Something is digging up my newly planted gardens at night

[Penny1]

I planted 8 tomatoes today and just went out to check and one was uprooted completely and there was a big deep scratch near another plant - even a container with dirt on the portch had something digging a hole in it

a few weeks ago I planted seeds in another bed and the next day it was ruined

it looks like something that likes to dig holes, (obviously in newly turned dirt)

HELP?

[rainbowgardener]

Yup! In my yard, that is most likely to be raccoons, but there are other critters that will do that too. Do you put anything in the planting hole with your plants? Any kind of compost or fertilizer or especially fish emulsion or related products can attract them. But then sometimes they seem to just do it for the fun of it!

[GardeningCook]

Around here (Virginia), skunks are the digging culprits. They can't resist loose earth or anywhere where they feel they might come across one of their favorite foods - grubs. While they're not after plants, they can cause collateral damage.

[Penny1]

Thanks I have raccoons and skunks, I smelled a slight skunk smell last night and went to check and yep they were all dug up! grrr

I am thinking of maybe tacking some metal pans around the frame so when whoever it is climbs in it will either scare them away or will be loud enough for me to go out and chase them away (from far away if it's a skunk! )

any other ideas? does cayenne pepper help or will it harm the animal and/or the plants?

so aggravating! I grew these plants from seed!

I won't kill any critter of course but this is WAR

[sweetiepie]

I have to have electric fence for the skunks, raccoons, dog etc and a fence for the deer or I would have no garden. The combo even keep cats out, so no more litter box.

[rainbowgardener]

Fencing! Sounds like you garden in raised beds as I do, so it is easy just to wrap each bed in deer netting or plastic fencing. They are cheap, very easy to put up and down, and keep a wide variety of critters out. I also would not have a garden if I didn't keep deer netting around it - on my very urban property I have deer, raccoons, woodchucks, squirrels, possums, etc.

[DonV]

Coons most likely, I use a trail camera in my garden all the time - so I know what and when and can deal with accordingly. Electric fence easiest cheapest option. Feel bad when kids grab it when I forget to turn it off.

[Penny1]

Thanks all

I put fencing actually on top of the newly dug bed and it stopped, I removed it once it got packed down and nothing has bothered it since