Someone's been digging in my pots
 

Well, I'm a bit frustrated.

I have several pots outside, with tomatoes, cucumbers and melons planted.

Someone/some creature has decided that the loose potting soil is good to dig in.

I've seen evidence of the digging over the past few weeks.

I don't know whether it's a squirrel, cat, or dog. The most recent event had about a quart of soil lying outside the pot (felt fabric pot) and the pots had dents in the front, as if the creature had been leaning on the top edge as it dug in.

So, I decided that some sort of black plastic mulch was in order.

I took several 39-gal black plastic lawn and leaf bags, tore out the bottom seam, and placed them over each pot. I made the drawstring snug against the plant base at the top, and tied it.

I hope this discourages the critter, whatever it is. The soil part is now almost entirely covered. Also, this will help warm the soil for the melons, keep weeds down, and reduce the need for constant watering somewhat, I hope.

My guess would be raccoons. Anything that has bone or fishmeal or is fertilized with fish emulsions will be interesting to them. I stopped fertilizing tomatoes when I learned that the fertilizer I used smelled like food to them. They'd dig up the plant looking for something that wasn't there. The plant would get replanted and they'd keep digging. Eventually I relocated them, but there are almays more raccoons.

[QUOTE=oldman;756240]My guess would be raccoons. Anything that has bone or fishmeal or is fertilized with fish emulsions will be interesting to them. I stopped fertilizing tomatoes when I learned that the fertilizer I used smelled like food to them. They'd dig up the plant looking for something that wasn't there. The plant would get replanted and they'd keep digging. Eventually I relacated them, but there are almays more raccoons.[/QUOTE]

Thanks. I'd put organic fertilizer on them (Down to Earth and Espoma Tomato Tone, as well as Alaska Fish Fertilizer) but had no idea that they'd find that fragrant stuff appetizing. I thought organic would be better! Instead they almost dug up one of my plants!

So last time I fertilized, a few days ago, I put a couple of Jobe's Tomato Food spikes in each pot. I hope they will be enough for the season.

Anyhow, if the critters try to tear through the plastic, maybe I'll spray animal repellent on the pots. Or put paving stones on top of the plastic.

Skunks will dig for fertilizer too. I quit using anything in the tomato planting hole after finding my tender seedlings dug up overnight.

I hear ya! Something has been digging in the big tomato pots but not as vigorously as in yours. These are small holes, maybe several inches wide and deep. I suspect squirrels.

Every year the indoor plants go outside for the summer and the squirrels dig in them. For the past several years my sister has been putting pine cones in the pots to cover the soil surface and it seems to have deterred them. This isn't the time of year to be collecting nice prickly pine cones but I'm sure if I root around the property long enough I can find some. Hopefully enough to cover 21 buckets and then hope it works!

You should watch out for how hot your containers get when covered with black plastic. That stuff really elevates the heat. I covered my pots just like you except I used white kitchen garbage bags which reduced the heat considerably.

My pots were ravaged last night or early this morning. I've had trouble with squirrels burying mouthfuls of sunflower seeds like they would a nut. The result is a dug up pot that later sprouts a mass of sunflowers that have to be pulled out.

I just cut some strips of chicken wire and lay them over the soil in the pot, bending them down over the sides, until the problem stops.

Bone meal, blood meal etc highly attractive to critters. Rats.
KarenO

[QUOTE=ScottinAtlanta;757203]I just cut some strips of chicken wire and lay them over the soil in the pot, bending them down over the sides, until the problem stops.[/QUOTE]

Best solution other than not using the smelly stuff. Where I am, i also have chipmunks doing the same thing, just for the fun of it, even when I don't use the organic food.