Topic: fox vandalism

[ber77tie]

Went down to the plot today only to find holes dug ,plants flattened,string bitten through.I can only assume it's the foxes.Really annoying after all the hard work.any suggestions of how I can deter them will be gratefully received.

[muddylou]

Went down to the plot today only to find holes dug ,plants flattened,string bitten through.I can only assume it's the foxes.Really annoying after all the hard work.any suggestions of how I can deter them will be gratefully received.

Looking forward to your replies, I have large gaps in my lines of potato, where the foxes dug up my planted second earlies. They left them with claw scratches all over them. I've also had string bitten but in my case a neighbour said it was squirrels.

[Eristic]

Foxes have relatively poor eyesight and I found that by lining the perimeters with low fencing or rows of plants in pots, the foxes could be trained to trot merrily along the paths en route to dig holes in someone elses patch.

[Deb P]

We have a significant fox population on our site, and they seem to love string, gardening gloves, seaweed, blood fish and bone fertiliser, and insect hotels! I have had all of the above dug up, wrecked or eaten over the past three years....my plot was used as a main walk through for them before I took it over, so once paths were made they have just learned to use them as Eristic says. They still dig in the odd spot by my compost bins but that is about it now! ;D

[Plot69]

any suggestions of how I can deter them will be gratefully received.

Mark your territory. Wee everywhere, fox's hate human scent.

[shirlton]

The foxes on our plot use the paths too. The trouble is that the babbies don't know that this is what they should do. They like to play.We do wire fence everything that we don't want dug up. As for the spuds well we always put enough in to counteract the ones that are dug up.

[flossy]

   Difficult one this one, whilst on my plot foxes and their babes wreaked havoc on my plot,

   dug and chewed and destroyed.    Found out later that my plot neighbour  was feeding

    them and leaving out beany baby toys for them !!!     :o

    Spent a fortune on chicken wire , posts etc  --  gave up in the end !   

     Keep trying you will win with perseverance --  and no dodgy neighbours ,    ;D

     floss xxx

[Eristic]

Mark your territory. Wee everywhere, fox's hate human scent.

What a numpty comment. Foxes don't care about humans, they actively intrude into human heartland. Bump into a fox, clap your hand and shout "shoo" and watch the reaction. Either they ignore you or look at you with disdain.

The foxes get fed every night on my site underneath my favourite oak tree and if I have to make a call shortly before feeding time, I will be stared out by at least 4 vixens all more interested in waiting for a man with a little dog.

Like I said before, if they cannot see your plot, it does not exist and their eyes are less than a foot above ground. A low barrier is all that is required.

[tim_n]

any suggestions of how I can deter them will be gratefully received.

Mark your territory. Wee everywhere, fox's hate human scent.

Only male urine!

Does work, last time I emptied a night bucket at camp over one he ran a mile.

On a serious note, yes, it's only male urine that deters them.

[shirlton]

Oh well ower Tones gonna be busy then.

[thifasmom]

any suggestions of how I can deter them will be gratefully received.

Mark your territory. Wee everywhere, fox's hate human scent.

this definitely works for me but i use my husbands (its advised that male urine is more effective). i also find i don't have to use it very often even after heavy rains but i apply it when i know we are in for some fair dry weather to ensure it drys well before any rains come.

[Eristic]

On a serious note, yes, it's only male urine that deters them.

It's complete and utter nonsense. Where do you folks get such stupid ideas into your heads? Piss all over your own plot and all you'll do is kill your plants. The fox will still come and dig holes and shortcut across it regardless of your total lack of hygiene.

[BarriedaleNick]

On a serious note, yes, it's only male urine that deters them.

It's complete and utter nonsense. Where do you folks get such stupid ideas into your heads? Piss all over your own plot and all you'll do is kill your plants. The fox will still come and dig holes and shortcut across it regardless of your total lack of hygiene.

Human urine will not kill you plants - it's a good source of nitogen with some phosphorus and potassium.  Plenty of research has been done on this topic

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V24-4J2KTBC-4&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=a07f91629d575a0451803b07453b28c9

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf0717891o
Also urine in a healthy person is not unhygenic it is sterile - doesnt everyone piss on thier compost heasp

[cornykev]

I have a fox digging holes at the front of my plot where my runners are, plenty of peeps told me to put piss down and thats what I've done not on the plants but on the soil near the road path, time will tell.  ;D ;D ;D :P

[davyw1]

Gosh these foxes arnt alf extracting some urine

[ber77tie]

I must say I was thinking of using the urine technique. Rather than doing it all over I was thinking of soaking rags in it, tied on sticks.(a bit like the old renardine technique). Thanks for all the help .I wonder if anybody else has tried this ??

[Eristic]

Human urine will not kill you plants - it's a good source of nitogen with some phosphorus and potassium.  Plenty of research has been done on this topic

Plenty of research but no observation. Come on, let's have less reading and more observation. Piss on a plant a few times and it will die. If you don't believe me oh you faithless lot then try it instead of telling me what other people have said. You may have noticed but I don't care what third parties have to say. Over the past 3 years I've systematically cleared quite a large patch of ivy under my tree. As for the compost heap, it's not a growing plant and I am not tall enough but that should not stop taller people.

[Robert_Brenchley]

I've been pissing on one of my rhubarb clumps for months, and it's exactly the same size as the others.

[Gillybean]

Hi Folks,
For those who are having foxy problems, I would recommend a site called The Fox Project which deals with problems caused by foxes, especially urban foxes. These people are experts at resolving foxy problems in a fox friendly (and human friendly) manner.

[url][/uhttp://www.foxproject.org.uk/rl]

They recommend special fox detterents, that do not harm pets or wildlife, which can be sprinkled around the problem area to deter the fox. .

Having extensively tested every repellent on the market, we regard the most effective products as "Scoot" and "Get Off My Garden". These are safe, proprietary mammal repellents and are available from garden centres and hardware stores.

Get Off My Garden is a general purpose repellent, which may be used at ground level or underground and which can be applied directly onto growing plants. Scoot is effective as a foliage or lawn spray where fouling or digging is taking place.

Not all methods of deterrence involve chemicals. During experiments carried out in association with Greenwich University, we found ultrasonic devices broadly ineffective, but found a water driven gadget, called "Scarecrow", very effective.

Hope that helps
Gillybean

[BarriedaleNick]

Human urine will not kill you plants - it's a good source of nitogen with some phosphorus and potassium.  Plenty of research has been done on this topic

Plenty of research but no observation. Come on, let's have less reading and more observation. Piss on a plant a few times and it will die. If you don't believe me oh you faithless lot then try it instead of telling me what other people have said. You may have noticed but I don't care what third parties have to say. Over the past 3 years I've systematically cleared quite a large patch of ivy under my tree. As for the compost heap, it's not a growing plant and I am not tall enough but that should not stop taller people.

Quite how you can do research without observation is beyond me but none the less you are still wrong.  A friend of mine even saves his piss for the plot and takes it with him when he goes - watered down and applied to the celerey and cabbages - gets wonderful results which I have observed.  The main problem is salinity but it can be avoided by watering it down.  I dont know where you get these strange ideas from!