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#1
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Mulching downsides
I started year-before-last to use a straw mulch to help control weeds and
add some organic matter to our soil here . This in addition to going pesticide-free because of our bees has caused a population explosion in the insect life , particularly worms and grubs . That increased population has attracted the critters that eat them ... particularly 'possums and 'coons . And they are raising hell out in the garden . Not a morning goes by that I don't have to put one or more plants back in the ground , mostly the peppers .. I bought an electric fence setup mostly for deer (which aren't usually a problem this early on) , but it looks like I need to get it installed and run one wire about 5"-6" from the ground to try to keep the small critters out . Has this worked for any of y'all or am I wasting my time trying ? The alternative is either live traps or bullets ... the problem is that there's basically an endless supply of critters when you live in a clearing out in the woods , and I can't trap or kill them all . -- Snag |
#2
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Mulching downsides
Terry Coombs wrote:
I started year-before-last to use a straw mulch to help control weeds and add some organic matter to our soil here . This in addition to going pesticide-free because of our bees has caused a population explosion in the insect life , particularly worms and grubs . That increased population has attracted the critters that eat them ... particularly 'possums and 'coons . And they are raising hell out in the garden . Not a morning goes by that I don't have to put one or more plants back in the ground , mostly the peppers . often that is because the starter mix or fertilizers used smell like fish or goodies that they like to eat. the raccoons used to do that to the onion plants we put in that were grown as plugs in trays. so we stopped planting them outside the fenced areas and that has kept them from bothering them again. I bought an electric fence setup mostly for deer (which aren't usually a problem this early on) , but it looks like I need to get it installed and run one wire about 5"-6" from the ground to try to keep the small critters out . Has this worked for any of y'all or am I wasting my time trying ? The alternative is either live traps or bullets ... the problem is that there's basically an endless supply of critters when you live in a clearing out in the woods , and I can't trap or kill them all . yep. we trap and move raccoons, possumes and groundhogs but there is an endless supply that will keep coming in. if i don't trap i use the air-rifle to deter them if i can see them (groundhogs). had one run very fast yesterday to get away. usually that can keep them away somewhat where i can be sure to get something of a harvest. last year i trapped and moved a whole family and knew there was one left we didn't get. they do like sunflower seeds ( raccoons do too). i wish i had the stomach to kill/clean these critters as then at least we'd be getting something useful from them for the efforts. but as of yet i'm not that hungry or desperate. i guess it is good to know that i could probably easily live off the land here if i have to. songbird |
#3
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Mulching downsides
Terry Coombs wrote:
.... basically an endless supply of critters when you live in a clearing out in the woods , and I can't trap or kill them all . oh, the other thing i forgot to mention is planting decoy areas further out along the edges away from the gardens to help encourage critters to stay over there and away from the more protected gardens. we have the fence for deer too. requirement here. and we also don't bother to grow sweet corn as that draws raccoons even over the fence. for the number of times we eat it (three or four) it's better to just get it from the store or from a neighbor who's nice enough to bring some to us. songbird |
#4
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Mulching downsides
In article ,
"Terry Coombs" wrote: I bought an electric fence setup mostly for deer (which aren't usually a problem this early on) , but it looks like I need to get it installed and run one wire about 5"-6" from the ground to try to keep the small critters out Gardening in or near the woods, you'll likely need a more substantial fence than a single hot wire 6" off the ground, though some electrification certainly helps - but coons are not stupid, so you have to try and be smarter than they are; and you might as well get the thing up on a permanent basis; you'll need it, the critters are out there. -- Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by Please don't feed the trolls. Killfile and ignore them so they will go away. |
#5
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Mulching downsides
Ecnerwal wrote:
.... Gardening in or near the woods, you'll likely need a more substantial fence than a single hot wire 6" off the ground, though some electrification certainly helps - but coons are not stupid, so you have to try and be smarter than they are; and you might as well get the thing up on a permanent basis; you'll need it, the critters are out there. we don't have an electric fence on the main garden area where most of the veggies are planted but it is tall enough to keep the deer out. this seems to deter the raccoons enough too (as long as they can't smell anything edible in there). what they don't know is that i bury about 150,000 worms in there each spring when i plant. they have never got in them at all (i hope they can't read ). songbird |
#6
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Mulching downsides
On 5/22/2016 9:51 AM, songbird wrote:
Ecnerwal wrote: ... Gardening in or near the woods, you'll likely need a more substantial fence than a single hot wire 6" off the ground, though some electrification certainly helps - but coons are not stupid, so you have to try and be smarter than they are; and you might as well get the thing up on a permanent basis; you'll need it, the critters are out there. we don't have an electric fence on the main garden area where most of the veggies are planted but it is tall enough to keep the deer out. this seems to deter the raccoons enough too (as long as they can't smell anything edible in there). what they don't know is that i bury about 150,000 worms in there each spring when i plant. they have never got in them at all (i hope they can't read ). songbird Raccoons are tasty critters if you get all the glands out before cooking plus the skins make nice gloves, caps, etc. My extended family always had a mess of coon dogs and we went nearly every weekend in the winter, at night, to run coons. Was one way to keep them from decimating the corn crop and other crops and was a lot of fun for a batch of young boys. When we were young marrieds I planted two acres of corn. Raccoons got most of it by hitting every night. I tried the electric fence and it worked for a bit. Found the best way was to put the hound out there on a long rope and he could keep them down to a minimum. All of that may be the reason I don't care much for corn on the cob anymore. G |
#7
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Mulching downsides
George Shirley wrote:
On 5/22/2016 9:51 AM, songbird wrote: Ecnerwal wrote: ... Gardening in or near the woods, you'll likely need a more substantial fence than a single hot wire 6" off the ground, though some electrification certainly helps - but coons are not stupid, so you have to try and be smarter than they are; and you might as well get the thing up on a permanent basis; you'll need it, the critters are out there. we don't have an electric fence on the main garden area where most of the veggies are planted but it is tall enough to keep the deer out. this seems to deter the raccoons enough too (as long as they can't smell anything edible in there). what they don't know is that i bury about 150,000 worms in there each spring when i plant. they have never got in them at all (i hope they can't read ). songbird Raccoons are tasty critters if you get all the glands out before cooking plus the skins make nice gloves, caps, etc. My extended family always had a mess of coon dogs and we went nearly every weekend in the winter, at night, to run coons. Was one way to keep them from decimating the corn crop and other crops and was a lot of fun for a batch of young boys. When we were young marrieds I planted two acres of corn. Raccoons got most of it by hitting every night. I tried the electric fence and it worked for a bit. Found the best way was to put the hound out there on a long rope and he could keep them down to a minimum. All of that may be the reason I don't care much for corn on the cob anymore. G It appears I have won an at least temporary reprieve from critters rooting up my garden . Took a couple of potshots at a 'possum the other night (it was trying to get into the garbage can) and while I'm not sure I hit it , it hasn't been back since . I know for sure the 'coon I trapped night before last won't be coming back ,she ended up on my neighbor's dinner table . I re-set the trap last night , nothing , again tonight and we'll see . -- Snag |
#8
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Mulching downsides
On 5/25/2016 9:21 PM, Terry Coombs wrote:
George Shirley wrote: On 5/22/2016 9:51 AM, songbird wrote: Ecnerwal wrote: ... Gardening in or near the woods, you'll likely need a more substantial fence than a single hot wire 6" off the ground, though some electrification certainly helps - but coons are not stupid, so you have to try and be smarter than they are; and you might as well get the thing up on a permanent basis; you'll need it, the critters are out there. we don't have an electric fence on the main garden area where most of the veggies are planted but it is tall enough to keep the deer out. this seems to deter the raccoons enough too (as long as they can't smell anything edible in there). what they don't know is that i bury about 150,000 worms in there each spring when i plant. they have never got in them at all (i hope they can't read ). songbird Raccoons are tasty critters if you get all the glands out before cooking plus the skins make nice gloves, caps, etc. My extended family always had a mess of coon dogs and we went nearly every weekend in the winter, at night, to run coons. Was one way to keep them from decimating the corn crop and other crops and was a lot of fun for a batch of young boys. When we were young marrieds I planted two acres of corn. Raccoons got most of it by hitting every night. I tried the electric fence and it worked for a bit. Found the best way was to put the hound out there on a long rope and he could keep them down to a minimum. All of that may be the reason I don't care much for corn on the cob anymore. G It appears I have won an at least temporary reprieve from critters rooting up my garden . Took a couple of potshots at a 'possum the other night (it was trying to get into the garbage can) and while I'm not sure I hit it , it hasn't been back since . I know for sure the 'coon I trapped night before last won't be coming back ,she ended up on my neighbor's dinner table . I re-set the trap last night , nothing , again tonight and we'll see . -- Snag You will have to stay at it Snag, I think raccoon's are telepathic as they seem to bring all their relatives to the feast. |
#9
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Mulching downsides
George Shirley wrote:
On 5/25/2016 9:21 PM, Terry Coombs wrote: George Shirley wrote: On 5/22/2016 9:51 AM, songbird wrote: Ecnerwal wrote: ... Gardening in or near the woods, you'll likely need a more substantial fence than a single hot wire 6" off the ground, though some electrification certainly helps - but coons are not stupid, so you have to try and be smarter than they are; and you might as well get the thing up on a permanent basis; you'll need it, the critters are out there. we don't have an electric fence on the main garden area where most of the veggies are planted but it is tall enough to keep the deer out. this seems to deter the raccoons enough too (as long as they can't smell anything edible in there). what they don't know is that i bury about 150,000 worms in there each spring when i plant. they have never got in them at all (i hope they can't read ). songbird Raccoons are tasty critters if you get all the glands out before cooking plus the skins make nice gloves, caps, etc. My extended family always had a mess of coon dogs and we went nearly every weekend in the winter, at night, to run coons. Was one way to keep them from decimating the corn crop and other crops and was a lot of fun for a batch of young boys. When we were young marrieds I planted two acres of corn. Raccoons got most of it by hitting every night. I tried the electric fence and it worked for a bit. Found the best way was to put the hound out there on a long rope and he could keep them down to a minimum. All of that may be the reason I don't care much for corn on the cob anymore. G It appears I have won an at least temporary reprieve from critters rooting up my garden . Took a couple of potshots at a 'possum the other night (it was trying to get into the garbage can) and while I'm not sure I hit it , it hasn't been back since . I know for sure the 'coon I trapped night before last won't be coming back ,she ended up on my neighbor's dinner table . I re-set the trap last night , nothing , again tonight and we'll see . -- Snag You will have to stay at it Snag, I think raccoon's are telepathic as they seem to bring all their relatives to the feast. I've been unable to post for 2 days ... the trap is still set , awaiting it's next victim . -- Snag |
#10
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Mulching downsides
On 5/27/2016 12:39 PM, Terry Coombs wrote:
George Shirley wrote: On 5/25/2016 9:21 PM, Terry Coombs wrote: George Shirley wrote: On 5/22/2016 9:51 AM, songbird wrote: Ecnerwal wrote: ... Gardening in or near the woods, you'll likely need a more substantial fence than a single hot wire 6" off the ground, though some electrification certainly helps - but coons are not stupid, so you have to try and be smarter than they are; and you might as well get the thing up on a permanent basis; you'll need it, the critters are out there. we don't have an electric fence on the main garden area where most of the veggies are planted but it is tall enough to keep the deer out. this seems to deter the raccoons enough too (as long as they can't smell anything edible in there). what they don't know is that i bury about 150,000 worms in there each spring when i plant. they have never got in them at all (i hope they can't read ). songbird Raccoons are tasty critters if you get all the glands out before cooking plus the skins make nice gloves, caps, etc. My extended family always had a mess of coon dogs and we went nearly every weekend in the winter, at night, to run coons. Was one way to keep them from decimating the corn crop and other crops and was a lot of fun for a batch of young boys. When we were young marrieds I planted two acres of corn. Raccoons got most of it by hitting every night. I tried the electric fence and it worked for a bit. Found the best way was to put the hound out there on a long rope and he could keep them down to a minimum. All of that may be the reason I don't care much for corn on the cob anymore. G It appears I have won an at least temporary reprieve from critters rooting up my garden . Took a couple of potshots at a 'possum the other night (it was trying to get into the garbage can) and while I'm not sure I hit it , it hasn't been back since . I know for sure the 'coon I trapped night before last won't be coming back ,she ended up on my neighbor's dinner table . I re-set the trap last night , nothing , again tonight and we'll see . -- Snag You will have to stay at it Snag, I think raccoon's are telepathic as they seem to bring all their relatives to the feast. I've been unable to post for 2 days ... the trap is still set , awaiting it's next victim . Yesterday and today my rain gauge says we have gotten 8.9 inches of rain. Enough is enough but the weather folks say much more is coming. To bad y'all aren't getting some, probably drown a raccoon. G |
#11
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Mulching downsides
George Shirley wrote:
On 5/27/2016 12:39 PM, Terry Coombs wrote: George Shirley wrote: On 5/25/2016 9:21 PM, Terry Coombs wrote: George Shirley wrote: On 5/22/2016 9:51 AM, songbird wrote: Ecnerwal wrote: ... Gardening in or near the woods, you'll likely need a more substantial fence than a single hot wire 6" off the ground, though some electrification certainly helps - but coons are not stupid, so you have to try and be smarter than they are; and you might as well get the thing up on a permanent basis; you'll need it, the critters are out there. we don't have an electric fence on the main garden area where most of the veggies are planted but it is tall enough to keep the deer out. this seems to deter the raccoons enough too (as long as they can't smell anything edible in there). what they don't know is that i bury about 150,000 worms in there each spring when i plant. they have never got in them at all (i hope they can't read ). songbird Raccoons are tasty critters if you get all the glands out before cooking plus the skins make nice gloves, caps, etc. My extended family always had a mess of coon dogs and we went nearly every weekend in the winter, at night, to run coons. Was one way to keep them from decimating the corn crop and other crops and was a lot of fun for a batch of young boys. When we were young marrieds I planted two acres of corn. Raccoons got most of it by hitting every night. I tried the electric fence and it worked for a bit. Found the best way was to put the hound out there on a long rope and he could keep them down to a minimum. All of that may be the reason I don't care much for corn on the cob anymore. G It appears I have won an at least temporary reprieve from critters rooting up my garden . Took a couple of potshots at a 'possum the other night (it was trying to get into the garbage can) and while I'm not sure I hit it , it hasn't been back since . I know for sure the 'coon I trapped night before last won't be coming back ,she ended up on my neighbor's dinner table . I re-set the trap last night , nothing , again tonight and we'll see . -- Snag You will have to stay at it Snag, I think raccoon's are telepathic as they seem to bring all their relatives to the feast. I've been unable to post for 2 days ... the trap is still set , awaiting it's next victim . Yesterday and today my rain gauge says we have gotten 8.9 inches of rain. Enough is enough but the weather folks say much more is coming. To bad y'all aren't getting some, probably drown a raccoon. G It was raining so hard this morning at 3 that it woke me up ... the wife too . I'm not sure exactly how much we got , but it's over 3" in the last 48 hours . And more is on the way . I'm sure glad I got the roof done on the new kitchen before this last round of storms ! -- Snag |
#12
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Mulching downsides
Terry Coombs wrote:
.... It appears I have won an at least temporary reprieve from critters rooting up my garden . Took a couple of potshots at a 'possum the other night (it was trying to get into the garbage can) and while I'm not sure I hit it , it hasn't been back since . I know for sure the 'coon I trapped night before last won't be coming back ,she ended up on my neighbor's dinner table . I re-set the trap last night , nothing , again tonight and we'll see . they like sunflower seeds as bait in the trap, so do possums and groundhogs. we'd cleared out most of the chipmunks last year and i'd not seen any of those around until the other day when i saw one running out front and today i saw one out front and in back. the strawberries in one garden are starting to get some red to them. these are the unwatered and un noticed plants i put in to wander through the alfalfa/trefoil patch. i'm going to have to pick some soon. the past few days we've had sprinklings of rain, we could really use some. as usual it is going north and south of us. we had a few drops today. might get some more tonight... g.l. and good news on getting the roof on. we're in the middle of planting and getting things weeded and ready. for me getting the north garden weeded and planted (outside of the fences) was nice - everything else is much easier (but not as much fun). cheers... songbird |
#13
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Mulching downsides
On 5/27/2016 8:28 PM, songbird wrote:
Terry Coombs wrote: ... It appears I have won an at least temporary reprieve from critters rooting up my garden . Took a couple of potshots at a 'possum the other night (it was trying to get into the garbage can) and while I'm not sure I hit it , it hasn't been back since . I know for sure the 'coon I trapped night before last won't be coming back ,she ended up on my neighbor's dinner table . I re-set the trap last night , nothing , again tonight and we'll see . they like sunflower seeds as bait in the trap, so do possums and groundhogs. we'd cleared out most of the chipmunks last year and i'd not seen any of those around until the other day when i saw one running out front and today i saw one out front and in back. the strawberries in one garden are starting to get some red to them. these are the unwatered and un noticed plants i put in to wander through the alfalfa/trefoil patch. i'm going to have to pick some soon. the past few days we've had sprinklings of rain, we could really use some. as usual it is going north and south of us. we had a few drops today. might get some more tonight... g.l. and good news on getting the roof on. we're in the middle of planting and getting things weeded and ready. for me getting the north garden weeded and planted (outside of the fences) was nice - everything else is much easier (but not as much fun). cheers... songbird Yesterday and the day before we received right at nine inches of rain. Most of the roadways around us were flooded so we stayed home except for a run to the stupor market near by to get in some grub. Looks like there may be more rain today. George |
#14
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Mulching downsides
George Shirley wrote:
.... Yesterday and the day before we received right at nine inches of rain. Most of the roadways around us were flooded so we stayed home except for a run to the stupor market near by to get in some grub. Looks like there may be more rain today. i washed the car yesterday and waxed it this morning. first time i've washed or waxed it in many years, it was looking pretty sad... sits outside, no cover, plus all the farmers have been planting so a lot of dust and also spring pollen in the air. and of course, plenty of bird poo. if that's not a rain dance what is? as i was trying to wipe off the last bit of wax a quick storm came through. i can go out now and finish. i have some wax left-over to use up so i will do the hood and top a second time. i don't know if it makes all that much difference, but i'd like to get rid of the container. we need a lot more rain. forecast is calling for it, but we'll see... songbird |
#15
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Mulching downsides
On 5/28/2016 9:08 AM, songbird wrote:
George Shirley wrote: ... Yesterday and the day before we received right at nine inches of rain. Most of the roadways around us were flooded so we stayed home except for a run to the stupor market near by to get in some grub. Looks like there may be more rain today. i washed the car yesterday and waxed it this morning. first time i've washed or waxed it in many years, it was looking pretty sad... sits outside, no cover, plus all the farmers have been planting so a lot of dust and also spring pollen in the air. and of course, plenty of bird poo. if that's not a rain dance what is? as i was trying to wipe off the last bit of wax a quick storm came through. i can go out now and finish. i have some wax left-over to use up so i will do the hood and top a second time. i don't know if it makes all that much difference, but i'd like to get rid of the container. we need a lot more rain. forecast is calling for it, but we'll see... songbird Be careful about what you pray for. Weather folk say more rain coming this coming week and maybe more. |
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