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Foxes and Lavender

Surrey, United Kingdom Gb

Strange question I know, but are they attracted to the smell of lavender? I ask because I have recently made a path from patio to garage and planted some lavender along it. I have also dug several quite large beds ready for planting but empty at the moment.
Every morning this week I have found the lavender plants dug up and bits of eggshell and quite large bones (so I don't think its a squirrel) lying on the lawn. No digging in the empty beds.
I saw a big fox the other night walking across the lawn, but why just the lavender - any advice?




Answers

 

Are you adding bonemeal or fish,blood and bone when planting? These can often encourage plants to be dug up by dogs or foxes. Whose bones are they!!

11 Dec, 2008

 

Hi Ginellie,
Foxes don't like their territory interfered with and the smell of Lavender upsets their senses. They would have been burying the bones which may have had meat on them, which will produce maggots which are highly nutritious for them when food is short, i.e. in winter.
It will be difficult to reroute their territory out of your garden, rags soaked in creosote is one deterrent, or any other strong smelling disinfectant.

11 Dec, 2008

 

I wouldn't fancy creosote or disinfectant in my garden, though. You could try surrounding the plants with chicken wire laid flat and covered with soil, the animals paws won't like to dig through that. Thorny sticks may deter them too, pyracantha is good.

11 Dec, 2008

 

Mothballs, might be preferable to creosote. Baby powder also repels some animals. Don't know how it would work in an outdoor garden, but I used to put it into baloons and release them under the garage. Blown up and released they would spray their contents. The skunks hated it.

Cayanne pepper or garlic spray would also be a possibility. Same for rotten eggs. Their are forulations on these things on the web.

12 Dec, 2008

 

Thank you all, lots of things to try there. I have to be a bit careful about what to put down because if it looks at all edible Miss Sophie will have it - mothballs, yummie.

12 Dec, 2008

How do I say thanks?

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