Trying to keep animals out of your garden can feel like a full-time job. You can install physical barriers like fences, netting, or raised beds, plant less appealing plants around the garden’s perimeter to deter creatures, deploy scare tactics such as motion-activated sprinklers or decoy predators, or apply repellent sprays that smell like hot pepper or garlic.
But oftentimes the clever critters still find a way in, as one Redditor discovered.
They shared a story to the r/vegetablegardening forum, explaining that they were trying to suss out who or what was stealing their tomatoes. So they set up a camera to “figure out who was munching away at my garden (was pretty sure it was Mr. Groundhog harvesting with glee, but wanted to be positive). I knew he was digging under my makeshift blockade, so we set the camera up to catch him in action.”
They said they left the area as it was from the critter’s previous break-in “to make it easy for him.” Once the gardener confirmed that it was, indeed, the groundhog via a cute caper video, they went to work. To remedy the situation, the gardener said they buried hardware cloth and stapled it across the entrance, then lined the area front and back with bricks. “Here’s hoping it does the trick!,” they added.
In the comment section, the original poster also shared that the groundhog had been living in their yard since 2019, saying they’ve tried everything to protect their garden, but nothing has worked. “This year I have been fencing off individual beds in my garden as added security, but it doesn’t work for each crop/spot.”
The commenters in the thread commiserated with the poster, with some saying they’ve given up the fight. “I swear, there’s no keeping these guys out. I’ve learned to just plant enough for the groundhog and my family.”
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