I went to the local hardware store and bought 50' of 3' wide chicken wire (aka "poultry netting"). I cut two pieces of it 20' long. It loves the way it is rolled up so I manually bent it flat and that took some effort. Then I made a tent of the two pieces along the trellis to shield my seedlings and the newly-planted new seeds.
Bwa-ha-ha-ha...
But seriously, for 20 years the squirrels and I mostly lived in peace. I put 2 baffles on the pole where I put sunflowers seeds for the birds and they can't get at the feeder. They were welcome to the seeds that the birds spill on the ground.
A few years ago, some squirrels in one tree grove started taking all the apples. I didn't mind that much because I never sprayed the apples and insects ruined them. Besides, it was funny watching them running along the top of the fence with apples in their mouths.
But then 2 years ago they started taking my tomatoes. I don't grow heirloom tomatoes for squirrrels... There are few enough fruits on an heirloom tomato as it is. Last year, I only got 2 ripe tomatoes from 8 plants.
This year they started pulling up the corn and bean seedlings for the tiny remnant of the planted seeds. I WILL have a garden. If I have to completely redesign the garden so that it can be enclosed with 1" mesh chicken wire and I have to pollinate the plants manually, I will do that! But killing those few squirrels who have learned to take my fruits and seedlings will (I hope) be easier. And I will not stay up nights unsleeping worrying about a few drowned squirrels...
4 comments:
I empathise Mark. At our place it's wallabies and bandicoots. We simply can't have a garden, let alone grow vegetables, unless it's all shielded in 'cages'.
Megan
Sydney, Australia
They can be very frustrating. We trapped them one year and drove them far out into the country. ha ha - they probably went on to make someone's life miserable out there.
Cavebear here: That's one reason I will NOT relocate this group. It seems to be a small group of squirrels in a grove of trees that have only recently matured and been settled. I wouldn't want the ones who have learned about raiding gardens to spread...
I'm totally with you on this . They are rodents who happen to have a furred tail. No nay sayer to your plan would want them in the house as they are nothing more than rats with furred tails! So why tolerate rodentia does descimimating (sp) your garden? They are pests and frequently viscious.
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