Allotments 4 All

I planted some cabbage seedlings I grew from seed last weekend.  I made a timber frame which I then completely netted and put it over the seedlings.  (I did this for my summer cabbages but had the same resulting problem though at the time I didn't know it was foxes, I thought it was vandals).  My summer cabbages stayed butterfly thus caterpillar free.  I went to my allotment this morning only to find the netted completely ripped apart on the top of the frame with several cabbage seedlings broken and the netting had muddy paw prints all over. 
my husband has said that he will re net the frame but put some chicken wire over as well so the foxes can't get through the frame and onto the bed.  I was wondering are egg laying butterflies about now as this is the only reason we have a frame over the cabbages.
Sorry if I sound stupid, this is my first successful year of having an allotment.
Your replies would be helpful.

There are far fewer cabbage whites around down here but they are still  there.  I  spotted one on the plot yesterday.  The foxes on our site do just the same - seems to be a game for them!  Birds love brassicas too so I would do what you're planning with net and chicken wire.

Keep all your brassicas netted as the pigeons will have them, especially when the weather gets cold.

And vote to bring back hunting!! 

sounds like you need better way  to deter foxes.
It also sounds like need a stronger frame.

Not sure how hunting will help keep numbers down on my lottie - the hoof marks would cause much worse damage

Quote from: plainleaf2 on October 12, 2009, 01:43:27
sounds like you need better way  to deter foxes.
It also sounds like need a stronger frame.

i know i need a better way to deter foxes which is why i asked for advice.  Plus i dont think i can get a stronger frame then timber unless its made of metal !!!

what type and size timber did you use?
chickenwire covering the frame.
then the fabric.

The secret is not strength but height or substantial sides. It needs to be a barrier to a short sighted animal.

 
  Well I must say I never thought that the fox would do that.

  As naughty as the fox is, and as annoying as it is don't vote for hunting......the fox is beautiful......as is all his wild friends...... qahtan

If there's hunting, there will always be foxes. The hunts will ensure that! I was against it once, but I don't see any point in legislating about it, and I don't hold with all the intrusive legislation we get these days anyway. Leave people free to hunt or not, as they wish.

mpdjulie
it might helpful if you post a picture of your netting step up and measurements and specifications of the various components. 

The many foxes on out site don't usually cause much damage, the odd bit of digging, poo on favourite spots, but one thing guarranteed to distract them is an old gardening glove (particularly leather!). Leave an old one of those out and they will go for it and forget all about your brassica cage.......I have recently dug up two gloves on my plot this week where I have been clearing beds, neither were mine! ;D

I watched one of your foxes on your Open Day, Deb, it was sauntering round without a care in the world......I've watched young foxes in my garden tearing round and leaping up and down for the sheer joy of it.  My guess is that this is what your fox is doing, mpdjulie, so maybe a simpler cover wouldn't attract it/them.  But I think you should cover against pigeons, the only thing they don't ruin in my garden over winter is leeks.

are you sure its foxes

my badger neighbours are creating havoc at present

dax

There are foxes on my site which don't generally cause too much havoc thankfully! They certainly use my plot to rest on, drink from the pond and eat the occasional pigeon that they've caught!

Thats funny ...the same thing has been happening at my allotment.  I keep finding my environmesh cage flattened...i've now put string wrapped round canes over and around the cage at different angels and at different heights and it hasn't happened for two days...keep fingers crossed i've solved the problem

Just to let you know hunting foxes and deer is still happening all over the place.  In theory they are allowed to use only 2 dogs but this does not happen most of the time and it carries on in its usual cruel way as before.

I doubt that hunting in and around towns and allotments would stop this nuisance - and when ever have you seen a hunt in London?  Should be interesting!  Unfortunately most hunting with hounds is horrendously cruel - currently they are hunting hinds that have had baby deer in May/June and there is no dispute that this is cruel.  I support the fact that these beautiful animals have to be contained and culled to a degree - but there are guns that would do the job instantly - rather than a pantomime of hunters dressed in their ridiculous outfits running an animal to exhaustion - for FUN!

Sorry rant over - I should not have monopolised this thread but it does seem that most folk think that there is a hunting ban in force when there is not and it happens(hunting) most days of the week in this area!  YUK!

Old Bird

   When I lived in Angmering On  Sea, Sussex, back in the 60s we worked in Crawley, Sussex.

Many's a time early in the morning on way to work we would see the hunters and the hounds gathering at   Midsussex, at the local pub to have their get up and go drink, bullion and brandy I think it was.
A site to behold but hateful. Why do people have to be so nasty.
  Saw the fox also a couple times..   qahtan

it might help we got back to original subject.
how to protect broccoli and such in cage that prevent damage by foxes.

Deb P - interesting what you say about leather gloves.  I lost a pair a while back - my second best pair which I put down to senile decay setting in, though I don't usually lose things.  I searched high and low with no luck.  At about the same time, a fox started digging in my leek bed.  >:(   Each time I went down to the lottie, filled the hole in, replanted the leek.  Fox came back and dug it up.  In the end, I moved the poor leek to a diffent spot and left the fox to get on with it. 

I wonder if that's where my gloves are? ???  I will have a dig myself next time I am down there.

Sorry mpdjulie - no suggestions on how to deter them ::)