Keeping critters out of the garden

chris-2007

17 years ago

I have spent the weekend constructing a new "lasagna bed" that includes a layer of discarded greens from the local co-op. Now I am concerned that racoons and the like will help themselves to a buffet of rotting vegetables. I have the garden contained in black plastic and covered with a tarp that is held down by bricks. My concern is that animals will smell the decomposing vegetables and tear through the walls.

Any suggestions?

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Comments (8)

pablo_nh
17 years ago
1) why black plastic? I don't think it is doing anything for you, and I wouldn't personally want it there to worry about.

2) a fence will work if you keep critters from digging under. Put up a fence, wrap chicken wire so that it extends from 1' above the ground, then bends and extends along the ground another foot from the fence. Tack it down. Cover with mulch. This keeps groundhogs out- they try to dig under but just hit the chicken wire. It saved my garden.

3) Do you really have that much stuff that will smell good to a raccoon? What if it does dig some up? You have more to worry about from a dog that might get sick, rather than a raccoon that might steal compostables (IMO)
chris-2007
Original Author
17 years ago
I originaly thought that the black landscaping wrap as a "fence" would help contain my layers. It kind of worked, but I think it will be pretty much useless as it settles.

Nice tip on the fence. That is the best suggestion I have heard so far.

We actually do have pretty pungent compostables. There was quite a bit of strong smelling green onion and cabbage. As well our neighborhood seems to be home to some rabbits that we see on a daily basis.
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pablo_nh
17 years ago
Throw some more shredded leaves on top, keep it moist but not soaking. They probably won't go for the onions, and the cabbage breaks down pretty quickly. So- even if they eat a little cabbage before it breaks down... no big deal. They may even leave some of their own OM behind for you :)

Good luck!
seamommy
17 years ago
Racoons don't much care for rotting food, but the earthworms will like the rotting stuff. You're doing the right thing with the veggies, though I wouldn't use the plastic either. If you want to keep out scavengers, try a little red fox urine. You can get it at stores that sell hunting supplies, put a few drops around your garden beds on cotton balls and stick them to the ground with a toothpick or paperclip. Don't get it on your hands, cause it really stinks. And this suggestion has also been brought up in the composting forum before, your own urine will repel varmints from compost bins and garden beds. And it has the added bonus of being free and available in unlimited supply. Cheryl
david52 Zone 6
17 years ago
I live 50 yards from the long swampy draw that is known locally as 'raccoon ally', and I can spot light a dozen any given night with a flashlight. The only things I have them bother in the garden are ripe corn, ripe fruit, ripe grapes, and ripe melons. They will dig up the compost if there is some sort of protein in there, fish heads, meat or chicken scraps, or something like that. So I don't put that stuff in the compost. Recently, I tried an unsuccessful way of making yogurt, and poured the result onto newspaper and buried it in the compost. the raccoons dug it up and ate it.

If you really have problems, aside from the chicken wire fence mentioned above, the best solution is an electric fence around the garden with one strand about 3 inches off the ground, and another at about a foot. Anyone who raises corn around here does that.
tiffy_z5_6_can
17 years ago
Cheryl,

Sorry, but raccoons care for any food they can get their little hands on, whether it's fresh or rotting. Our municipality picks-up our compostables every 2 weeks from a green cart. After two weeks, any food in there can get quite ripe. The neighbourhood raccoons will cut the bungee cords holding the lids of the green carts with their teeth to get to a feast of rotting food that may have been there for a week or so in the summer. YUCK!!

I've discovered that if I place proteins (fish, meat, cheese) in the compost and cover with loads of leaves, they will go dig for it, but if I just place vegetable matter, they don't.

I've made lots of lasagna beds on the property with green matter and never have they gone into them. The squirrels on the other hand are another story...
pablo_nh
17 years ago
"I've discovered that if I place proteins (fish, meat, cheese) in the compost and cover with loads of leaves, they will go dig for it, but if I just place vegetable matter, they don't."

We're talkiing about vegetable matter
sara_the_brit_z6_ct
17 years ago
I'm afraid they certainly dig in my pile and turn up all the vegetable scraps. Now, I don't think they're necessarily eating them. I think they just smell it, explore, and then eat the worms (do raccoons eat worms? Someone told me they do). Either way, its a bit untidy in the morning. Chicken wire over the top will slow them down, but they're clever and handy, and I gave up twisting the wire back in place, and now I just let them get on with it.

Keeping critters out of the garden

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pablo_nh

chris-2007
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Keeping critters out of the garden

Comments (8)

pablo_nh

chris-2007Original Author

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chris-2007
Original Author