Allotment disaster

[Raybon]

I keep foxes off my stuff by using pointy sticks set at different angles between plants....don't know if that would work for you.
Nooner, you are such a positive, generous person, I'm sure you will recover as soon as you are able.
Meanwhile, be good to yourself!

[Penellype]

Been reading a bit about deer. The bad news is that they can really jump - white tailed deer are said to be able to jump 15 feet!

A few suggestions I have seen, which may or may not be practical in your setting...
Get a dog. Deer can smell where dogs have been adn don't like it.
Deer are sensitive to smell. Plant strong smelling plants such as lavender or spray a solution of garlic or capsaicin (the hot stuff from chillies) about.
Put nets over valued plants or surround them with fishing line . The deer can't see this and it scares them apparently.
Get something that makes a noise or appears to move - suggestions are wind chimes, a radio tuned into static, reflective strips or old CDs suspended above plants.
Use a sprayer or light with a motion sensor.

A bit like with slugs, the more of these things you can do the better.

I hope some of this is usesful.

[Scarlet]

Dogs don't seem to deter mine!
They trampled my mini plastic tunnels down and moved them aside - they certainly wasn't frightened of them.

I will agree that they can certainly jump! Mind you the bulls in my garden just pushed my fence aside so perhaps they squeezed through the gap they made!

[Bill HH]

Give those scare crows a good ass kicking. (maybe its them doing the damage)

[Noosner]

Dear chums, thank you so much for your commiserations! It does really help and even brings a little tear to my eye.

I was gutted when I saw more damage today, especially to the globe artichoke plant which is my pride and joy and seemed so senselessly destroyed, since the b....y animal didn't even eat any of it!

But it really helped to take action and reinforce the fence. If it was rabbits, I think the reinforcements will keep them out. If it's deer (there are some in the woods and my plot neighbour said he saw one swim across the river the other day - towards our allotments)... it sounds as if I could be in for a long haul

Thanks so much for the suggestions and time spent on this. If there is damage again this weekend I will assume deer and make a start on Penellype's list...

Not all my crops are destroyed, by the way. My spuds are looking good, as is the garlic, onions, rhubarb, raspberries, gooseberries, and squashes. The critter obviously doesn't like strong tastes or prickles. Though I'd better not speak too soon.

[Bal]

So sorry for you Noosner. Hope you can sort it out

[bearded bloke]

Get a brass band up there playing for few hours,should do the trick I reckon on the plus side,you do still have some things growing that could be harvested while your replacements for the damaged crops get started

[Noosner]

I must admit I've capitulated and bought some seedlings from the garden centre. I don't like doing it, but we are going on hols next week and I'm running out of time. I keep telling myself THERE IS NO SHAME...!! They may be eaten immediately, and that will be £15 down the pan, but I'd rather lose bought seedlings than ones I've grown myself. Soppy b*gger that I am.

[Bigmallly]

Play safe & net 'em then hopefully they'll have grown up for when you get back.

[Bren In Pots]

I really feel for you Noosner so i hope your last lot of defences puts them off.

[Noosner]

I think that's a good idea BM and will try stretching some netting over some old poly tunnel hoops.

[fishpond]

If you don't feel as if you can go on your holiday, I am willing to sacrifice myself on your behalf.

[bearded bloke]

So that's fishpond on allotment guard duty then,well volunteered

[Nannysally99]

So that's fishpond on allotment guard duty then,well volunteered

Ha ha ha ha

[Noosner]

Can you grapes stand another installment of this sad story?

I've just come back from lottie - simply had to check whether there'd been another incursion after my fence work. And there was Bugs Bunny in the middle of the remains of my sweet peas. I kept a keen eye on where s/he scarpered to: the fence that divides my allotment from the abandoned one next door, which is bordered on the other side by Yorkshire Water, where there is a vast rabbit warren. Surprise, surprise. That bluddy plot has been a problem for the past 4 years. I wrote to our parish council earlier this year offering to take it over and tidy it up, an offer they declined, telling me that it had been offered to someone who they were 'waiting to hear from'. Of course, no-one ever materialised.

Anyway, back to the present. To cut a long story short, I think the rabbit warren has spread from Yorkshire Water into next door's plot - and on to mine. There are a several of fissures in the ground that I didn't spot yesterday and some soft areas where the ground has raised up under the paths. I'd thought that was moles, which we've had before.

There was also a rabbit in my neighbour Simon's plot (on the other side) and it also vanished seemingly into thin air when I approached. You could see that his peas and french beans had taken a pasting. Could the tunnels have spread as far as his plot?

We've all got rabbit proof fencing up to HERE, but it looks as if we've been outwitted. Mr Noosner has said he'll come down with me on Saturday. We'll try and clear some of the plot next door to see if we can get a better idea of what's going on. Next step: another letter to the Council.

Anyway, thanks for listening, everyone! I don't really think I can do much now that the problem has got to this level. It's a complete bummer but I'll just have to hope the situation can be cleared up this year so that next year we can start again. Thank goodness for my little square foot garden in my raised bed at home!