Danged &%$#@+(^$ Critters!

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JRinPA
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Re: Danged &%$#@+(^$ Critters!

#161

Post: # 77226Unread post JRinPA
Sun Aug 28, 2022 1:11 am

Grasshopper damage on that pepper?

When I get that on peppers it is usually September or later and I think it is voles. But I can't say exactly what it looks like from memory. But I never even considered grasshoppers.

Bower wrote: Wed Aug 24, 2022 6:12 am Yeah the corn looks great! I am making little squirrel noises as I scroll down your pics! ;)
The defense is still doing pretty good but I found a few bit up at the top and two bit down halfway one side over the last couple days. All still salvageable. It is definitely not torn up like it has been. I think even when one goes in, it is nervous the whole time, not being able to see out, and can't really dig in for fear of the dogs.
This was from the 8/25. All four were salvaged. Looks like one was old damage I missed seeing, the others fresher.
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I didn't pick any yesterday, but today there were four more like that, just a few bites off the top edge of each. That, I can live with. I only sprayed the two times so far.

And so far so good, no damage to block3 at the comm garden yet. When I go lately, a squirrel is always exiting the one evergreen and running back to the nest. Eating pine nuts I guess, I haven't looked closely at tree type.
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bower
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Re: Danged &%$#@+(^$ Critters!

#162

Post: # 77230Unread post bower
Sun Aug 28, 2022 5:57 am

@JRinPA it sounds like the spray is a worthy addition to the wrap. I'll definitely consider that in future, if or when I have major squirrel issues again. My worst year for squirrels was when I was growing a lot of summer squash. I'm keeping a close watch on the plants I have growing this year, but on the plus side, they're close to the house, and that seems to be deterring them to some extent.

Speaking of close to the house, I had an interesting guest in my sheltered row of tomatoes outdoors. A very large mother paper wasp built a nest right on one of the tomato cages. At first she was flying out whenever I got close enough, but I told her, I have to water these plants or they'll die. After that we seemed to settle into a pattern of mutual tolerance. Occasional chat, regular watering, occasional picking of tomatoes I could easily see and reach without sticking my whole arm in. I didn't get stung, but I really wasn't comfortable with the picking and a good few tomatoes were left for them to enjoy on the inside in an over-ripe condition. Then weather started to get the better of the leaves so I had to do a couple of rounds of pruning, and this second time, yesterday, I've concluded that she's done with the nest and moved on. No signs of them at all. Picked several kilos of tomatoes there yesterday and more to come. But I didn't quite have the nerve to pull the nasty leaves off the top of that nest! Won't be touching that until frost.

Paper wasps are not nearly as aggressive as the yellowjackets. Their stings are not quite as bad, but the worst of it is, they're sneaky and can be quite free with their stings, which start to itch and swell hours later. OTOH they are doing a job in the pest control, and are probably worth the few tomatoes they enjoyed. But I wouldn't like this to become a regular gig, right in the row!
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Re: Danged &%$#@+(^$ Critters!

#163

Post: # 77232Unread post PlainJane
Sun Aug 28, 2022 7:09 am

I have a luckily unaggressive hornet I battle constantly against nesting in every window frame, eave, overhang, doorframe and even inside clumps of perennials. It’s a pretty butterscotch color and seems to be very unfussy about nesting sites. I think the only reason I haven’t had them try the tomato plants is I keep them pruned for lots of airflow. I have to be very careful when deadheading the salvia in the orchard.
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Re: Danged &%$#@+(^$ Critters!

#164

Post: # 77234Unread post GoDawgs
Sun Aug 28, 2022 7:46 am

The @*&*%^%$() deer were in the garden again last night and really hit those pretty new okra plants I just posted about.

From this...

Image

To this, overnight....

Image

Netting has been laid over the top. The good news is that they didn't get the terminal shoots so the plants should keep growing. They were just about to put out their first flowers too. More delay now. They also sheared off more sweet potato leaves but the sweets will be dug soon anyway. At least deer can't dig those!

I'm not real tolerant about these deer right now. They've had more than their share and I want MINE! We've decided to put netting over everything that's about to be set out for this fall from Day One. And no, there will be no fence put up. Too many $$, it's something else to weedwhack and a pain in the butt for in-garden navigation with the riding mower with cart. Too bad the deer only come at night and the weather's too warm to harvest them anyway.....

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worth1
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Re: Danged &%$#@+(^$ Critters!

#165

Post: # 77239Unread post worth1
Sun Aug 28, 2022 8:23 am

The deer are the number one reason I can't grow anything.
I can't afford a fence either.
That damn deer feeder in my neighbors yard really did it for me.
I have been tempted to set up a rest on.my kitchen table and shoot the things out my back door.
The insulation in the house would muffle the sound.
But I won't.
I frigging hate the things.
Worth
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Re: Danged &%$#@+(^$ Critters!

#166

Post: # 77243Unread post MissS
Sun Aug 28, 2022 8:43 am

@GoDawgs I'm so sorry to see what the deer have done now. They are my #1 enemy and cost me a small fortune every year in deterrents and yet they still eat their way through my gardens.

Worth I hear you wanting to shoot the things. I don't have a rifle but I have been known to get out my pellet gun and shoot them out my door. It doesn't faze them too much but makes me feel a little better. I do have a shotgun but I don't think the neighbors would like me to be shooting that without being warned first. With the price of food I think that there will be a larger hunt this year than usual. It's too bad that the DNR won't have more herd culling in suburbia as the meat goes to the food pantries.
~ Patti ~

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Re: Danged &%$#@+(^$ Critters!

#167

Post: # 77246Unread post worth1
Sun Aug 28, 2022 9:06 am

I live in a sparsely populated area where the owners don't have enough land to legally hunt but enough for the deer to live on in peace.
Hunting in Texas is a rich persons game mostly but not always.
Hunting for meat isn't economically feasible unless you know someone.
I've seen hunting leases go from $1000 to $15000.
Nor, as mentioned before in this thread can you collect one that is ran over.
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Re: Danged &%$#@+(^$ Critters!

#168

Post: # 77251Unread post bower
Sun Aug 28, 2022 10:03 am

The difference in having no moose this year is such an eye opener. These things eat 20 kilos of browse every day. Just nothing to take out your whole trellis of peas. A nibble for them.
They have the same rule here about moose killed in car accidents. Even the person who lost their car doesn't get any of the meat.
You need a license to hunt them, and they tell you where you have to go hunt. Could be hundreds of miles away. You need a truck besides all the other hunting gear. ATV helps too. People serious about hunting, they are spending a lot to go do that.
Farmers may get a special license to shoot them in their fields, that is a saving grace but only applies if you have a farm. Too close to houses, not allowed ever.
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Re: Danged &%$#@+(^$ Critters!

#169

Post: # 77376Unread post JRinPA
Mon Aug 29, 2022 8:31 pm

That's a shame about okra...I haven't seen big leaves like that on my okra for a few years.

The block3 comm garden corn damage has started. One gone, then I sprayed pepper/garlic yesterday morning.. Two more gone by the time my brother was down in the afternoon. I picked two doz for him to take. Then this evening I was over and two more were eaten. So five total with a majority of first cobs ready to pick. Not bad, considering. This stuff is not covered or wrapped, just sprayed generally. Maybe I should spray the cobs directly and focused but I don't want to ruin them. It may be working somewhat, but not 100%.

I also have bush delicata squash underneath, so that may be helping a little, keeping the squirrels from loving the area. Though it is not a real harsh thorny squash, some is vining up the corn stalks.

I took a few bags of socks with this evening. I used every one - 3 to 5 dozen, strangely I can't estimate that - and picked about 30 more to eat and freeze. I figured it worth a try. Kind of labor intensive but what isn't? At least I know everything that got covered is good to go, 10-12 per day for a few days. The real shame I see is the hand pollination of second cobs didn't do much for this block. They are pollinated, many more have dark silk than usual, but not enough water or sun or nutrition to really grow a nice second cob. They were already double planted so I have two good first cobs per start, but I have done better before. These didn't get anything added after planting and little water so I can't complain, just have to learn what to expect. I may have done better to ensure one cob and suppress the second cobs. That early groundhog damage got me a good two dozen first cobs as well.

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Re: Danged &%$#@+(^$ Critters!

#170

Post: # 77392Unread post GoDawgs
Tue Aug 30, 2022 5:49 am

Socks, eh? Ingenious. You must have been collecting socks for quite a while. LOL!

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Re: Danged &%$#@+(^$ Critters!

#171

Post: # 77456Unread post JRinPA
Tue Aug 30, 2022 6:26 pm

worth's suggestion. Now today it rained for the sixth day this summer...wet socks!

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Re: Danged &%$#@+(^$ Critters!

#172

Post: # 77619Unread post JRinPA
Fri Sep 02, 2022 2:12 am

So far the socks have worked 100%. No damage to any more of them, covered or not.

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Re: Danged &%$#@+(^$ Critters!

#173

Post: # 77626Unread post worth1
Fri Sep 02, 2022 5:29 am

They even get ripe inside the socks.
I'm telling y'all if you have that prize tomato you just gotta have put a sock on it.
Tee shirts on melons work too.
We used to hang smelly work clothes on the fence to keep critters out.
Not squirrels but deer and such.
Worth
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You might as well be arguing with a cat.

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Re: Danged &%$#@+(^$ Critters!

#174

Post: # 77670Unread post JRinPA
Fri Sep 02, 2022 10:33 pm

I was thinking about a scarecrow between the two rows. Not something up and visible where the squirrels could see it from the tree, but just something down in between the rows like me kneeling or sitting, that they couldn't see or smell until close and vulnerable.

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Re: Danged &%$#@+(^$ Critters!

#175

Post: # 77990Unread post JRinPA
Tue Sep 06, 2022 1:40 am

Socks sure worked great! I put 52 old socks onto ripe or near ripe cobs, the biggest ones of course. It was a mix of cotton, poly, and merino wool. I had to break back the cob's leaf to pull the sock deep down to the bottom. Then when I came to pick some for dinner, I'd take the socks off and claim those cobs, then put the socks on smaller, remaining uncovered cobs. Tonight I called the game, declared myself winner, and picked the rest. Take that Danged Critters!

My planting day hopes were 125 yield of good cobs from block3 if all went well and no squirrel damage. All told I picked 93 perfect cobs. A lot of these were a fat 18 rows of kernels. These were thicker cobs than the block2 cobs that had more shade and also had daily water.The groundhog knocked out at least half of one of the four rows on July 14th - 1/8th of the block lost. A squirrel later ate 5 cobs. Factor that in and 125(7/8)-5 became 104 after attrition. I also picked 8 small but well formed and pollinated cobs and 11 underpollinated but ripe with the big spaced out kernels. All in all that is right on par for what I hoped for the production. If not for that groundhog...

In addition to defending against the squirrels, I think the socks also had the effect of driving off the little black flea beetles that get down in the silk. The little blacks were in the silk tops when I put the socks on the ears. I debated trying to knock them off but decided it would be too much work and risk of damage. They must not like being covered, because upon husking the socked ears, they were gone. When husking, I only found the flea beetles on the few un-socked ears. There very few earworms as well but some of that I attribute to overall lack of rain and lateness of season. Plus the pepper spray may have helped there.

I'd say for squirrel defense the pepper/garlic works some and the socks worked great. I hope the socks work as well on July 4th 2023 as they did this last week.
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Re: Danged &%$#@+(^$ Critters!

#176

Post: # 78010Unread post MissS
Tue Sep 06, 2022 7:38 am

Well done @JRinPA[/mention. It seem that you out-smarted those critters.

Now were these clean or dirty socks that you used on your corn?
~ Patti ~

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Re: Danged &%$#@+(^$ Critters!

#177

Post: # 78011Unread post Tormato
Tue Sep 06, 2022 7:41 am

I'm glad that I know the backstory, as those are some corny photos.

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Re: Danged &%$#@+(^$ Critters!

#178

Post: # 78048Unread post GoDawgs
Tue Sep 06, 2022 3:59 pm

Wow! I guess I'll have to start saving old socks because buying that many new would be a tad expensive. Hmmmm, maybe the thrift store would have some. Way in the back of my mind I seem to recall a real long tube of material. Can't remember where, when or what it was for. It's one of those vague memories floating around in the fog of Time. But if I ever do remember, maybe I could make "socks" by cutting off a length, tie one end shut and pull it over ears like I would a sock.

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Re: Danged &%$#@+(^$ Critters!

#179

Post: # 78066Unread post slugworth
Tue Sep 06, 2022 7:58 pm

socks look better than mine
"A chiseled face,Just like Easter Island" :lol:

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Re: Danged &%$#@+(^$ Critters!

#180

Post: # 78069Unread post ddsack
Tue Sep 06, 2022 8:43 pm

I love the sock idea for squirrels, but I don't think it would have stopped our raccoon problem this year. We live trapped four of them, thought that was it, but others came back for the second planting a couple of weeks later. I ended up with less than half of my normal corn to freeze. There is deer netting around the garden, and have had no problems other years, but we need to replace the old wooden fence posts along one side where the fence was sagging under the weight of a grape vine. Next year we'll add an electric wire or two, just off the ground at night.

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