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Wildlife dropping idenitification

janetbhomejanetbhome Posts: 4
in Problem solving
Can anyone help identify which animal droppings is being left in my garden. They tend to leave them very close to every plant rather than an open space.
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Posts

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    worm casts?
    Devon.
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    Maybe a slime mould? Does it break up if you poke it with a stick or is it a bit rubbery?
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • janetbhomejanetbhome Posts: 4
    They do break up and are softish. But they return daily in different areas after I clear them. Just googled worm casts - I think this may be it, they look identical. But any ideas how to prevent them? They are across all flower beds where I have slate chippings.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited October 2021
    Is there a membrane under the chippings?  Are the poor worms desperate to get up to the surface for food and air?  Is this why the casts are close to the plants where the holes in the membrane are?

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





  • janetbhomejanetbhome Posts: 4
    Yes there is membrane. It makes sense what you have described - thank you. So sounds like I'll need to take up the membrane and tackle the weeds coming through a different way. Or do you know of an alterantive to the membrane that would prevent the weeds coming through but not impact the worms?
  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    Worms are you best gardening friend EVER. 
    Don't try anything to discourage them.
    Devon.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    If you got rid of any perennial weeds that were there before putting the membrane down then they’re gone.

     Weed seeds will blow in from anywhere and they’ll grow where they land, whether that’s on soil or among chippings. 

    We have a driveway covered with chippings and a couple of times a year we have to pulls out weed seedlings growing from seeds that have blown there on the breeze. 

    Im afraid it’s a fallacy that chippings prevent weeds. 😞 

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





  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    Dovefromabove said:

    Im afraid it’s a fallacy that chippings prevent weeds. 😞 
    and membrane too for that matter.
    Devon.
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    On the plus side, worm casts ( and mole hills ) do make an excellent growing medium for seeds and cuttings IME.  Already nicely sieved as such. Add grit/vermiculite as appropriate.
    Agree with the chippings and membrane comments - if anything, they tend to make weed removal more of a chore than bare soil. 
  • janetbhomejanetbhome Posts: 4
    Thank you all for your feedback its been very helpful and informative
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