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Problem?

FlinsterFlinster Posts: 883
in Wildlife gardening
Morning Everyone,
yesterday while walking round my new pond I saw to my horror that two clumps of Carex had been savaged! I blamed rabbits, although I have never seen one in the garden, but we have field at the back so is feasible. Anyway, this morning I get my coffee and head to check on the frog spawn my neighbour passed over the fence yesterday (saved from the jaws of his Koi), when a long grey furry little dude ran through the plants and disappeared into the logs around the pond edge! I tracked it down and sure enough twitching whiskers in a burrow, with all my missing Carex! Now I suspect my vegetable raised bed that I’ve only just built is going to prove a real draw! Thing is, on the one hand I’m thrilled it’s taken up residence, it’s a wildlife pond after all! On the other I’m thinking it won’t be long before 1 becomes 2 etc. I’m not sure if I should discourage it- remove logs etc, or if it will just return anyway?! I don’t mind sharing a bit of food, but equally don’t want my veg decimated! Any thoughts? It’s a bank or field vole, it’s a vole anyway and it’s very cute! ( well it is at the moment as it hasn’t eaten all my strawberries lol!)
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  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Central Norfolk UKPosts: 82,270
    edited March 2018
    You wanted wildlife ....... you've got it .............. rejoice and be thankful  :)

    Put some small mesh wire netting firmly around your veggies if they begin to get raided, and perhaps provide your voles with a few stock carrots etc so they don't feel drawn to your veg patch and find a way through/over the wire.


    “I am not lost, for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.” Winnie the Pooh







  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Central Norfolk UKPosts: 82,270
    Just a thought .... any large trees about?  If so perhaps an owl nesting box would be an idea ... create a balance  :)
    “I am not lost, for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.” Winnie the Pooh







  • FlinsterFlinster Posts: 883
    I am thrilled, really I am, but just wary I guess, I’m 3 Carex plants down in one night, which is ok grass grows but it’s just the idea that I could find myself over run lol! I now know what ate all my crocus bulbs (yes ALL of them- I planted 50 bulbs!) guess I will just have to garden around them 😬
  • FlinsterFlinster Posts: 883
    No trees yet- I’m still waiting for my Silver Birch to be delivered- the snow stopped play! There are owls around though- you hear them at night. I’m just going to have to wait and see. So, mesh around veg- do they not just dig under/climb over?
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Central Norfolk UKPosts: 82,270
    edited March 2018
    Bury the bottom portion of the wire mesh about 8" into the ground.   They may climb over but the higher it is the less worth it they may feel it ... depends how hungry they are  :)
    “I am not lost, for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.” Winnie the Pooh







  • FlinsterFlinster Posts: 883
    Great, thanks. I will try and start as much stuff as I can indoors to so it’s at least got a fighting chance lol!  Can’t wait to show it to the kids later, my daughter is going to be doing cartwheels at it’s ‘soooooo cute!’, my son will probably grunt, but at least it’s a reaction! The red kite has just flown over and suddenly I feel all protective lol!
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Central Norfolk UKPosts: 82,270
     :)  Nature, red in tooth and claw  ... 
    “I am not lost, for I know where I am. But however, where I am may be lost.” Winnie the Pooh







  • HelixHelix 704m altitude...Posts: 631
    The bane of my life!  We have them in the 10's and possibly hundreds.....  the veg garden is like Fort Knox, and trees are planted in a chicken wire collar (about 30-40cm) to stop them nibbling.  We have yet to find a way to protect bulbs short of building an underground fortress, so have to replace them every year if we want any each spring.  They tunnel under the grass, so also have frequent cave-ins and your foot disappears down a hole and our "lawn" is a just lumps and bumps. 

    No much we can do as surrounded by agricultural land, and yes they are cute but......

  • FlinsterFlinster Posts: 883
    Ah, you see this is my fear, but as you say, I’m not sure I can do much about it as I’m surrounded by fields!😏
  • PosyPosy Isle of Wight.Posts: 3,601
    I'm not even going to mention the word cat.....
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