We have a groundhog or two in our area and so far in three years they haven't eaten any of my hostas, heucheras or ferns. They seem to prefer our echinacea and phlox so we just moved those plants to the front yard where there is more sun for them anyways.

Take over the bed and have a good time. The son and DIL will probably not notice for a while.

Get the roundup. This is the time to create new beds for Spring planting.

Steve

A groundhog will eat tulip bulbs. One of them ate about 500 tulip bulbs that I planted last fall.

If they are not going to take care of the bed you should reclaim it.

One ground hog = woodchuck can do a lot of damage burrowing, I would chase him off the property. It is different to my chipmunk which tries creating burrows under various hostas, and dose not seem to like my pellets.

We had to relocate groundhogs this summer. They ate every flower bud of almost everything they could get their teeth on as well as hostas, and yes they will eat hostas! You can't grow veggies with them around. The ones in our yard burrowed under our sheds. And where there is one, there will be two, and babies in the spring. Now is the time to trap them and relocate, as there are no babies in the dens now and they have plenty of time before winter to dig new dens of their own IN new territory.

This is what got rid of the groundhogs under my shed.
{{gwi:891431}}

Steve

I feel your pain. However, I don't think it's bad enough to take over with no questions. She's gonna be your DIL a long time. As far as you know, she'll be the mother of your grandchildren. I would suggest you leave the bed alone until/unless there is absolutely no doubt that it's an eyesore and add 2 weeks. JMHO

An option might be to get her to give it to you. You could mention how much you need more bed space for your hosta. Guilt her into giving it to you. Or, maybe make a trade. Give her something in exchange for it.

Always remember, she has the big guns. She sleeps with your son and she will have control of the grandchildren. In my humble opinion, it's not worth it.

bkay

Steve - I had to laugh at your groundhog solution. Your Weimereiner (did I spell it right?) and my German Shorthair went to the same school. I saw a groundhog crossing my back yard last week and thought it was nuts.

Gesila, clean out the strip. If they care so little about it as it seems they should not care if you reclaim it. It would really tick me off, if I were you, but I tend to be a moderator because of my temper. If it became an issue I would tell them when they are ready to properly care for it let me know and I would gladly help them with the bed if they wanted me to.

Les

As ticked off as I would be with part of my yard looking like that, bkay says it like it is. Don't make enemies with the DIL, she will cause problems with grandkids someday, but like she says you could guilt her into it, or better yet just suggest nicely that you know gardening ended up not being her thing and you'd love to take it over for her so she doesn't have to worry about it, like you are doing her a favor. Maybe keep a couple of the things in the bed in better positions and get rid of the rest and add your Hosta.

On another note, do trap those groundhogs immediately and relocate them.
Cher

When I said she went on strike, I was serious. She is intentionally letting everything die. The picture I posted is only a small portion of the huge mess of overgrown rotting veggies that are currently being neglected.

Bkay and Cher, I predict that their marriage won't last long enough for them to have children. And, she's not MY DIL and he's not my son. He's my DH's son from his first marriage.

Actually my DH originally said no to his son because he knew I had made plans for hostas. Even though I had a feeling that they would end up making a mess, I was the one that gave them the OK to use it. I know how much joy my DH and I get out of gardening and thought they might too.

I could live with the eyesore until next year, but not the groundhog.

I really valued everyone's input on this. I wanted to make sure that I got unbiased opinions. I just read this whole thread to my DH and now he says the veggies have to go TODAY and he has to figure out a way to get rid of the groundhog before we have a bigger mess on on hands.

Thanks so much to everyone who replied!

Gesila

A live trap baited with cantelope pieces or strawberries will get a ground hog pretty fast. Don't leave it out overnight, tho, or you may get a racoon, skunk or other that are more than you bargained for! Groundhogs come out in the daytime and early evening, they sleep at night anyway. And if you relocate them, go at lest 10 miles away from home or you may get them back! We let ours go in a wilderness area where they wouldn't cause trouble for someone else.

Where do we set the trap?

Take over the bed and enjoy. Your DIL will thank you. She is not a gardener. More room for you for more goodies!

The post clearly says, DH's son. Duh! Enjoy your new bed.

bkay

Run an ad for a rental standard dachshound for a week. I guarantee your groundhog problem will be resolved. It is probably more humane than it sounds. It is unlike the dog will kill the groundhog, but it sure will run it out of town.

Les

Set the groundhog trap any place that you've seen him -- there beside the house, or in the vegetable patch. When he's wandering around his usual stomping grounds, he'll find a delightful little present (the cantalope) and enter the trap. Nance

Or stand in front of his burrow, get really mad thinking abound what he will do to your hostas, have a freshly sharpened spade in you hands. Then when he comes out, chase him around with your spade. This is your existence, what would you do without hostas in your life, he will remember to stay away, if he will be able to. Don't need a Dachshund. Believe me it works, I did it! One was eating my beans in my garden.
Have a good fight!
Bernd

Working on the principle that she just MIGHT get with child before any split up, you do not want to engage in war with this woman.

But first, are they paying to live in that half of the house, or is it sort of a favor that the father is providing to his son?

If it is a deal that the dad made for the son, then do not take action until your DH clears it with his son. At that point, man to man, they can restore the garden to you without this woman creating a problem. It sounds to me like she is on "strike" because the son arranged for HER to do some gardening that she did NOT WANT TO DO. Keep yourself above reproach in this, and your DH and your stepson will take care of it. Avoid confrontation, you can wait a little since this is the time to prepare beds for next year, not plant new stuff. Or, at least you can wait for spring. By that time, who knows, she might be gone.

Who's land is it? Who's house is it? If it is yours, you can do what you want. If it is theirs or they are paying rent, leave it alone.

I have never had problems with groundhogs but then we have always had dogs. This year, for the first time, we have squirrels eating our tomatoes! They eat them even before they ripen. Good things both of my kids over-planted so we get our tomatoes from them.

Chris