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Not so black and white
Wayside
Posts: 845
Hi,
Tried to encourage wildlife. Ended up with badgers encroaching on the garden, and digging up young hedge.
I've tried to put them off a little with a few larger rocks here and there, but they just throw them aside and snuffle around the plants.
Could I perhaps tempt them away to greener and more pleasant pastures?
Or do I just like and lump?
0
Posts
They love peanuts. You could maybe leave some a little distance from your hedge and see if that helps.
Very difficult to stop them. We lost over 3,000 tulip bulbs t them last year. All you can do is find the point of entry and block it off. I have had to put a couple of hundred metres of wire netting fence around the perimeter.
We were told that they would not dig where there were empty (well half full of water to stop them blowing away) clear plastic bottles. Looks a bit odd, but they have not come back in since we put up the fencing and placed the bottles round the base of it.
They are creatures of habit so if you can break the habit of them coming into your garden then the problem may well go away.
Most of the things suggested on the Web are actually illegal so take care.
Maybe install an electric fence for long enough for them to change their routine and go elsewhere to explore/hunt etc.
http://www.badgerland.co.uk/help/solutions/fencing.html
I've not used this firm and have no connection with them - just found them on the internet as they give a good description of how the fences work and what is involved.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I've had a badger (or possibly fox?) trying to dig up a newly planted rose a couple of weeks ago and I've barricaded it with a pinned down roll of wire but that's not practical for a hedge. There are electronic badger repellents on the market but not sure how well they work and they're expensive. I agree that badgers are creatures of habit and I'd worry that trying to distract them with peanuts would simply encourage them to keep coming back. Hope you find a solution.
It's quite odd, there's a lot elsewhere of interest for them. But for some reason they uprooted 6ft of hedge over winter. I placed some larger rocks over the base of the hedge and had no disturbances all winter.
Since mulching, and adding six new young trees to the row, they took an immediate interest. And have oddly ventured further into the garden. So perhaps the mulch attracts worms or contained worms or just a difference was enough to spike their interest.
Rather annoyingly they've blasted away my hopes of turning a section of wasteland into a little veg garden. But perhaps, electric fencing and chicken wire could be enough to make it a nuisance for them.
A set near by had previously been dormant. But it looks as if they've moved back in. Obviously they must like what I'm doing!
Funny really, I'd planted wild pear, pretty much for wild life. And rather ironically they've come a little early.
NOT IN MY BACK YARD!
Last edited: 24 April 2017 21:17:22
@Berghill what do you think is the trick with the bottles? Why do badgers dislike them?
They have been quiet during the Winter because they hibernate. Now Spring has come and they are looking for food.
@Welshonion, I read that badger hibernation is a myth. They are less active during winter but not true hibernators.
https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blogs/woodland-trust/2016/10/where-do-badgers-live/
It's interesting that setts can be hundreds of years old! I hope they stay there.
While out for a walk yesterday I caught one lolloping along before sunset. They are goading me.
Absolutely no idea, it was something told to me by another badger sufferer. We also hung strips of plastic on the fence as the flapping is supposed to spook them.
We have 5 setts within a mile of us.