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Something is digging out the soil in my plant pot

Rosie CupcakesRosie Cupcakes Posts: 98
in Problem solving

Recently I repotted an ailing patio rose with fresh compost in different pot with some carnation cuttings and a sedum cutting.

Overnight a few weeks ago something had disturbed the soil so I tidied it up and put some large pebbles on the soil to deter whatever was doing it. This is what I have done before which other pots and nothing had happen since.

But this morning I find that a big hole has been dug in the pot and the soil and pebbles are over the lawn. The rose had some broken branches which is a shame as I had only noticed yesterday that it was being to shoot again. Sod's law I suppose. image 

I have tidied the pot and this time put a layer of shingle on top.

We do have foxes in the area which are regularly in the street at night as there is an allotment at the end of the road. Or was it a cat as I have had what I assume are neighbours' cats in the garden before.

image

Does this happen to anybody on this forum?

Any advice appreciated to tackle this problem.

Thanks

 

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Posts

  • herbaceousherbaceous Posts: 2,318

    I had a similar problem with foxes Rosie, I thought it was cats at first until I remembered refreshing the compost in my herb pots and adding a bit of BF&B. Must have been irresistible to the fox who just made a mess!

    "The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."  Sir Terry Pratchett
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505

    I never use bf&b for this reason

    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • Dave HumbyDave Humby Posts: 1,145

    The squirrels are the guilty party round our way.

  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505

    Yes they often bury their nuts. But I found a very large dog chew thing in one of my containers last year. I left it on the ground and it was gone by morning. I sort of hope it was the burier that made off with the treasure rather than an opportunist

    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • herbaceousherbaceous Posts: 2,318

    Just don't get me started on chewed things B3 image  Foxes have chewed one of my much loved suede garden mules, several garden gloves that they 'steal' from the shed ( always the right hand annoyingly), wooden cane tops and so on. Their worst - but most amusing habit is digging up my daughter's dog's buried treasure, usually a mini jumbone. He is so perplexed when he next visits and can't find it.

    "The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it."  Sir Terry Pratchett
  • PosyPosy Posts: 3,601

    Badgers are great diggers, too.

  • raisingirlraisingirl Posts: 7,093

    A rat dug all my tulip bulbs out of their pots in the spring.

    Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon

    “It's still magic even if you know how it's done.” 
  • Rosie CupcakesRosie Cupcakes Posts: 98

    Thanks for all the replies. At least I know I am not alone with this problem.

    I have moved the plant pot so that it is amongst some other pots rather then on the edge of the patio by the lawn.

  • ackrill.frederickackrill.frederick Posts: 1
    I have had most of my pots compost dug out onto patio every year at around this time. Today I was sat looking out onto the [atio and witnessed the culpret diging out the compost. I was a female Blackbird this time she made quite a mess I think the males are also doing it as well but have not seen them actually doing it yet. The funny side was that when she realised that I was watching her she hopped off and hid behind another plant. I would like to know why they do this every year at this time maybe its to do with mating.
  • nutcutletnutcutlet Posts: 27,445
    I think they're digging for insects/ worms


    In the sticks near Peterborough
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