How do you keep armadillos out of your garden?

Question

I have what seems like a herd of armadillos attacking my flower beds every night. This morning a camellia plant was totally uprooted and upside down in the bed.  Four big holes are around one of my rose bushes...about the size of a gallon can of paint - each one.  It's a miracle the rose bush is still in the ground.  Any ideas? I'm desparate...

Victoria · Answer

That makes two of us. I wake up in the morning and it looks like someone rototilled!

Carole · Answer

Oh dear! There are many instances where the local wildlife is not conducive to having a lovely garden - it can turn into a constant battle! We don't get armadillos so I have no idea what the answer is unfortunately. Good luck and hope someone here has some answers for you.

GranArt · Answer

When we had that problem it was GRUBS!! They were coming to chow down on the grubs. They did not stay long after I sprayed the yards real well and they have not been back.

Victoria · Answer

Hummm, I don't have any grubs but lots of ants. Maybe that is what the eat.

Catherine Smith · Answer

Well that's a new one on me. But not to many of those here in VA, LOL However, I do believe they, like voles are looking for grub larvae, so if you control your grub problems they have no dinner and will go elsewhere. You might check with your local extension office for some additional information and help with this problem. I'm betting you are not the first with this problem.

TJ · Answer

When I first read your question, I just thought 'Easy -- move to Minnesota, there aren't any armadillos here. Too d*^* cold. We do have opossum.'
btw - @Catherine Smith you meant moles, didn't you, not voles?? Do voles dig for grubs?

Douglas Hunt · Answer

Texas A&M recommends a fence slanted outward at a 40-degree angle, with a portion buried.

Alisa W · Answer

Well I am going to start with trying to get rid of the grubs. I did read about the fence but they recommend it go under ground 18 inches and 24 inches tall. That would be a project and a half to keep them out of every where I seem to have a problem. We're thinking electric fence next.

Lawns & More · Answer

Try to find out the food source they are seeking and eliminate it. In Texas they are looking for grub worms. We treat the area for grubs and the armadillos go away.

Gaild · Answer

OMG Alisa W. did I laugh when I read this!!!! Sorry, I Ilve in very citified Willow Grove, PA, just outside of Philadelphia!!!! Our biggest worry is Deer, very tame deer.
Try these pages.....good luck.

Nancy Phillips · Answer

I still hoping for a magical resolve to the armadillo issue. Every morning, my flower garden is uprooted! I've tried throwing out boxes of moth balls but that doesn't seem to deter them. Does anyone have an answer/suggestion?

Barbara Sawyer · Answer

We use moth balls, if it is a particular place they live in, they will avoid it. They have dug huge holes next to my house where I think they sleep during the day. Unfortunately they will just move to another location, hopefully in a spot where it doesn't do damage. We have just learned to live with them.

Julie B · Answer

I agree on the grub treatment. I am in Alabama and we also HAD a problem with armadillos. We took 3 steps to get rid of them. First did the ground treatment, then we did live animal traps, and lastly, we put a fence. Fence is 2X3 welded wire agriculture fence. No more armadillos, no possums, no fox, and no raccoons. Worked great for all those!

Gaild · Answer

My deer do hop my fence and enjoy the food I provide-my flowers!!!! My dogs have made friends with them!!!!

Gaild · Answer

either luck or G-d!

GrandmaCarol Speight · Answer

ground cayenne might help, sprinkle it around the plant on the ground. After a rainfall OR watering, you may have to re-apply. BUT first I would be investigating their reason for finding your garden so attractively addictive! Here are a couple of links that may OR may not assist you.... http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090920213310AAPBJIy http://www.ask.com/question/best-way-to-kill-grubs The second link has many suggestions.....

Lynn · Answer

They made using our riding mower very dangerous on our hills: do not go crosswise on a hill with armadillo damage! We used moth balls with good success. Problem was it kept me away too! ha I didn't like the smell but it was better than the damage. You have to pick your wars! Good luck

Dori Urban · Answer

I had this problem when I lived in Bunnell, Fl.I used Dried Blood, and sprinkled it around the yard and no more armidillos.They smell the dried blood and alsogood for reose

Patricia Purdy · Answer

I think my friend told me that imitation vanilla is a good deterrent. For some pests, maybe bad bugs and insects, you can boil red hot peppers, cool and strain, and spray that juice.

Gaild · Answer

I have 2 rescued puppymill Chihuahuas and two rescued white maltese/poodle,terrier mixes. I am allergic so I can only have certain dogs...NEVER cats! All 4 of my girls are wonderful, a little too wonderful. But they do keep people aways with their constant yap yapping...

Becky Lambert · Answer

mothballs work on most unwanted critters!

Pajunka · Answer

You mean a 'fez' of armadillo? (That's it. That's all I got today....) !!!

GrandmaCarol Speight · Answer

Awwwww 'blood meal'! Works to help eliminate many garden-meddling troublesome critters. I never found it any use tho in stopping the darn squirrels from digging up my tulip bulbs and storing them for their winter banquets!....lolol

Georgia Garrett · Answer

I have running battle with armadillos and deer as I live right on the marsh. First I have put short fences around all my flower beds. That helps. Then I bought an armadillo deterent and sprinkled it in all my flower beds. Then I bought grub killer and put it my yard and my neighbor's yard (armadillos are look for grubs when they tear your lawn up). For the deer I got a product with cyaotti urine in it. Then I place bells next to the bushes where they chomp on my hibiscus. It's constant battle but right now I'm winning.

Pat · Answer

Red Pepper. I live in Georgia so they are everywhere. It's not a matter of IF but WHEN will they find your garden. This spring they liked my gardens way too much, so I sprinkled crushed red pepper and ground red pepper(I bought my spices at Dollar Tree and Big Lots for $1 each) in the garden after every rain for about three weeks. No More armadillos.

Lois Payette · Answer

Crushed egg shell for the grubs. Cuts and scratches their skins.. mix it in the dirt.

Alisa W · Answer

Hmmm, that makes me wonder....I have diatomaceous earth left over from our pool ...I wonder if that would help with the grubs??

Dori Urban · Answer

Not sure about Racoons, but I'm sure it's worth  try.

Alisa W · Answer

I put out some grub killer and I don't know if it's helping or not but I notice almost no new disturbed soil and plants. It got worse at first but now I think they are bothering some other area. OF course we have had some rain so maybe they are feeding else where and don't need to dig up the areas where we water. At any rate, I am happy not to see any evidence of new digging. Thanks for all the comments!

Suzi · Answer

My landscape people told me to try Blood Meal. They hate it. I bought this morning. Putting it out this evening. She had a customer that had armadillos dug up flower beds. She put out the Blood Meal. Problem solved.

How do you keep armadillos out of your garden?

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How do you keep armadillos out of your garden?

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