Pests & diseases › Raccoons
Raccoons
Smart, persistent, and especially fond of sweet corn the day before YOU planned to pick it.
Symptoms
- Sweet corn cobs ripped down and chewed
- Stalks pushed over
- Strawberries vanishing
- Distinctive five-finger paw prints in soft soil
Lifecycle
Active year-round, peak crop damage August–September.
What to do
- Electric fence at 4 inches and 8 inches above ground (two strands)
- Bright lights and radio in the patch (works briefly)
- A vigilant dog at night
If it's bad
- Not applicable
Stop it coming back
- Two-strand electric fence is the gold standard
- Pick sweet corn at first sign of ripeness — don't wait for absolute peak
- Net strawberries
Crops it goes for
Plan the plot, track every sowing, cook the harvest
Sowing reminders and harvest forecasts for your own frost dates, the Seed Tin, Scan Centre for any label or packet, and the Potty Mouth Garden Club. Free to start.