My Garden

Whats eating my potatoes?

Last post 04-07-2009 9:53 PM by Rosa. 11 replies.

• 03/07/2009 11:58 AM
  Hoggamadogg Location: Joined on: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 2	Reply | Contact Something has been digging holes in my garden and leaving half eaten potatoes  laying about. I thought it was rabbits at first but is no sign of droppings near the holes. The garden is a old walled garden in a very rural area. Could it be rats?

• 03/07/2009 12:58 PM	In reply to
  Digger Location: Northern UK Joined on: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 4,743	Reply | Contact Rats would most likely remove the entire tuber rather than leave it half eaten, although I can't say for sure without seeing a picture, my first thoughts are maybe a fox or a domestic dog? dogs will dig up and eat lots of things for devilment. If you can get a good picture of the half eaten tuber I will more than likely be able to tell if a rats done it or not.  digger

• 03/07/2009 05:17 PM	In reply to
  Celtic Heart Location: Wales Joined on: 03 Jun 2009 Posts: 63	Reply | Contact My mind goes to badgers.  They dig holes in my lawn for worms, and I often find badger damage in amongst the veggies, especially around root vegetables. One is nearer God's heart in a garden than anywhere else on earth.

• 03/07/2009 05:27 PM	In reply to
  miranda Location: Oxfordshire Joined on: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 2,976	Reply | Contact You could be right there, Celtic Heart, as this page says they go for roots. If you're lucky, Hoggamadogg, they've realised that they're not keen on potatoes. If they do like them, then they'll be back for more.

• 03/07/2009 05:37 PM	In reply to
  Digger Location: Northern UK Joined on: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 4,743	Reply | Contact If they are badgers you will have to be really quiet and sit there at night to see them, if you are lucky they won't kick the rest of your garden in digger

• 04/07/2009 10:09 AM	In reply to
  Hoggamadogg Location: Joined on: 03 Jul 2009 Posts: 2	Reply | Contact  Wish it was badgers but I doubt it very much, the garden is walled garden with quite secure gates.

• 04/07/2009 04:45 PM	In reply to
  Digger Location: Northern UK Joined on: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 4,743	Reply | Contact Well badgers are good at digging and they can shift lots of earth, a fox could easily dig your potatoes up or even a dog, have you a picture of the half eaten potato? we could have a close up and look for any teeth marks that way we can be sure, i think a badger may have dug a bigger hole digger

• 04/07/2009 06:09 PM	In reply to
  sue1002 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk Joined on: 06 Sep 2005 Posts: 5,200	Reply | Contact The picture of the half eaten potato is there digger, perhaps you only looked at the first pic  Whatever it is eating the spuds looks like it's got big teeth. sue1002

• 04/07/2009 06:19 PM	In reply to
  Phot's-Moll Location: The sunny South coast. Joined on: 06 Jan 2007 Posts: 3,347	Reply | Contact  Is that a Cara spud? Whether you think you can do a thing, or think you cannot, you are right.

• 04/07/2009 06:26 PM	In reply to
  miranda Location: Oxfordshire Joined on: 17 Nov 2004 Posts: 2,976	Reply | Contact That's interesting. I wonder what could be getting into the garden?

• 04/07/2009 06:43 PM	In reply to
  Digger Location: Northern UK Joined on: 18 Jul 2005 Posts: 4,743	Reply | Contact I can only see one picture? digger

• 04/07/2009 09:53 PM	In reply to
  Rosa Location: West Sussex Joined on: 26 Jun 2009 Posts: 13	Reply | Contact  One possible way to find out might be to spread an area of damp sand around, deep enough to take the paw prints of your secret spud thief