Raccoon Latrines and (Some) Veggie Gardens NOT

Help and Advice from the Contra Costa Master Gardeners' Help Desk

Client's Question:

I live in Concord. I had a terrible raccoon problem in my vegetable garden in 2014 including areas where they used as latrines. One area is where I have a plum tree growing and other areas I had vegetables planted. I understand raccoons can carry parasitic diseases. I don't know if it is safe for me to plant in these areas for vegetables this year. I know I am not the only one with this problem in our county. Can you advise? 

CCMG's Help Desk Response:
Thank you for contacting the Master Gardener Help Desk. Raccoons can certainly be a big problem in our gardens and yards. I'm sure that getting them out of your yard was very difficult.

You are correct that raccoons carry a parasite that can infect people and pets. This roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis) is quite resistant to many of the usual controls and will live for many years in your soil, so it's wise to consider their latrine areas as contaminated. 

The good news is that plants cannot become "infected" by the parasite--the almost invisible eggs can't be absorbed or otherwise enter plants. They can only contaminate the parts of the plant in direct contact with the soil. Because of this, I would avoid planting any kind of root crops (carrots, radishes, potatoes, etc.) in that area, unless you do so in a raised bed filled with soil you bring from another area. I might also avoid leafy green vegetables, especially those eaten raw (lettuce) because they are so close to the soil. Other crops such as tomatoes, peppers and eggplants (and the plum tree) would be fine to grow there, though.

All soil, even areas away from a raccoon latrine, could potentially be contaminated with a variety of parasites and microorganisms, so you should always wash garden produce before you eat it, and wash your hands with soap and water after working in a garden, even if you wear gloves. This advice is especially true for young children.

Here is a link to information about raccoons in the garden from the University of California: http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74116.html.

http://www.cdph.ca.gov/healthinfo/discond/Documents/RaccoonRoundworms.pdf 

CDPH Raccoon Latrine Cleanup Guidelines
for Roundworm

is a link to a very informative California Department of Public Health publication, “What you Need to Know about Raccoon Roundworms – Cleaning Up a Raccoon Latrine” that you probably should review to assure that you have taken all appropriate steps to protect you and your family from possible infections from situations such as yours. After I read this document I wanted to be sure and wash my hands every time I come out of the garden...and I haven't seen any raccoons lately since I stopped feeding the cat outside.

Please let us know if you have additional questions. Happy gardening…. Hopefully without raccoons!

Contra Costa Master Gardeners' Help Desk

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Note: The Contra Costa Master Gardener Help Desk is available year-round to answer your gardening questions.  Except for a few holidays, we're open every week, Monday through Thursday for walk-ins from 9:00 am to Noon at 75 Santa Barbara Road, 2d Floor, Pleasant Hill, CA  94523. We can also be reached via telephone:  (925) 646-6586, email: ccmg@ucanr.edu, or on the web at http://ccmg.ucanr.edu/Ask_Us/