Protecting winter squash?

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Seven Bends
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Protecting winter squash?

#1

Post: # 51811Unread post Seven Bends
Fri Aug 06, 2021 10:27 am

This year I'm growing butternut squash in my community garden plot. Unfortunately, the neighboring plots have thriving families of chipmunks and other rodents living in and under compost bins and other structures, so it's just a matter of time before they help themselves to the squash. The plants already are too huge to fence in and cover, so I'm looking for a way to protect the individual squash.

I've heard of enclosing individual squash in panty hose/stockings or in nylon mesh bags like the ones in which onions are sold. Does this work? It seems like most rodents could chew right through nylon/plastic if they wanted to. Metal might be better, but the holes in chicken wire are too big, and the hardware cloth I have is too stiff to be easily bent into squash protectors. Maybe window screening, if it's still available in metal rather than plastic?

Any other ideas? Thanks!

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Growing Coastal
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Re: Protecting winter squash?

#2

Post: # 51815Unread post Growing Coastal
Fri Aug 06, 2021 11:10 am

Maybe a very fine mesh might work.
With a squash being so much larger and harder maybe they won't bother them.

Rat ate around the mesh.
Image

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Tormato
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Re: Protecting winter squash?

#3

Post: # 51819Unread post Tormato
Fri Aug 06, 2021 12:06 pm

Seven Bends wrote: Fri Aug 06, 2021 10:27 am This year I'm growing butternut squash in my community garden plot. Unfortunately, the neighboring plots have thriving families of chipmunks and other rodents living in and under compost bins and other structures, so it's just a matter of time before they help themselves to the squash. The plants already are too huge to fence in and cover, so I'm looking for a way to protect the individual squash.

I've heard of enclosing individual squash in panty hose/stockings or in nylon mesh bags like the ones in which onions are sold. Does this work? It seems like most rodents could chew right through nylon/plastic if they wanted to. Metal might be better, but the holes in chicken wire are too big, and the hardware cloth I have is too stiff to be easily bent into squash protectors. Maybe window screening, if it's still available in metal rather than plastic?

Any other ideas? Thanks!
I don't understand hardware cloth being too stiff to easily bend.

Seven Bends
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Re: Protecting winter squash?

#4

Post: # 51834Unread post Seven Bends
Fri Aug 06, 2021 4:38 pm

Tormato wrote: Fri Aug 06, 2021 12:06 pm I don't understand hardware cloth being too stiff to easily bend.
I think the material I have is 1/2" mesh, and it's very stiff. I have to use wire cutters to cut it, and I think I would need to use pliers to bend it, especially after the first bend (to make corners or an enclosed shape). Given how many squash there are, that would be a lot of work, and I seem to end up stabbing myself with the cut edges. I might stab or scrape the squash as well. And the mesh size is too large to keep out rodents. Can you recommend a flexible hardware cloth with a smaller mesh size that might be suitable for squash wrappers? I have easy access to Home Depot, Lowe's, Ace Hardware, and Amazon.

Seven Bends
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Re: Protecting winter squash?

#5

Post: # 51835Unread post Seven Bends
Fri Aug 06, 2021 4:53 pm

Growing Coastal wrote: Fri Aug 06, 2021 11:10 am Maybe a very fine mesh might work.
With a squash being so much larger and harder maybe they won't bother them.

Rat ate around the mesh.
Thanks. They are very smart and determined, that's for sure.

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JRinPA
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Re: Protecting winter squash?

#6

Post: # 51869Unread post JRinPA
Sat Aug 07, 2021 11:37 am

I don't think wrapping hardware cloth is the way to go. As said, sharp! I hate working with it, though 1/2" grid would keep anything out most anything I believe.

Window screen sounds okay. Wrap and staple. Throw a want ad up your local pages -- CL -- FB -- freecycle etc for old screening that doesn't have to be nice enough for its proper use on windows. I have some in the shed, I'm sure many people do.

Maybe double bag with the onion mesh. The inside one being lumpy/extra material. Defense in depth type thing. Deer have reservations about jumping two fences.

Also, how bout making some pepper spray and spraying the squash?

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Re: Protecting winter squash?

#7

Post: # 51909Unread post Seven Bends
Sat Aug 07, 2021 11:11 pm

JRinPA wrote: Sat Aug 07, 2021 11:37 am Window screen sounds okay. Wrap and staple. Throw a want ad up your local pages -- CL -- FB -- freecycle etc for old screening that doesn't have to be nice enough for its proper use on windows. I have some in the shed, I'm sure many people do.

Maybe double bag with the onion mesh. The inside one being lumpy/extra material. Defense in depth type thing. Deer have reservations about jumping two fences.

Also, how bout making some pepper spray and spraying the squash?
Thanks, good ideas. Maybe I'll try several methods and see what works/doesn't work. Would the pepper flavor be absorbed by the squash when it's young and soft-skinned? I wouldn't enjoy that any more than the rodents would.

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karstopography
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Re: Protecting winter squash?

#8

Post: # 51934Unread post karstopography
Sun Aug 08, 2021 10:57 am

Coldbreak MESH030 Copper Mesh, 5" x 30', Pure 100% Copper, USA Made
F087CC23-2380-4472-87AE-5E70EAA4C58E.jpeg
EA427FDA-2721-4190-923D-87D6A87A61FD.jpeg
This stuff is made for excluding varmits like rats and squirrels. Copper in general is discouraging to many pests.

It’s available from Jeff Bezos and likely other vendors. Get the 100% copper, not copper coated mystery metal.
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Zone 9b, located in the Columbia bottomlands, annual rainfall 46”

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JRinPA
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Re: Protecting winter squash?

#9

Post: # 51940Unread post JRinPA
Sun Aug 08, 2021 12:39 pm

Seven Bends wrote: Sat Aug 07, 2021 11:11 pm
Thanks, good ideas. Maybe I'll try several methods and see what works/doesn't work. Would the pepper flavor be absorbed by the squash when it's young and soft-skinned? I wouldn't enjoy that any more than the rodents would.
Hah, yeah... I was thinking winter squash being hard skinned. But no, not when they are young they sure aren't. I think you are right about a hot pepper marinade being a problem.
This is why I try not post afterthoughts, not thought all the way through. I've yet to try a pepper spray myself on anything.

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Re: Protecting winter squash?

#10

Post: # 51942Unread post Seven Bends
Sun Aug 08, 2021 1:14 pm

karstopography wrote: Sun Aug 08, 2021 10:57 am Coldbreak MESH030 Copper Mesh, 5" x 30', Pure 100% Copper, USA Made

This stuff is made for excluding varmits like rats and squirrels. Copper in general is discouraging to many pests.

It’s available from Jeff Bezos and likely other vendors. Get the 100% copper, not copper coated mystery metal.
Interesting, that could be the solution! The only problem I see is that the diameter is just 5". It looks like it's a tube, so 5" doubled is 10", which means it could hold a squash of a little over 3" in diameter if I've done the math right. The bulb part of these squash gets to 5-6" in diameter, so it wouldn't fit in the tube unless the material stretches quite a bit. Maybe I could cut the mesh lengthwise to open the tube and and then sew two pieces together somehow, but that might take more effort than I want to put into this problem.

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karstopography
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Re: Protecting winter squash?

#11

Post: # 51946Unread post karstopography
Sun Aug 08, 2021 2:13 pm

[mention]Seven Bends[/mention] That’s a medium butternut squash in the photo and there’s plenty of room to spare. The roll is 5” top to bottom, but expands to where even a large squash ought to fit easily.

BTW, slugs won’t cross copper so that’s another benefit to using element #29.
Zone 9b, located in the Columbia bottomlands, annual rainfall 46”

zendog
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Re: Protecting winter squash?

#12

Post: # 51959Unread post zendog
Sun Aug 08, 2021 5:06 pm

That copper stuff looks like a great option if you need it. I grow squash in a community garden as well as in my front yard and I haven't had trouble with chipmunks (front yard) or rats (community garden) bothering them. If you cover them and feel you have enough to take a chance with a few, you might leave one or 2 out in the open to see if they are targeted. That way you'll know how hard you have to work to protect them next year.

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Re: Protecting winter squash?

#13

Post: # 51967Unread post Seven Bends
Sun Aug 08, 2021 7:48 pm

karstopography wrote: Sun Aug 08, 2021 2:13 pm @Seven Bends That’s a medium butternut squash in the photo and there’s plenty of room to spare. The roll is 5” top to bottom, but expands to where even a large squash ought to fit easily.
Great, I went ahead and ordered a roll. If it doesn't work for squash protection, it sounds like I can scrub pots with it. Also ordered some cheap knee-high stockings and will try Craigslist for used window screening. I appreciate everyone's thoughts and ideas on this, very helpful.

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Re: Protecting winter squash?

#14

Post: # 51969Unread post Seven Bends
Sun Aug 08, 2021 8:04 pm

zendog wrote: Sun Aug 08, 2021 5:06 pm That copper stuff looks like a great option if you need it. I grow squash in a community garden as well as in my front yard and I haven't had trouble with chipmunks (front yard) or rats (community garden) bothering them. If you cover them and feel you have enough to take a chance with a few, you might leave one or 2 out in the open to see if they are targeted. That way you'll know how hard you have to work to protect them next year.
My mom is able to grow butternut squash in her yard without damage, despite having chipmunks and squirrels there. No such luck at our community garden, unfortunately. Last year, the adjacent gardener lost about 30 winter squash of various types to some animal, every single squash gnawed open in one night. It's not the first time we've seen that; it's pretty common at our garden if you leave squash on the vine long enough to mature. I'm glad for you that your rodents haven't heard the news about squash seeds yet!

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Re: Protecting winter squash?

#15

Post: # 51973Unread post zendog
Sun Aug 08, 2021 9:02 pm

Seven Bends wrote: Sun Aug 08, 2021 8:04 pm I'm glad for you that your rodents haven't heard the news about squash seeds yet!
I guess it may just be a matter of time. I've also found that animals' tastes change over time or maybe some animals have "regional" tastes. Deer maraud through my yard frequently but never bothered okra until this year they suddenly decided they like them.

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