Mother#*(*&#^!!*!%$^!*ing SQUIRRELS!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAAAGGHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!

[hatrack]

So, other than looking for a .22 (which probably wouldn't be a good idea in a fairly crowded urban neighborhood) or a live trap (which at the moment I'd be happy to convert into a dead trap), any hints on keeping squirrels out of corn? FWIW, I don't think it was coons - we're in the city, and they would have taken down whole plants, not just dislodged ears).

Also, any hints on squash bugs? One question in particular - if there's a squash bug infestation in progress, does it make sense to cut off wilted branches & leaves? We're using insecticidal soap, which works, but given the number of bugs out there this afternoon, I think you could probably spray three times a day and still miss a few.

Now, if you'll pardon me, I think I'll go and fume . . .

:hi:

[sazemisery]

1. Tell us how you really feel. I share your pain.

I was screaming the same thing this morning. They are "planting" the pecans in every potted plant I own. Squirrels are the bane of my existence. I envision them running around in gangs wearing miniature leather jackets.

I was given some pleasure the other day when a mockingbird was dive bombing the S#!T out of one in the front yard.

[XemaSab]

10. It's the jays here

We've got little wild oaks and pecans growing freely throughout the yard, and the nearest oak is three blocks away. :o

[noamnety]

2. I have problems with animals stealing my pawpaws

I made little chicken wire cages and put them directly over the fruit. Depending on how much corn you have, you might be able to make chicken wire cylinders that fit over the ears and squish the ends flat around the stalks. Not so practical if we're talking a whole field, of course.

[bvar22]

3. For the corn....

...I read somewhere that you can tape or tie the ear to the stalk to prevent critters from taking the whole ear. I've never tried it, so I can't vouch for this method.

The Squash Bugs......
Hand picking and eternal vigilance seems to work the best.

This gadget works extremely well. We are delighted, and use it regularly.

See this thread for details.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=246x8830
We work as a team. Flood the base of the plants with water. The flooding will chase the Squash Bugs to the opposite side and up on the stems and leaves to dry out.
One of us waters while the other catches bugs.
The nymphs are small gray dots with black legs. You have to get them too.

Squash Bugs can survive over winter in mulch and garden debris. It is important to kill as many as possible this year in order to protect next years crop.
We actively trim leaves and vines that show eggs or damage. Once they droop or turn yellow, they are not any good to the plant. These go in the Burn Can. We avoid putting Squash Bug eggs in the compost. Any bed that has had a Squash Bug problem this year must be thoroughly cleaned of all damaged plants, debris, and mulch.

In spite of our efforts this year, we lost both of our Squash Plants and had our Pumpkins partially damaged by these nasty bugs. We attribute this to our negligence (ignorance) last year when we suffered a late Fall infestation in the Pumpkins and didn't realize that this would bleed over into the next season.

This Fall, after cleaning out all the mulch and debris from the Squash and Pumpkin Beds (and burning it), we are going to put our chickens in the Garden and let them go after anything that is still alive in and around the Squash/Pumpkin Beds. They are pretty thorough. We will lose some worms, but it will be worth it if we can protect next years crop.

Next Spring, we are planning on more separation between Squash and Mellon plants, and building elevated trellises and structures to keep the plants off the ground. We are also going to prune leaves close to the ground to make it easier to police the plants.

Neem Oil is supposed to be effective against Squash Bugs. It is supposedly safe and organic. We haven't tried it in the garden yet, but may do so next year.

Sevin will kill Squash Bugs, but it also kills everything else including bees. If a foraging bee carries Sevin back to the hive, it will kill the whole hive. In spite of all the good Corporate press, Sevin is HIGHLY TOXIC, and has no place in vegetable (or any other garden.

Good Luck in your campaign against the Squash Bugs. If you come up with any other tips or tricks, let us know.

[hatrack]

4. Thanks for a great informative post!

:hi:

We've talked about neem, but Sevin is out - we also keep bees and given their prediliction for squash blossoms, not an option. As I mentioned, soap seems to work fairly well, and we've been hand-picking as well, which is kind of satisfying even if it does take a lot of time to do so.

Now, if we could just come up with something for those squash vine borers . . . but one battle at a time, I think!

[bvar22]

5. WOW. Another BeeKeeper.

Pleased to meet you!
What part of the country do you live in?
We are in West Central Arkansas.

We started 2 colonies in the Spring of 2007, and just harvested our first honey!
Huge day for us. :party:



We got about 1/2 gallon from both hives.
A July heat wave/drought killed all the clover and wild flowers on our hilltop, and our bees had been eating their stored honey since mid-July. We removed the honey supers last week and put feeders on the hives.

The good news is that it is raining today!

We love our bees, and are very careful about anything that may harm them (or us).
We would rather pick bugs off the veggies than risk harm to the bees. I am still waiting for a difinative verdict on Neem vs Bees.
It may be acceptable if used in the evening after the bees go to bed, and lightly targeted on specific trouble spots, but I'm still not sure.

:hi:

[flying_wahini]

6. I can tell you what finally worked for me....

I grow tropicals (zone 9 Houston).... anyway, the damn squirrels kept
eating all the new shoots on my bananas and digging...in everything...

Get some fine netting mesh and put it out on their pathways to your plants...
I used some green netting that I retrieved from a trash bag at Lowes' while in
the garden dept. they apparently wrap their hanging baskets in these to ship.
I asked the mgr and she let me take all I wanted....
I drap mine on my deck rail and around the trees they use the most,
I also put it around the trunks of my bananas and around my plants in pots..
Just anywhere they go.

They hate it. It gets tangled in their claws and they get caught up in it...
now if they see it they will leave the plants alone. you can hide it among the
bushes if you are worried about how it looks.

As an aside, I think that the biggest reason that they keep chewing on the plants is
because they need the water. I put out a couple of birdbaths with fresh water and
this also seemed to help.

worked for me, anyway.

[susanna]

9. I used the netting technique...

in my raised urban beds to discourage cats this year (feral cats see my beds as litter boxes). It worked beautifully. I hadn't thought about extending its use for squirrels, but it makes a lot of sense. Thanks for the tip!

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

7. Prob'ly was squirrels - I'm in town, too and watched one

drag an ear of my neighbors corn across the street last week, husk and all.

The fine netting sounds like its worth a try. My patio tomatoes should be getting ripe any day now and they'll be taking bites out of them if I don't find a good deterrant system. I tried wide mesh plastic fencing one year and that did no good whatsoever.

Someone posted on another thread about hanging plastic grocery bags near the plants. I may ttry tht too - and maybe some balloons for good measure.

[susanna]

8. I took video last year of a really FAT squirrel eating

my Tom Thumb dwarf popcorn. I only had a few plants as an experiment, so I wasn't counting on them. He(she?) had already gotten all the cobs by the time I saw the carnage. I not only feel your pain but begin to think myself capable of offing the offending creature. A couple weeks later, I caught it taking jalapenos off the plant and burying them. On that one, I laughed - hope the pest crapped fire for a month.

[XemaSab]

11. Have you considered a BB gun?

:P

My suggestions: a BIG SNAKE or something really FOUL TASTING.

Since the corn is in the husks, you could probably liberally apply something bad tasting without worrying about getting it yourself.

Good luck with that.

[flying_wahini]

12. as far as the homemade foul tasting, hot stuff with rotten eggs?

forgettaboutit


I almost never wear gloves in the yard and that red pepper powder/rotten egg
stuff that is "supposed" to repel animals didn't work.


it stinks up the yard, and ruins the beds for YOU.unless you like old pepper
in your eyes:cry: and rubbed into mosquito bites and I think critters actually like the
smell.


I still have a couple of quarts in my garage.