What can I use to stop my toddlers eating the soil in all my patio pots?

[RedSauceSpaghetti]

It's driving me mad. The culprits are 2 and 1yo twins. Every time I turn my back they are chomping down fists full of compost. Is there a type of covering I can use around the stems of the plants to prevent access and stop them eating more? I'm generally pretty relaxed with with eating mud but it's getting ridiculous now!

You need to be more concerned about your toddlers than your plants!

This is called "Pica" and it's a sign of a deficiency. I had it as a child...a small child...I well remember the urge. It was due to iron deficiency in my case. I got it again when pregnant and my younger DD also had it. She used to eat plaster from the walls and mud.

See the doctor.

Cobbles. But then they'd probably start picking them up and throwing them at each other...

Thanks for your concern @FortunesFave. However I am confident this is the result of me having strongly discouraged them from doing so. Same thrill as trying to climb onto the dining room table if they get the chance, or making a beeline for the open front door every single time they hear the latch go. If I'm not outside with them (I can see them the whole time, before there's any worry about leaving them unattended) they don't bother eating it. I'm sure they do it to get a reaction. I've been calmly diverting their attentions for a few weeks now to no avail and I'm not looking forward to summer if this is going to be the entertainment of choice!

@expectopelargonium I briefly thought about some heavy stones of some sort, but
they've recently started flinging handfuls of mud across the patio on occasion, the absolute darlings, so I do suspect you might be right about where stones could end up...

It's trickier with 3. If it was 1 I'd just take them inside, no attention.

Do you have a playpen or a bench you could plonk them on?

A VERY loud & VERY firm NO?

Failing that, peg them on the washing line

How about weed matting/liner as it’s designed to be breathable for the soil. You could cut a wide enough circle that it runs down the sides of the pots and secure with twine either horizontally around the outside of the pot or looped underneath (I am picturing an arrangement like those macrame pot holders)

Do you have two sets of twins?

Sorry, I read that wrong. I thought it sounded like a crazy handful of children! Although only one less I suppose.

There's heaps of bacteria and potentially dangerous chemicals in compost - so if they're eating handfuls of it you seriously need to remove the plants or stop taking them
Outside. And if it happens again, call 111 for advice.

They just need to get older I think. Sorry. Mine was a demon for this between about 14-20 months, then he just stopped being interested. I didn't take my eyes off him for a second, and every time he tried I'd say a firm NO, pick him up and put him elsewhere. Very boring.

Get them a big sandpit to re-direct their attention.

Twins here too, now 5yo!

Could you try chicken wire across the top of the pots? (Admittedly tricky if the plants are already growing!) That's what stopped little fingers getting into my plants at that age...

Failing that could you get a sandpit/ sand & water table to distract them? Although I appreciate that may just make them start eating sand instead

Tonnes of black pepper or a spice or herb (nothing to irritate them like chilli) but maybe garlic or something very bitter tasting?

How do you normally stop them doing something you don't want them to do? Tell them off and consequences if they keep doing it.

It must be really hard with 3 little ones but I don’t remember leaving DS in the garden in his own at 1 even if I could see him.

Is there a way of fencing off a safe place for them to play outside?

@TheThingsWeAdmitOnMN I do have a playpen but it's not really big enough for all three of them. Could use it as 'jail' after the offense though for a few minutes perhaps. Pegging them to the washing line is an excellent suggestion!

@TheWaif thankfully not, though I can see my wording was confusing! We have got a lot of children at the moment, due to fostering my twin nieces who are 7 but they're much less hands on than the littler twins (and don't find eating mud nearly as tempting)

@imalmostthere it's home-rotted compost so doubt there are many chemicals in it, though it is teaming with worms, which is why I initially made a fuss about them having a taste. Should have just let them get on with it and decide it was terribly boring in hindsight!

@BeastOfBODMAS I'd discounted weed matting because I thought they'd just get under it, but wrapping it around the pot could actually work really well! I think I'll give that a try while they grow out of it, as I suspect @whatswithtodaytoday might be right. The twins are 14mo but the big one turned 2 last weekend so I'm hoping she's close to growing out of it. Twins adore her so hopefully they'll take her lead

Even cheese cloth, cheap, multiple layers. Secure it well. You’ll be able to water while preventing clump fulls being eaten/thrown about.

Eggshells to stop them crawling over the mud. Hang on no, that's snails.

With two 14 month olds and one 24 month old, I'm surprised you're not eating the mud yourself.

@HeeeeeyBogie think I would be sitting in the playpen for some peace and quiet!

When DS was little we had a BabyDan I think which was both a playpen but also could be opened up. We put it across some cupboards in the dining room, which effectively became a playroom whilst DS was little. Is there something similar which you could put up outside (even if only when the children are outside so doesn't have to be weatherproof) so either fence off the plants or make an area where they can play away from anything they might eat. Might be able to make a bigger area than with a standard playpen

@ClaraTheImpossibleGirl you read my mind about the sand. That's exactly where my mind went. Water table would almost certainly work though. Great suggestion, thank you!

@fallfallfall I have approximately twelve squillion muslins. Would they work do you reckon? May as well put them to use know that I only get through a few a week instead of 20+ per day

@ineedaholidaynow the patio is the baby-proofed fenced off bit, annoyingly. It continues on from the back of the house IYSWIM. Doors fold right back so it's sort of one big in/outdoor 'room' in good weather. After that, the garden is very sloped so difficult to toddler proof, especially as the babies make excellent bowling balls for each other at the moment

@HeeeeeyBogie it's been close a few times for sure!

Ooo @ineedaholidaynow a room divider outside could work. I'm sure the plants would be thankful to be put in plant jail at the moment

Indeed muslin would be perfect, twine to secure or duct tape.

What food do they repeatedly refuse to eat?

Broccoli? Carrots? Peas? Cover the soil in these and your problem is solved!

Of course on a more serious note, they are getting attention when they do it so keep calm, keep interaction to a minimum and remove them from the tasty soil with as little fuss as possibly.

I've got a 6 month old pup and this is our go-to method for any unwanted behaviour. I reckon pups and toddler training is quite interchangeable (remembering back, with a slight shudder, to my 2 being toddlers).

Good luck!

@fallfallfall perfect! I'll add that to my to do list for this evening. Just hoping I have enough duct tape because those tiny little fingers will almost certainly find a way to wriggle under twine, I suspect. Anything for a bit of bedlam

Have you considered those "cones of shame" you can get for dogs?