Topic: Sweetcorn - badger protection?

[lewic]

My sweetcorn plants that I transplanted last week are still alive (just!) and I also have some seeds on the go.

Have been warned there are badgers on our site though, my neighbours lost all of theirs last year, despite putting chicken wire round them.

Am planning to grow them amongst squash plants, would this deter the badgers or would they just trash the squash too?

And would putting plastic bottles over the cobs stop them, or is it the whole plant they go for?

Havent got the DIY skills or cash to build a Glastonbury-style fence around them!

[thifasmom]

i am seriously thinking of a chicken wire fence around the perimeter with a strip of electric fencing tape woven through to stop the squirrels.

[1066]

Havent got the DIY skills or cash to build a Glastonbury-style fence around them!

LOL  ;D

Somewhere on here recently there was a thread about protecting sweetcorn and bottles were mentioned, not sure how exactly it all works tho  ???

[Joolieeee]

I've also heard if you live near a zoo you can get free lion poo, which is supposed to be a good deterant for badgers  :)

[Robert_Brenchley]

You can get 'silent roar' which is processed lion poo, on eBay

[daileg]

i thought lion poo was for a good cat deterrant

[davyw1]

   Just be be careful where you stand                                         
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[Digeroo]

I put plastic bottles over mine to stop mice eating them.  But the squirrels are quite capable of moving them.  Cannot see that a plastic bottle would be much problem to something as strong as a badger.   Have to say that so far the squirrels have not moved them on the allotment but they have certainly learned that they contain tasty morsels in my garden.  I know they visit the alloments since I saw one digging up someones pumpkin seeds.

[lewic]

Does anyone have a pic of the plastic bottle on a cob? Am not sure how it is held on? Do wonder if a badger would just bite through it no problem!

Like the Lion poo idea.. it hasnt got very good reviews on Amazon though. Some people say the cats saw it as a challenge and sh@t even more to mark their territory!

[Theplotthickens]

Badgers are big powerful mustelids and you will need heavy duty netting dug in very deep to stop them............. or feed them elsewhere with peanuts.
Remember that you need not deter them just provide food elsewhere !!

[Mr Smith]

Agree with the above post you will need some heavy duty stuff to keep badgers out why not try putting some small bits of cooked chicken here and there away from your plot I'm sure they will be more interested in that than your sweetcorn, :)

[lewic]

Now theres an idea! A trail of peanuts and chicken leading to someone elses sweetcorn  ;D

[Mr Smith]

Now that is a good idea especially if its yours, ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[suemo]

I've tried the peanut ruse to try and distract badgers from digging up my spuds and sweetcorn.It didn't work.They scoffed all the nuts and then just carried on digging.I reckon you'd need to put down tons of nuts to fill them up!! I've   now surrounded the whole plot with plastic fencing and apart from the occasional incursion it does seem to help.

[Barnowl]

I've heard that on the whole they don't like doing anything that makes a lot of noise. Lots of trip wires with bells, dangling cans with stone clappers etc?

[macmac]

I've found the solution to the badger on our allotment ,which we watched it's daily progress across the whole site taking everyone's sweetcorn.This year we're growing it at home in the garden ;)

[lewic]

No garden, sadly!

Will try plastic bottles, maybe wrapped in chicken wire with some clanky things attached.

From what I've read they are quite acrobatic as well as good diggers, hence this advice:

"Chain-link fencing is used because of its strength; chicken wire is usually inadequate.  As badgers are capable of climbing, it is usually necessary to incorporate a supported 30cm (12") overhang at the top of a fence, directed away from the area to be protected.  The fence should be at least 125cm (48") high and be buried to a depth of 60cm (24").  Alternatively, the mesh can be lapped outwards for 50cm (20") on the ground surface to prevent badgers digging underneath it"