How to Stop Badgers Digging Up Your Lawn

How to Stop Badgers Digging Up Lawn

Badgers may be protected by law in the UK, but that doesn’t make it any easier when they turn your lawn into a feeding ground. These nocturnal visitors dig into turf in search of grubs and insects, leaving behind unsightly holes and scattered turf. While you can’t harm or remove badgers directly, there are several ways to discourage their visits and protect your lawn without breaking the law.

Why Badgers Dig Up Lawns

Badgers are drawn to lawns in search of food, particularly leatherjackets and chafer grubs, which live just beneath the surface of the soil. Lawns that are already struggling with pest infestations are especially attractive. Badgers have powerful claws and a strong sense of smell, which means even minor grub activity can be enough to attract them.

Digging usually happens overnight and can escalate quickly, leaving lawns looking as if they’ve been rotovated by morning. The damage is often focused in patches, with chunks of turf lifted and soil disturbed underneath.

Remove the Food Source

The most effective long-term solution is to treat the lawn for grubs, which removes the main reason badgers are digging. In autumn or early spring, apply a biological treatment using nematodes. These microscopic worms target leatherjackets and chafer grubs without harming pets, wildlife or plants.

Once the grub population is reduced, the lawn becomes far less appealing to badgers. Without the incentive of food, they are unlikely to continue digging in the same area.

Reinforce Vulnerable Areas

If badgers are targeting the same part of the lawn repeatedly, it may be worth reinforcing that section temporarily. You can use wire mesh, chicken wire or ground-level netting pegged flat onto the surface of the lawn. The grass will grow through the mesh, and the barrier makes digging difficult and uncomfortable for badgers without harming them.

This method is especially useful during peak activity months or after reseeding and pest treatment, when the lawn is still recovering.

Use Scent-Based Deterrents

Badgers rely heavily on scent, and strong-smelling repellents can sometimes disrupt their habits. Options include citronella, garlic-based products or commercial wildlife deterrents. These can be applied around the perimeter of the lawn or in affected areas to break the pattern of return.

Deterrents must be reapplied regularly, especially after rainand are most effective when used alongside other methods like pest removal and physical barriers.

Install Motion-Activated Devices

Because badgers are shy and active mainly at night, motion-activated deterrents like sprinklers or ultrasonic devices can be highly effective. These react to movement by releasing a burst of water or sound, which startles the badger and encourages it to avoid the area in future. These tools are ideal for larger lawns or areas where badger activity is persistent.

Devices should be placed where digging is most frequent and moved occasionally to avoid the badgers learning their range.

Repair the Damage Promptly

Once badger activity stops, repair the lawn by gently pressing back any lifted turf, topping up with soil where needed, and reseeding bare patches. Keep the area well watered to encourage recovery. If the lawn is already struggling from grub damage, you may need to scarify, aerate and overseed more extensively to restore healthy growth.

Final Word

Stopping badgers from digging up your lawn requires patience and a combination of methods. The most effective approach is to remove the underlying food source, usually grubs, while using safe deterrents and light reinforcement to protect vulnerable areas. With the right steps, you can break the cycle of visits and help your lawn recover and resist further damage without harming the wildlife around it.