What has destroyed my parsnip patch?

[LeifParticipant]

Got home last night to find that something had been digging in my parsnip patch. It is protected with netting over hoops, pegged down round the edges, more than enough to keep out blackbirds which adore rootling through compost. Anyway, the culprit had uprooted several garlic plants, and destroyed half my parsnip seedlings in a 1.5x1m2 area. I’m lucky half have survived, and I might be able to get more started. In one area the digging was quite extensive, and several inches deep, far more than I’ve seen done by blackbirds. And birds cannot get under the netting. Whatever got in, got out without damaging the netting. So, what did it? We do get badgers, so maybe that is it. Or rats? Red legged partridge are regularly seen but I don’t see then getting under netting. Presumably something was after the tasty worms in the top compost layer. Incidentally, I live 5 minutes from the countryside, and I’m surrounded by houses with gardens.

[charlesModerator]

Leif this is odd.
I would say badger except that the net is not disturbed.
It sounds a large animal.

[ruthparisParticipant]

Hi Leif, last spring I had a similar strange thing happen in my carrot patch which I had completely netted with micromesh over large hoops and tied off the ends. My neighbour found a magpie in there, and it had caused similar destruction to the plants that you describe without damaging the net structure. How it got in (and why it wanted to?!) is beyond me! They are big strong birds, though. So I wonder if this may be what happened with your parsnips too?

Good luck with recovering your seedlings!

[ElizaDParticipant]

Well this is odd. I too have had digging in a couple of my beds and half of my radish and some lettuce seedlings were lost. I thought at first cats but not quite enough disturbance and no mess left behind. Too much damage for birds who have indeed been taking compost from around the broad beans and leaving the usual tell-tale scatter of compost around the beds. The radishes had plastic mesh over so I’m thinking a mouse, or rats?

Eliza

[Don FoleyParticipant]

Hi Leif,
I’m pretty sure this is Rat damage. The fact you mention that the digging is quiet deep in places suggests a Rat trying to tunnel through the compost. They also have a particular fondness for Parsnip and Carrot.
Don.

[RandAParticipant]

Sounds like Rats to me as well, we had them in the polytunnel in the winter and they dug deep holes towards the hot bed, they can dig deep!! i put pots on top of the holes they made it did seem to stop them.

[LeifParticipant]

Thanks all, very interesting posts. I found where it got in. At one end the net was a bit loose, and it had walked through the garlic bed, digging holes 4″ wide by 2″ deep, then on reaching the parsnips, it dug a much larger hole, 8″ wide, 3″ deep, it seemed to stop at the heavy clay soil layer. Then it went walkies again around the bed. Fortunately there is time to sow more parsnips, and maybe 2/3 survived.

After reading the above posts, I suspect a rat too. I’ve never seen any, but the neighbours have. And presumably they are commonplace in gardens. I guess a large bird such as a magpie is a possibility too. I’ve seen badgers, and I’m sure a badger would have done far more damage, they are quite big, and would have had difficulty walking between the garlic plants. I’ve seen blackbird damage, and they tend to go round the edges, and make smaller holes since they dig with their beaks.

[fred4x4Participant]

Hi all I have the same problem with birds digging in my compost

[Don FoleyParticipant]

Hi All,

The problem with the birds is a two edged sword. On the one hand we want to encourage them to come and eat the slugs/snails but on the other hand they can cause some damage to beds and of course they pinch the Blueberries etc., in doing so.
I think on balance its better to have them about then not.
Rats I absolutely hate. I have baulked at the idea of laying poison and instead rely on the efforts of our Cat, who, when he decides to get off his lazy ass, is quiet efficient at the job!
One trick I have tried, and I think it has helped, is to empty the contents of the Cat litter in the vicinity of the Compost Bins (not into the Bins). The smell seems to discourage rats from visiting.

Don.

Don.

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