What’s Digging Up My Mulch at Night? A Complete Guide to Nighttime Garden Raiders

Mulch is nutrient rich, making it the ideal place for living organisms to thrive, including earthworms, grubs, and larvae. Unfortunately, there are several animals that love to eat these creatures for a mid-night snack. If you have noticed that your freshly-lain mulch is pulverized by morning, then you may very well have an unwanted nocturnal house guest.

Continue reading to learn which species of wildlife areknown for this particular foraging behavior, and what you can do to put a stopto your nightly mulch bed pillages.

Chipmunks and squirrels are very adorable, but they are also notorious for digging up mulch and flower beds. What are they looking for? Well, not the juicy grubs and worms mentioned before, but rather, their stashes of nuts and other foraged findings! That’s right; chipmunks and squirrels gather their treasures and then hide them in the ground.

The problem is, they forget where they hide them and dig everything up in site, or, they hide their stuff right in your mulch bed and create a huge mess retrieving them. Either way, it is considered a nuisance. Rabbits, opossum, and mice are three additional types of animals that are known to dig up mulch in search of insects, grubs, and even flower bulbs. Furthermore, dogs are also common culprits.

Raccoons are one of the most common culprits behind late-night mulch pillaging. Not only do they have highly dexterous, human-like paws that allow them to easily move around mulch and matter, they also retain excellent memory capacities, which allows them to remember where all the good grub and termite hunting spots are in the neighborhood.

This means that a raccoon problem is typically a persistent one, as they are not likely to stop unless whatever it is that they want is no longer available, or they are incapable of obtaining access. Nuisance raccoons is something that requires professional intervention if you want to put a stop to such activity, safely and humanely.

You can make a homemade repellent to keep nuisance raccoons out of your mulch beds at night. There are many spices and seasonings that wild raccoons do not like. In fact, they hate them so much they will stay far away from any signs of these flavorings we so fondly use. Such spices include cinnamon, cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper, black pepper, and any other spices that are very strong and will irritate a raccoons senses (vision, sinuses, smell, etc.). Use just one, or mixed together a combination of the spices and sprinkle them around the perimeter of your yard. Also sprinkle the mix and areas where you have spotted raccoons. Be sure your cats and dogs do not have access to these areas because the spices will irritate their senses as well.

What Is Digging in My Mulch Every Night?

FAQ

How do I stop animals from digging in my mulch?

Spreading coffee grounds around your yard can be a great natural way to ward off digging pests. Garlic powder. To create a homemade garlic deterrent, mix 1 teaspoon of garlic powder with 2 cups water, 1 tablespoon pepper flakes, and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil.

What is digging holes in my mulch?

Do possums dig up mulch?

Opossum will readily tear into garbage, dig up mulch piles or chew on yard furniture and decorations. The reasons are many but this behavior is mostly attributed to them seeking food.

What is digging in my mulch at night reddit?

Mostly likely skunks. Animals looking for bugs and worms under the mulch. Happens all the time in my yard.

What is digging up my plants at night?

So I decided to do a bit of research and figure out exactly what was digging my plants up at night. Animals are digging up your potted plants at night. This includes rodents, squirrels, raccoons, foxes, cats, and dogs. The animals might be searching for insects in the soil or playing with the soil.

Who is digging around your yard at night?

Discovering who’s been digging around your yard at night can be a mystery, but there are some clues to look out for. The animal or pest has to be nocturnal in nature, meaning that they only wake and work at night. If you notice small holes in your garden beds or raised beds, it could be the work of rodents such as mice and voles.

How do you prevent pests from digging holes in raised beds?

Preventing pests from digging holes requires installing physical barriers or planting repellant plants like lavender, marigolds, and citronella. In this article, we’ll explore the causes of holes in raised beds and provide tips on identifying what’s digging holes in your garden.

Why does my garden rot at night?

The animal or pest has to be nocturnal in nature, meaning that they only wake and work at night. If you notice small holes in your garden beds or raised beds, it could be the work of rodents such as mice and voles. These animals tunnel underground and can cause damage to plant roots, leading to root rot.

Do animals dig up potted plants at night?

Animals are digging up your potted plants at night. This includes rodents, squirrels, raccoons, foxes, cats, and dogs. The animals might be searching for insects in the soil or playing with the soil. You can add a physical barrier, repellent herbs, bonemeal, or cayenne pepper to keep them away.

Why is my raised garden drooping?

Identifying the culprit responsible for the disturbances in your elevated planting area has become a top priority. Several possible culprits could be digging holes in your raised garden beds, including rodents like voles and gophers and larger animals like rabbits and groundhogs.