Badgers and sweetcorn

[Lymmguineas]

Badgers have taken about half of my sweetcorn. We know that they're the culprits as my friend captured some on his wildlife camera taking the corn a few years ago. I've avoided growing it for the last couple of years but some people on the allotments here had a successful crop last year so I hoped they'd moved set!
I'm tempted to pick the remaining cobs now as the badgers will probably take them over the next couple of nights. The only problem is they're slightly underripe. The tassels aren't completely brown an the kernels are a pale yellow.
My question is will the ripen at home if I pick them now?
Thanks.

[burnie]

The only problem is as soon as you pick them the sugars turn to starch and are a lot less sweet and the flavour is lost.

[Snoop Puss]

They won't ripen at home. I've eaten sweet corn when it's not quite fully ripe. Still sweet, still worth eating. Try the kernel test (burst a kernel to see if the liquid is milky). Rather than worrying about whether the liquid is milky, taste it. If it seems sweet to you, just pick cobs rather than let the badgers have them.

That said, are you able to protect them in some way? Another member a few years back recommended putting a sock (clean, of course) over the cobs or a plastic bottle with the bottom cut off so it will go over the top.

[ameno]

That said, are you able to protect them in some way? Another member a few years back recommended putting a sock (clean, of course) over the cobs or a plastic bottle with the bottom cut off so it will go over the top.

That's for protecting from rats. It won't stop badgers.
The only way to stop badgers is a very sturdy wall or fence, or an electric fence.

[Jungle Jane]

I wonder if the recycle centre might have some metal you could use as fencing,if you had four pieces of a grid type of metal or any strong plastic things that could be used?

[Nicos]

Many years ago we had badgers visiting our uk plot.
They seem to be able to dig their way through almost anything.

I read that special electric fencing is the only way to stop them.
If all they are pinching is your corn then it won’t be financially viable.

Ours dug a hole about 6 ft in diameter and a couple of feet deep

This year is the first year here we’ve ever grown sweetcorn because we know there is a badger set in the woods behind our house.
Apparently wild boar are also partial to sweetcorn

Dont know what to suggest really…tbh I think I’d cross my fingers and wait and see….I think though I’d rather Mr or Mrs Brock pinched my sweetcorn rather than rats!

[Snoop Puss]

That's for protecting from rats. It won't stop badgers.
The only way to stop badgers is a very sturdy wall or fence, or an electric fence.

Thanks for clarifying that. He claimed badgers. Evidently optimistic.

[ameno]

I wonder if the recycle centre might have some metal you could use as fencing,if you had four pieces of a grid type of metal or any strong plastic things that could be used?

I doubt that would be sturdy enough.
You need a rigid wooden or metal fence with well-secured fence posts, or a wall, at least 5 feet tall and at least 6 inches (ideally a foot) underground.
Anything less and the badgers will easily either climb over it, dig under it, or simply flatten it.
They are strong animal and not easily deterred.

Thanks for clarifying that. He claimed badgers. Evidently optimistic.

Badgers will happily fell whole sweetcorn plants, and will easily either chew through or rip off anything you cover the cobs with, sadly.

I had badgers in my garden a few years back, and they broke three branches off my plum tree to get to the fruit.
I've managed to keep them out now, by sinking metal sheets into the ground at the base of the fence at the bottom of the garden.

[Lymmguineas]

Thanks for all of the replies.
For the small number of plants that I've got, I don't think it's worth trying to protect them now.
Half of the plants have been completely pushed over. I'm confident that it's badgers rather than rats as I've seen video of them do this on one of the other allotments here in the past.
I took a few cobs home last night and they were ok. Not great but ok and certainly as good as some supermarket cobs I've had in the past.
I don't think that the number of sweetcorn plants I grow warrants the cost of the protection. I still like badgers though and quite fancy the idea of a wildlife camera. Maybe I'll grow some more, unprotected, next year and hopefully get some video of night time badgers enjoying my corn. If they leave a few cobs for me I'll consider it a bonus!

[bobbin]

I have grown sweetcorn for about 10 years. We have badgers every year pinching it from someone’s plot.
I have lost mine once but since then have it in a raised bed 8ft x 4ft. With wooden sides. I place sturdy poles around the sides and for
a few years surrounded them with small gauge wire netting and reinforcing with odds end ends at the base where the netting meets the
wood. Basically making it as awkward as possible for the badgers. I now have old green metal plastic coated link fencing around it.
Which we had from about 30 years ago and was languishing behind our hedge.
Here’s the secret to success. If your putting wire netting around you must put sturdy old metal or wooden poles at intervals of about
2-2.5 feet and tie to the netting. Be imaginative. Anything you can find. Otherwise the badgers will put their claws into the netting and pull in down towards the ground. The tension between the poles make it too difficult to claw it down. For good measure I weave a cane or two along the top of the netting.
They dig under peoples netting but not the wooden sides of my bed. Its easier to look elsewhere!!
I never lose my sweetcorn to badgers.

[bobbin]

Incidentally my neighbour has old wooden windows tied together surrounding his sweetcorn. Another has pallets.They don't lose their sweetcorn either. Though one other allotment holder used pallets and still lost his sweetcorn. He wouldn’t accept the fact that young badgers are smaller and could squeeze between the 12 or so inch gap in one area of the pallet. No… he insisted….they all climbed over the top of the 4ft pallet. Hmmmm

[Nicos]

Just had a thought….I’m pretty sure badgers hate citronella.
Might it be worth getting some oil and sprinkle it onto rags fastened to sticks?
it might just deter them from yours at least?

[Lymmguineas]

Just had a thought….I’m pretty sure badgers hate citronella.
Might it be worth getting some oil and sprinkle it onto rags fastened to sticks?
it might just deter them from yours at least?

Thanks Nicos,
I may try that if there's any corn left by the time I get to buy some Citronella!

[Nicos]

Well, at least if it doesn’t work you can use the oil against mosquitoes!