It's back!!!

17 years ago

Whatever was decimating my gingers last year is back again! I don't know whether to cry or scream in frustration! At least I only lost a couple gingers before noticing the damage. As soon as I saw the chewed up plants out came the protective cages for the shorter gingers and the ammonia soaked rags for everything else. And it had to start right before my swap too!

I've already had to chase a possum away from my potato pots and the squirrels are showing up in force. I think that rabbits have been eating the sunflower plants in the front garden as well. I wrapped some of the hair from my brush around the remaining sunflowers and that seems to have solved that problem.

And those blasted furry tailed tree rats have been stealing the broms off the piece of drift wood I hung from the oak tree out back! I carefully picked out each and every one of those broms, nursed them through the winter and now the squirrels are eating them!!!! I've wrapped some ammonia soaked rags around the drift wood in hope to protect the remaining broms.

I'm also encouraging my brother, who lives with me, to use the squirrels as target practice for his pellet rifle. While he's not much better of a shot then me but he can at least scare them off for a little while. I couldn't shoot straight if my life depended on it, the only way I actually hit something is if it dodges into the path of the projectile.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (7)

corar4gw
17 years ago
LOL!! I KNOW IT AIN'T FUNNY, MAGEE, but it's SO typical. Guess it helps us to understand why some of the old timers did what they did regarding gardening practises. Like the human hair - I wonder how many decades people have been doing that. You have my profound sympathy!
cora
beachlily z9a
17 years ago
You might try mothballs. They have kept racoons and possoms out of my garden for the last 8 weeks!
Related Professionals
Sarasota Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Gaithersburg Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Tulsa Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Bozeman Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Vancouver Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers · Eureka Landscape Contractors · Dothan Kitchen Remodelers · Lake City Kitchen Remodelers · Evansville Kitchen Remodelers · Cherry Hill Kitchen Remodelers · Bloomington Kitchen Remodelers · Platteville Kitchen Remodelers · Napa Kitchen Remodelers · Albuquerque Kitchen Remodelers · Toronto Kitchen Remodelers
goldenpond
17 years ago
Ok target practice a different way. Ask Bro to pee around the proximity.
Just say NO to Mothballs!
jay-wpb
17 years ago
YOu are just a bit too far away. I would try to rig something for the critters except the rats. I just have been unable to win the battle - but the war is not over. Would running an electired fence be impractical. What about wrapping some smooth metal (like Flashing) around the trees to prevent critters climbing to your plants? If all else fails use a sawed off shotgun.
katkin_gw
17 years ago
You have my sympathy as well. I lost 13 of my 15 pineapple plants to critters as well as a lot of other damage. I understand your frustration.
Nicki
17 years ago
Kara, I have the solution! You need to take my five kittens. They are certified critter control experts, and in just 6 short weeks they could be YOURS! And your garden will be free of pests!

What? No, you say? You don't believe me? You mean those years I spent in advertising aren't paying off?

Can't blame me for trying...

Nicki
KaraLynn
Original Author
17 years ago
Nicki, nice try but if all the neighborhood cats that hang out around my house aren't taking care of the problam then I don't think a few more are going to make a difference! Besides I don't let my cats stay outside when I'm not outside with them due to all the predators that are in my area. I live less then a mile from the Withlacotchee State forest so we get all kinds of critters including coyote, bobcat, black bear, fox, hawks, and owls all of which find a domesticated cat a tasty treat. Besides it takes a cat that's skilled at hunting to be able to succesfully catch a squirrel!

katkin, I'm sorry to hear that you lost so many of your pineapple plants to critters. I lost most of my own due to freezes this winter so I feel your pain.

I won't be putting moth balls in the garden due to the fact that I don't like the smell of them and all of my cats join me in the garden and I don't want to do anything that could possibly hurt them.