn. I spent a fortune in those fox deter products. Then month later, one summer evening on the patio, I saw the badger.

I started leaving peanuts and grapes for the badger.

No more digging.

To add...when the fox digs, she's usually hiding food. So she will cover back up the holes best she can. The badger is digging up worms, so there will be lots of digging and holes as a newly raised bed is worm paradise. I would put money on it being a badger.

I have seen it suggested, but not tried it myself, to 'plant' a whole load of plastic forks handle down into the ground to deter all sorts of creatures. Also, sprinkling hot chilli powder around is supposed to help.

ahh there is a lot of bare soil in there. Poo on top, rather than dug in.. Did ask DP about Badgers but we live in London and he thinks that's rather unlikely. Definitely have seen a mother and two baby foxes in the section behind our house, so I do know that they are hanging around.

Will try hot chilli powder. Thanks!

I use satay skewers, pointy end up in our veggie beds, to keep the cats at bay. Very cheap, very sharp.