Two points for me. I have NEVER lost my gardening gloves (as I keep pairs stashed all over the place) nor have I stepped on a rake. I've done everything else on this list. :)
Posted on 06/08/2018 11:21:28 AM PDT by Augie
Greeneyes is having computer issues today, so we'll have to start the party without her.
Pinging the list...
Is this the correct place to ask for advice about a particularly greedy squirrel?
He’d come by to nibble every few days...no big deal really. But...once them tomatoes were starting to turn red.
He stole every tomato off the plant.
Added an array of growing garlic, peppers and onion to keep him back. Might just make him bring friends tho.
We set up a bucket last fall a 10 gallon half full of water and floated striped sunflower seeds on top. “Caught” 27 chipmunks and about a dozen squirrels and many mice. Set up up against a firewood stack so they had to reach down to get at the seeds. We were overrun. They don’t bother the garden but chipmunks had gotten into the house under the floorboards.
A good BB gun. Perhaps the Daisy 880 at 715 feet per second.
https://www.amazon.com/Daisy-Powerline-Rifle-Brown-Black/
Please include me in replies to 1_Inch_Group’s question.
My particular issue this spring is bunny rabbit(s). In the morning, my pots with violas look like some animal was sleeping in them. Don’t know what to do. The coyote population has been quietly “taken care of” by local Animal Control so we’re seeing the return of the bunny population.
Last year, my son who lives in the heart of a big city lost every single peach on his tree to the critters. This year we talked about using netting. Would like to hear any other thoughts.
Finally, does anyone back East have a good method for reducing the hordes of mosquitoes in your own backyards? How do children play outside in summers or families sit on the back porch at night without getting covered with bites (besides covering yourself with DEET)?
Thanks in advance,
The Westerner
Do what I do.
I have a smaller trap that is suitable for both squirrels and chipmunks.
Bait the trap with black oil sunflower seeds.
Not peanut butter, not fruit, etc.
There is no spray repellent that will keep them away.
It’s always the adult squirrels that will eat the tomatoes.
It won’t be long before they discover the green maters are just as tasty as the ripe/near-ripe ones.
Do not get the (Havaheart for example) trap that is suitable for larger critters like possums and squirrels.
I find chipmunks are worse than squirrels at eating my maters.
What you may want to consider is start pulling the maters when they have the slightest pink color on the bloom end.
They will ripen just fine somewhere inside where there is sun light.
Do not leave them outside, they will turn to mush.
That “vine ripened” talk is just nonsense.
Last year, after issues with birds pecking ripe tomatoes & other problems, I started picking them when I could start seeing a “blush” of color on them. I left the tomatoes on the countertop in a single layer and they ripened beautifully, with no loss in flavor. In the fall, with a freeze forecast overnight, I picked everything larger than a golf ball. Even the very green tomatoes eventually ripened - I had ripe tomatoes into early December.
As for squirrels .... this year I can foresee a problem. We thinned out the squirrel population about 4 years ago, but there are lots of young squirrels around now. I’ve even got one who hangs out on the front porch (no food ... just a good vantage point?). We have Red-shouldered Hawks that usually nest in the area & since my garden is out in the open, the hawks are a good deterrent. This year, they nested in another part of the neighborhood, so the squirrels are not as fearful of coming out in the open. I did have a hawk on the fence this morning so maybe they’ve figured out that our place is a squirrel-rich hunting environment! I wish the hawks ‘happy hunting’!
BTW, for squirrel bait, I use peanut butter on a cracker with black oil sunflower seeds covering the top - the PB holds the seeds nicely. This arrangement allows me to place the bait in the trap where I need it to be.
Two points for me. I have NEVER lost my gardening gloves (as I keep pairs stashed all over the place) nor have I stepped on a rake. I've done everything else on this list. :)
Got netting for the tomatoes...used it for a couple days. Squirrel got under it, and used it as cover while he dined in the restaurant instead of taking it to go.
Next day, the net had snagged a few day old bird. Took very gentle work and about half an hour to get it free. Net’s in the garbage now.
Peanut Butter is the Duct Tape of the Critter Trapping World, LOL! :)
Only 3, string beans, wasp and using my shirt.
Oops, that was the 3 things I have done, everything else never.
I usually have between 75 and 100 mater plants in the ground.
If I get one bird peck it’s unusual. It’s said birds are after moisture.
As long as I keep my birdbath full birds never bother my maters.
My birdbath is about 15 steps from my garden.
BTW - I trapped a mama possum with 6 babies on her back in one of my larger traps once.
She just hissed as I opened the door and just walked away.
That was the most squirrel free growing season I’ve ever had.
I was pruning a Yew Hedge and I had on a summer, sleeveless blouse.
I obviously disturbed a nest in the hedge and before I could get away, a number of wasps got inside my blouse and inside my bra and stung me dozens of times. Man, did that hurt!
Another good reason not to have neighbors - I was topless in my front yard by the time it was all over, LOL!
Well, I’ve never stepped on a rake. :)
I did set up a bird bath near the garden last year so hopefully that will help - I never had as many bird “pecks” as last year.
I had a medium size live trap out near the garden a couple of years ago and caught a skunk. Oh boy!! I was supposed to go watch my nephew in a college athletic event later that day - 3 hour drive. I knew if I got “skunk” on me, no way my brother would let me in the car. Using black plastic barrel liner bags (wore one myself which covered me to the ankles & put one over the trap so the skunk could not see me & if it did spray, the plastic would catch it), a bungee cord and I forget what else, I managed to get the trap door open - skunk ran out, looked around and took off across the field. My garden shoes smelled slightly like skunk for a while - evidently it had sprayed when the door sprang shut & that “perfumed” the grass around the trap, then I walked through it getting the skunk released.
Truth! :)
I don’t have too much trouble with garden filchers. Between the three dogs and four cats the varmints are kept mostly at bay.
The bunnies aren’t terribly destructive. Most years Momma Bunny makes her nest inside the kitchen garden fence where she’s safe from the dogs. She’s already raised one litter this spring, and she’s been out there the past three evenings scouting for a new spot to make a burrow.
Tree rats, on the other hand, are shown zero mercy. Any tree rat inside the wire is treated to 40 grains of high-velocity lead.
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