Can you help me identify culprit if those damages?

12 days ago

It's something that comes over at night and causes substantial damage to my plants.... dug up my dahlia and broke off it's tip, broke off the tip of oriental lily.... before I can come up with plan to tackle it I have to identify it. Please can you help?
https://www.houzz.com/hznb/photos/my-project-phvw-vp~204848424
https://www.houzz.com/hznb/photos/my-project-phvw-vp~204848422
https://www.houzz.com/hznb/photos/my-project-phvw-vp~204848419

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Comments (4)

dovetonsils
11 days ago
Squirrels or chipmunks.
Dorota D thanked dovetonsils
KR KNuttle
11 days ago
While squirrels and chipmunks could be the cause, however you said the damage occurs at night. Squirrels and Chipmunks are day light animals and are seldom active at night.

Without further clues, it is almost impossible to identify the cause of the damage. Night time animals are foxes, raccoons, opossums and many more could be causing the damage depending on your location.

Do you have a trail camera or any camera that you could set up that would be activated by motion or a trip device? This may be the only way you will find out the cause.

Trail cameras are relatively inexpensive and can provide a lot of entertainment as you learn about the wild life in your yard,
Dorota D thanked KR KNuttle
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Delina, We our elevation is ~3000'. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your perspective) this year we didn't get any snow -- lots of hail, but no snow. Last year we got about a foot in late January/early Febrluary which stuck for about a month. Our winter temperatures are normally mid 20s, which is quite a contrast from our summer temps of 90 degrees plus. Additionally, we get quite a lot of rain 60"-70" per season mostly in the late winter/early spring. The soil is in large part decomposing granite; so it drains well. I am able to grow Nerines, crinum, Amaryllis Belladonna, Kniphofia, and Melianthus -- the melianthus, when in bloom, attracts the hummers from miles around :-) I planted watsonia last year, which seems to be doing quite well, but with this being an atypical winter season, they really haven't been tested for hardiness yet. I've ordered (but have not yet received) ixia, Sparaxis, Babiana, Watsonia, and Homerus collinia -- great minds think alike! Thanx for your suggestions. George, I'll have to whip out my high country gardens catalog. For some reason, I didn't think of looking through their catalog (even though I know they specialize in xeriscape plants). Excellent suggestion! You've made suggestions of plants (and nurseries) that I haven't considered -- thank you. It's been a blast surfing the net to try to find plants from around the world that will beautify my garden. For anyone who may be following this thread for plant ideas in their own gardens, the plants that I grow (and do well in my garden) from George's suggested list of plants are: lavender, rosemary thyme, sage, ceanothus and bottle brush plants. Thanx to all for your wonderful suggestions!
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Dorota D
Original Author
10 days ago
I think it's fox in the end... there was a substantial damage around the garden yesterday morning and the size of paws indicate it must be fox. It had been spotted around whilst I've not seen a single squirel or rabbit. It's very annoying, we've fixed those holes several times already :( I also identified new gap in a fence that it may be getting in to the garden. Covered that and for now fingers crossed there were no new holes...
My Project · More Info

My Project · More Info
KR KNuttle
9 days ago
We had a dog that liked to dig, and one time managed to dig about two feet under the slab of the house.

Solution. We went down to the store and bought a 20 foot roll of chicken wire. we then staked the chicken wire down along the house through the area the dog liked to dig. Grass grew into the chicken wife and it became invisible. Since it was originally secured to the ground by "u" shaped stakes an and later the grass you could mow over it. If you wanted to plant in the area, it was a matter of cutting a small hole in the chicken wire and planting the bush.

This stopped the dog from digging and solved our problem. So you may consider a similar solution. I often wonder what the people who bought the house thought when they realized the extent of the chicken wire.

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Can you help me identify culprit if those damages?

Comments (4)

dovetonsils

KR KNuttle

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Dorota D
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Can you help me identify culprit if those damages?

Comments (4)

dovetonsils

KR KNuttle

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Dorota DOriginal Author

KR KNuttle

COMPANY

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Dorota D
Original Author