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Mounds appearing in pots and containers!

Jayne JohnsonJayne Johnson Posts: 14
in Problem solving
I have noticed a mound/heap of earth appearing in my herb container and also in a large pot containing a bay tree. The mound looks different from the compost which is in the pot/ container. What could it be and how do I resolve the issue? Any suggestions and advice gratefully received.

Posts

  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    How big is the mound?  Are we talking molehill size or is this a mound made by a small creature?  I have little mounds of fine soil in my strawberry bed, around 3cm in diameter and 1cm high, most with a little hole visible in the top.  They are the nests of solitary bees, which are earning their keep by pollinating the strawberries (and not doing any harm).  
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • Jayne JohnsonJayne Johnson Posts: 14
    I have attached a photo of the mound/heap here. 
  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    Goodness!  That's a big heap of stuff... could it be an ants' nest?  Otherwise, not a clue, I'm afraid.  Hopefully someone on here will have seen something like it.
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    Could be a toad, I've found a few buried in pots in the past. How high is the pot off the ground?
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • Jayne JohnsonJayne Johnson Posts: 14
    Two feet high maybe? It’s happened in my herb planter too which is higher.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    Looks like it could be ants, tip the pot on its side and scrape out that soft soil, you’ll soon see if there are ants in there. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    Do you use swell gel in the compost mix? Sometimes that can clump together and cause soil to lift up.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    Or foxes? Is there any visible hole? My fox cubs make a hell of a mess in the beds.
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