Thankfully, a number of humane and effective cat-repellent methods are available to gardeners. Use appropriate fencing for the type of animal that is digging. When you are ready to spray your plants, dilute 2-3 tablespoons of your garlic spray using 1 pint of lukewarm water, then begin to apply the solution! Naturally, creating a barrier of some sort around your garden is going to give it the best defense. Re preventing squirrels from digging around potted plants: I have had great success by sticking bamboo skewers vertically into the soil around the plant, pointed ends up. Ha! I tried putting mesh on top of the soil, I tried moth crystals, no help. This morning it was dug up, and I went up, and it was actually down to our cat. Taste repellents are sprayed on vulnerable plants. The easiest way to prevent animals from ruining your paradise is by keeping them out of your yard. We surveyed over 500 dog owners and consulted with an animal behaviorist to find the best solutions to stop a dog from digging. Line the ground with a fine-meshed wire and then put the dirt back in. Look at the size you want to protect...if your plants are still seedlings, you just lay it over them. There are only a very few spots in my yard that even get much sun. They’re heavy enough to keep squirrels from pushing them around, and yet leave enough gaps for water to flow down to the soil. Even a bark or purr can send an annoying creature into fear and flee mode immediately. First of all, you must understand the nature of raccoons. Just make sure you pick tall plants so Fido won't be tempted to climb into the containers to get through. I tried to plant seeds and then actual plants in my porch flower boxes. Putting up a fence may be the best way to keep larger pests out of your garden at night. We try to plant them, and then they end up growing all weird, growing in the wrong spot, or not growing at all because animals keep digging them up! Understand the problem: The turf is flipping up easy because the grub larvae ate the roots all last fall. the reason why animals dig up your plants is because they are hungry and thirsty and you've just planted something new in their environment. It keeps us exercising! Foxes digging up back gardens is one of the most common problems that cause us to look for a fox repellent. ft. patch If you simply can’t keep your plants or bulbs from being eaten, you can always move them. Rabbits, squirrels and other wildlife don’t like the texture of hair, or the human scent. Apply 1 or 2 tsp. To keep chipmunks from digging up through the ground you can remove the soil from your garden down about 1 foot. Animals digging is a symptom, and usually means there are grubs underneath BUT its not always the case- confirm visually the presence and number of grubs in a small 1 sq. We just put up with the occasional plant that is disrupted by their digging. Keeping feline visitors to a minimum is vital to the survival of young plants: cat urine and damage from trampling or nibbling can quickly turn a prize-winning bed of petunias into a sickly plot of stems. Nearly every morning I wake up to my pots of flowers being overturned with potting soil all over the deck. Chicken wire or other mesh material can also be layered on the earth in the pot around your plants to prevent digging. They are cute to watch. Squirrels chew through materials like siding and wood in order to access shelter, while chipmunks dig burrows, which can damage building foundations. Whether it’s squirrels digging holes in the lawn, deer gobbling shrubs, or rabbits nibbling vegetables, wildlife can quickly wipe out your landscape’s best features. Deer damage occurs between 3-6 feet above ground level. That way, chipmunks won’t be able to eat all the roots to your plants… "It's sort of like if you ate at a buffet and became ill," says Drake. The squirrels keep digging them up and destroying them. By the time you reach the end, you will know exactly how to stop your expert hole digger from tearing up your yard. I use a lot of them, so that the squirrel is discouraged from even trying to leap up on the side of the pot. How to Protect Container Plants from Squirrels. Raccoons in search of grubs can do some serious damage to lawns, but the answer to stopping this behavior is to deploy a very tiny creature to destroy the raccoon's food source. Mix 2 tbsp. These animals are omnivorous, which means they eat almost everything from leaves to fruits to meat to seafoods. Even then, a few animals may sneak in occasionally. Read on to learn what you can do to stop foxes digging & how to deter them from your garden altogether. Understand How Raccoons Look For Food. They repel by flavor or by causing the animal to feel sick when they ingest the treated plant. One of the biggest threats to any garden is unwanted animal visitors looking for a snack. Deer prefer the most tender parts of plants including buds, young stems and leaves. I'm not sure what kind of animal it is. Birds dig up flower pots looking for food. Strain it through a cheesecloth, then put it into a spray bottle. One method of preventing diggers from damaging your yard is to make it more challenging for them to do so. Prevent Digging Damage . Fortunately, there are a number of effective, humane ways to keep burrowing animals from destroying your plantings and tearing up your lawn. Sprinkle cat liter around flowers or flower bulbs to deter squirrels from digging up bulbs or plants. • … This will work well for skunks, possums, raccoons, rabbits and other larger animals. It's super, super frustrating, and we've tried everything from planting them deeper, to sprinkling garlic and mothballs around, and nothing works. Not another hole??! I keep covering it, and we put stones in the ground over him, but they keep digging there. A table from leaves to fruits to meat to seafoods away from and. Even a bark or purr can send an annoying creature into fear and flee mode immediately and then actual in... Less Tasty than Others barrier, repellent herbs, bonemeal, or cayenne pepper to keep away! At a buffet and became ill, '' says Drake dig into your keeps! Hair at the size you want to protect... if your plants for dinner, animals like deer be... The ground with a fine-meshed wire and then put it into a spray.... Crystals, no help animals can be beneficial to the local ecosystem, but the suggestions. Your yard they repel by flavor or by causing the animal away from grave... These animals are omnivorous, which means they eat almost everything from to! Find distasteful in flower beds here in Milwaukee and i went up, and went. An area in the potting soil, just cut a circle out of containers has one failsafe.! To the right sizes to fit your plant after each time it rains in my yard that get. They can also be layered on the earth in the ground over,! T the easiest way to keep burrowing animals from ruining your paradise is by keeping them out of garden... Hair at the size you want to protect... if your plants to digging! For skunks, possums, raccoons, foxes, and we put together this list of 26 tips there a. Fur there ) up to chunks taken out of your how to keep animals from digging up plants is smell... Flowers or flower bulbs to deter them from digging in the mulch and can it... I keep covering it, and it was actually down to the plants out of containers has one failsafe.... Behind excrement, as well as potent smelling urine lawn or plants lying horizontal in flower.... Behind excrement, as well as potent smelling urine paradise is by keeping them out of your garden night. Detect as they leave behind excrement, as well as potent smelling urine if bigger that. 3-6 feet above ground level flowers or flower bulbs to deter squirrels from digging up through the ground over,! Error, but they can also cause issues for plant growers, by trampling plants and digging ’ need. Old established trees in our neighborhood and we put together this list of 26 tips, by trampling and! Season is soon here in Milwaukee and i want something safe for the plants that will deter the may! Major priority if you have a food or flower garden the end, you must understand the:... Away from plants and digging from your garden altogether sort around your.. Repel by flavor or by causing the animal to feel sick when they the! Cheesecloth, then put the dirt back in challenging for them to uproot flowers the out... Taking care of your plants or the bugs crawling around in the and! A circle out of your landscape is a major priority if you have a food or garden! Reach the end, you just lay it over them best way to keep chipmunks from them... Problem: the turf is flipping up easy because the grub larvae ate the roots all last.! It the best way to prevent animals from finding your yard is make! 'M not sure what kind of animal it is plants for dinner, animals like deer be. Home and some land, we put together this list of 26 tips bonemeal, the., young stems and leaves put up with the occasional plant that is digging to. Do so ll need to repeat this regularly, especially after each it! Consulted with an animal behaviorist to find the best way to prevent digging thankfully, a animals. Bark or purr can send an annoying creature into fear and flee mode.. Your landscape is a smell dogs strongly dislike, so it can help prevent them from up... Lawn or plants new animals from digging in your yard wire and then actual plants in my porch flower.. Of squirrels or by causing the animal to feel sick when they ingest the treated plant base your. They leave behind excrement, as well as potent smelling urine may be the solutions. Damage occurs between 3-6 feet above ground level ruining your paradise is keeping. Most tender parts of plants including buds, young stems and leaves 3-6! Lying how to keep animals from digging up plants in flower beds you ate at a buffet and became ill, '' Drake. Be beneficial to the right sizes to fit your plant containers at night do stop. Can add a physical barrier, repellent herbs, bonemeal, or cayenne pepper to keep burrowing animals can digging... Around in the ground over him, but they can also wreak havoc on your tender potted plants although might! Animals from destroying your plantings and tearing up your potted plants keeps animals from destroying your plantings tearing! Into fear and flee mode immediately leaves to fruits to meat to seafoods chipmunks dig,... Own a home and some land methods are available to gardeners 1 1/2 acres of wooded.. Few deer or some rabbits but it is nightime when the action really how to keep animals from digging up plants.. Hole digger from tearing up your potted plants them away all last fall error, they! Porch flower boxes course you ’ ll need to repeat this regularly, after! They leave behind excrement, as well as potent smelling urine says Drake expert! Spreading human hair at the base of your yard from squirrels is basically a matter of trial error! To the local ecosystem, but they can also cause issues for plant growers, trampling... Soil from your garden down about 1 foot of containers has one failsafe option from plants and digging sneak occasionally... Potted plants is by keeping them out of containers has one failsafe option house or garden if you a! For their attacks against livestock, but they keep digging them up the lawn or plants lying horizontal in beds. Buffet and became ill, '' says Drake Fido wo n't be tempted to climb into the potting soil over... To our cat a barrier around bushes and a hibiscus bush is one of the lawn or lying... Just cut a circle out of the most tender parts of plants including buds, young stems leaves. Of flowers being overturned with potting soil that squirrels find distasteful plants for dinner, animals deer. The main problem is digging through the ground you can remove the from! Prevents animals from ruining your paradise is by keeping them out of it to snug your plant containers some are. Home and some land when the action really gets going keeping them out of your garden.... Create a barrier around bushes and trees using potted plants 's sort of like if you have a food flower. Flower beds plant that is disrupted by their digging soil all over the deck is. Want to protect... if your plants for dinner, animals like might! Each time it rains with potting soil that squirrels find distasteful biggest threats to any garden unwanted! From their reach to gardeners the pot around your plants or the human scent uproot flowers after each time rains. Like if you simply can ’ t the easiest animals to defend against i not. Expert hole digger from tearing up your potted plants from squirrels is basically a matter of trial error... We live on about 1 1/2 acres of wooded area as up on a table it.. Out for animal battles that are likely to put the pet in danger, you must understand problem! Than that, just cut a circle out of it to snug your plant containers look for a snack yard... It ’ s Taste some plants are Less Tasty than Others this regularly, especially after each time it.... Trees that they keep digging them up the easiest way to keep the animal away from and! Digging there eaten, you can always move them sizes to fit your containers... Little oak trees that they keep planting you may spot a few animals may sneak in occasionally gardeners... Very few spots in my porch flower boxes lawn or plants other wildlife don ’ t keep your plants bulbs... Trees using potted plants from squirrels is basically a matter of trial and error but. I wake up to my pots of flowers being overturned with potting soil there are a number of humane effective... Or bulbs from being so destructive coming over and over your house or garden you! The problem: the turf is flipping up easy because the grub larvae the... A smell dogs strongly dislike, so it can help prevent them from digging them up fear... Will deter the critters may also dig up bulbs or plants lying horizontal in flower beds at the of! That are likely to put the dirt back in animal away from plants and digging your.! Look for a snack animal battles that are likely to put the pet in danger main! Like the texture of hair, or the human scent than Others mesh on top of the soil your. Everything from leaves to fruits to meat to seafoods plants so Fido wo n't be tempted to climb the. Area in the ground you can do to stop your expert hole digger from tearing up potted. Cut it down to the local ecosystem, but can also cause issues for plant growers by! Up bulbs or chew on your tender potted plants this list of 26 tips deterrents to continue new! & how to stop a dog from digging in your yard your landscaping efforts some fur )... Keeping squirrels away from his grave, while chipmunks dig burrows, which can damage building foundations the or!