Carrot thief!

[pickledtink]

This is driving me mad now.
Every single planting of Carrots in particular gets dug up and vanishes. After numerous plantings in the veg patch itself I gave up and planted two containers at intervals right outside the back door and they were doing ok. This morning utter destruction. All dug up and most just left scattered all over but some of the actual roots have clearly been eaten but mainly just wasted.
Not had one single carrot this year.
Also seems to be some sign of the same regarding spring bulbs in pots.
Sometimes Brassicca , Chard or virtually anything will have been dug up and tossed aside for no good reason.
What is it?
What on earth do I do to tackle it too?
Never had this before.

[Capsid]

Could it be wabbits?

[taff]

badgers ?

[pickledtink]

Don't think it's rabbits. No droppings anywhere to be seen. Badger possibly but I've lived near a set in the past and never had anything like this before. Also the waste rather than eating seems wrong. Had foxes for years too before but they never did this. I'm stumped.

[Nicos]

How about sprinkling some sand to see if you can get any footprints- if they got eaten last night I imagine the culprit will be back sniffing around tonight.

It certainly is a mystery isn't it???

A bunny would nibble the tops and scratch up a few

How big are the carrots- are we talking about seedlings- blackbirds will scartch up bulbs to get at insects in the soil- so why not seedling carrots?
Any bigger- and yep- quite possibly a badger

Tracks Holmes..we need footprints!!!!!

( out of interest- are the carrots big enough to check out the dental formation?- ie 2 front teeth/ whole set of gnashers????)

gut feeling is badgers though!

[pickledtink]

I think it's Badgers too.The carrots in the containers were only tidgy and from what I've now read Badgers dig them up to get at the insects in the soil but will eat the root too. That's probably why the original larger ones went. He just didn't bother with the seedlings. That's 5 carrot crops and I've not tasted one yet!
Also has dug and is using a latrine pit right in the middle of one of my main veg plots. I've cleared it and tried putting pointy twigs over it for several days as I thought it was a cat but that was no deterrent to Mr b****y badger so now I've cleared it again and poured vinegar on the spot.
I'm at a loss. Can't find any useful info anywhere as to how to stop it without lots of work or money. Sigh.

[Nicos]

Badgers are a right pain.
We had one visit on our previous plot- it dug a huge wide hole in the middle of our planting area.Then we never saw it again-( I think it was 'got')

They can chew through normal fencing.

Being a garden you're not likely to put up an electric fence or metal builders mesh fencing are you?

Have you Googled images of badger poo to compare it- or did it just have a wee?

Still - not nice.

You could grow some things in hanging baskets- and wall mounted containers ( quite high)
to be honest I think i'd be asking for a lottie

Don't give up on your GYO...I'm sure you can find ways to beat it.
You know , not many peeps have badgers in their gardens ( if that is what it is)

Why not give The Badger Trust a ring on tel: 08458 287878 and ask for their advice - as well as IDing if it is a badger????

Good luck- let us know how you get on!