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Old 22-06-2012, 02:14 PM posted to uk.rec.gardening
Emrys Davies Emrys Davies is offline
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First recorded activity by GardenBanter: Jul 2006
Posts: 253
Default Foxes scratching holes in our bowing green


"D. T. Green" wrote in message
...

"Doug" wrote in message
...
On Jun 20, 5:17 pm, Jake wrote:
On Wed, 20 Jun 2012 16:55:15 +0100, "Emrys Davies"
wrote:

These foxes probably sleep in rough land which is adjacent to the
bowling
green and they are progressively damaging the well kept green by digging
a
few holes each night and also removing the earth from any that has been
repaired. I have no confidence in any repellant products on the market
due
to an experience I had years ago when they damaged my heather garden,
but I
am wondering if anyone has found a way to deter them. Following tips
from
other bowling greens I have acquired a large number of 2 litre pop
bottles
which I shall fill with water and hopefully that will frighten them off
as
they are apparently scared of seeing their reflection in the bottles.
Using
crushed moth balls is another suggestion, but I learn that they are now
banned.


There have been a few discussions here of late and I think the
consensus is that the only effective solution is an electric fence!
Can't speak for pop bottles but it used to be said that they were
effective against cats but I've never seen a cat scared by one ;-)

Yes an electric fence seems to be a good deterrent. Once shocked they
don't go near it again.

Doug.
================================================== =================

if it was about reflection in the water bottles then mirrors would be
better, so it cant be that.

you see a lot of plastic bottles with water in, around plants in tokyo and
it has been done for many years, so it must work.

i've seen twenty or thirty bottles lined up before now. any sensible
suggestions as to why it works? one suggestion is they know its clean
water and dont like to disturb what might be a drinking source. (all
instinctive of course)

what about the movement activated very high pitch noise thingy, you used
to be able to buy?


Three bowling green persons who I have spoken to swear by the water bottles
method and so I was persuaded, but I must say that I have my real doubts. I
am studying high frequency, ultrasound and sonic repellants on Google and
one of their inadequacies in my case would appear to be the distance they
cover. Our green is about 35 yards square and corner to corner is probably
50 yards or so.