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Something destroying my new plants.

rza20rza20 Posts: 6
in Problem solving
Goor Evening,
I have been noticing that something is digging around in my new shrub and flower beds. I thought it was a mole at first but no sign of molehills. When i have looked and investigated further there are small raised “tunnels” everywhere and also circling nearly every new plant i have put in (quite a lot). When i push the ground around each plant there is a a definite hole all the way round the original compost from when it was in a pot. Some plants look to be struggling and certainly drying out. The bed is mulched with 5” or so of well rotted horse manure, which we used to kill of the grass and start the bed.
Any ideas what is causing this? How to stop it? And will it ruin everything i am trying to achieve?
Thanks, Joe

Posts

  • tui34tui34 Posts: 3,493
    Good morning @rza20   Could be ants.   Put some ant killer on some stones or tiles around the garden and see what happens.  They are preparing for winter.
    A good hoeing is worth two waterings.

  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    Could you post a photo @rza20 , maybe using a coin or something to give an idea of scale ?
    As @tuikowhai34 says, it could be ants, but the fact you think it's possibly something the size of moles means it could be bigger. Ants can produce pretty large ant hills. 
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I think that's moles. The fact that you've used a section of grass to create the bed would suggest you've displaced them and they're disorientated. 

    I'm slightly concerned about how you made the bed though. Did you not remove the turf? Are you sure the manure was well rotted ? 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • rza20rza20 Posts: 6
    I’m pretty sure its
    not ants. May be wrong but the ridges of mulch that whatever is leaving are about 2-3” high by 4-6” high. But no mole hills anywhere to be seen. And we’ve never had moles in the garden as far as I know. And lived there 20 years.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited September 2020
    Short tailed voles. They love tunneling through mulch. Keeps them out of site of the aerial predators. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • rza20rza20 Posts: 6
    Do they destroy plant roots. Do I need to sort them out or just forget about them.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    I've never found them to be a problem in any of my gardens ... even out in very rural areas,  but I know that they can be a problem for some, especially in what can sometimes be 'a good year for voles' which I've a feeling this year is.  

    More info and advice here https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?pid=792

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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