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Help please!

 I am in despair as the local badger population is digging up my lawn.  Since just before Christmas they have made it look as if a rotorvator has been over it.  Does anyone have any idea how we can deter them, as we have tried a few ideas but they still come back!  This time is far worse than ever before.  Any suggestions would be welcome.

Posts

  • They are doing it to find food - grubs, worms or plants like pignut that have a tasty root. On the bright side it means your soil has a healthy population of invertebrates, but it is a real nuisance I know. They dig up my sheep field for grubs and my wildflower meadow for the pignut which has always grown there.

    Maybe if you fed them they would be less inclined to go looking for themselves, but there is no guarantee. It is difficult to prevent them getting in, as they are so strong and can dig, and as they are protected you are not supposed to use products like those used to deter foxes.

    You've obviously got a great wildlife garden. Install a wildlife camera and sell tickets?

  • WelshonionWelshonion Posts: 3,114
    Do not feed them!



    At Wisley they put a low electric fence in the vegetable garden to stop them eating the sweetcorn.
  • I had the same problem some years ago and the only solution for me was to fence the garden securely, using "stock" netting along the post & rail fencing and hedges.  It was quite straightforward to fix the netting to the post & rail, and for the hedges I had short posts put in, as close as possible to the hedge itself, and the netting was fixed to them.  Now it's almost impossible to see the netting there, as the hedging has grown through to some extent.  Badgers are surprisingly strong, so tough fencing/netting is what's needed. 

    In case you're wondering what I mean by "stock" netting, it's the sort which comes in a roll and is made from strong wire, and the spaces are square/rectangular, rather than the "chicken wire" hexagons.  The way to attach it is to fix the "squares" part at the top and the "rectangles" at the bottom.  If you can visit an agricultural supplies place, you'd be able to see it - or ask a fencing contractor to show you.

  • I've been advised by my gramps that the best way to keep badgers away from my Corn is man wee apparently they really don't like the smell, he does it all the time. 

    let me know how you get on image

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