Holes in garden bed - Ask Extension
I have a fenced garden with raised beds. There is 1/4” hardware cloth on the bottom of my beds. Trying to figure out what is creating these mystery ...
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Holes in garden bed #878271
Asked July 22, 2024, 2:03 PM EDT
I have a fenced garden with raised beds. There is 1/4” hardware cloth on the bottom of my beds. Trying to figure out what is creating these mystery holes near by blueberries. Nothing appears very eaten aside from some nibbles on a nearby strawberry.
Deschutes County Oregon
Expert Response
Thank you for the excellent photo and description - Can you tell me whether those holes are burrows, or just little pockets?
More like a shallow pocket from what I can tell. Less than a few inches deep.
My top daytime candidate would be a tree squirrel (or chipmunk; either way, hiding yummy treasures for later), whereas if this is happening at night, we have to consider a skunk (precise removal of yummy worms or other invertebrate snacks) as your top suspect. If you have access to a trail camera, it would be fun to catch the perpetrator in the act.
Either way, using welded wire or even chicken wire to make a little hoop-house would exclude the animal. Alternatively, if you have ready access to a hose there, you could purchase a motion-sensor water scarecrow, but you'd need to aim carefully to make sure to not damage the plants you're trying to protect nor would you want to accidentally blast your family or neighbors.
Either way, using welded wire or even chicken wire to make a little hoop-house would exclude the animal. Alternatively, if you have ready access to a hose there, you could purchase a motion-sensor water scarecrow, but you'd need to aim carefully to make sure to not damage the plants you're trying to protect nor would you want to accidentally blast your family or neighbors.
