squirrels, again
 

Another young, green tomato on the deck yesterday morning. Not how I
like to start the day... I had been lax with the vinegar soaked rags.
Been raining a lot and that dilutes it. I will have to redouble my
efforts... Or, where do I get some Red-Tailed Hawks? (I don't think
coyotes or foxes exist where I live, in the city.)


"Ground Squirrels are active during the day and the nocturnal Barn Owl
will not help with a squirrel problem. However, in areas of infestation,
you can erect a substantial post of 20-25 feet in height to provide a
perch from which hawks will hunt during the day. Red-Tailed Hawks in
particular will hunt ground squirrels. If your vineyard is enclosed in
deer fencing, you may wish to cut several coyote sized holes in the
bottom of your fence to allow easy access for coyote, bobcat and fox.
These animals are very good at hunting ground squirrels and rabbits. If
you are concerned about these predators chewing drip lines, place a few
pans underneath your drip lines to collect water for their use during
the dry months."
http://www.hungryowl.org/services/vineyards.html

squirrels, again
 

"Gus" wrote:

Another young, green tomato on the deck yesterday morning. Not how I
like to start the day... I had been lax with the vinegar soaked rags.
Been raining a lot and that dilutes it. I will have to redouble my
efforts... Or, where do I get some Red-Tailed Hawks? (I don't think
coyotes or foxes exist where I live, in the city.)

"Ground Squirrels are active during the day and the nocturnal Barn Owl
will not help with a squirrel problem. However, in areas of infestation,
you can erect a substantial post of 20-25 feet in height to provide a
perch from which hawks will hunt during the day. Red-Tailed Hawks in
particular will hunt ground squirrels. If your vineyard is enclosed in
deer fencing, you may wish to cut several coyote sized holes in the
bottom of your fence to allow easy access for coyote, bobcat and fox.
These animals are very good at hunting ground squirrels and rabbits. If
you are concerned about these predators chewing drip lines, place a few
pans underneath your drip lines to collect water for their use during
the dry months."

Sounds like a lot of masturbation. Squirrels gotta live too.
Squirrels eat your tomatoes mainly for their water content. If you
put out a birdbath squirrels will much prefer that... keep it clean
and full... the best birdbath is the type that sits on the ground...
the least expensive one, holds the most water, easiest to clean, and
is the best configuration; a snow coaster, grandkids outgrew it..
http://i44.tinypic.com/8x8pza.jpg
http://i44.tinypic.com/293g585.jpg
http://i41.tinypic.com/dbjjns.jpg
Price doubled in ten years but still a bargain:
http://www.amazon.com/Paricon-Flying...ords=snow+disk
Also helps greatly to distract squirrels with food they prefer... I
feed the birds and put out in-shell peanuts too... squirrels prefer
peanuts to my vegetable garden. I buy bags of unsalted roasted
in-shell Hampton Farms peanuts at BJ's; five pounds/$6... a handful
each morning suffices. Bad enough you're a masturbator, I don't want
to hear you're a cheapo ******* too.

squirrels, again
 

"Brooklyn1" wrote in message
...
"Gus" wrote:

Another young, green tomato on the deck yesterday morning. Not how I
like to start the day... I had been lax with the vinegar soaked rags.
Been raining a lot and that dilutes it. I will have to redouble my
efforts... Or, where do I get some Red-Tailed Hawks? (I don't think
coyotes or foxes exist where I live, in the city.)

"Ground Squirrels are active during the day and the nocturnal Barn Owl
will not help with a squirrel problem. However, in areas of
infestation,
you can erect a substantial post of 20-25 feet in height to provide a
perch from which hawks will hunt during the day. Red-Tailed Hawks in
particular will hunt ground squirrels. If your vineyard is enclosed in
deer fencing, you may wish to cut several coyote sized holes in the
bottom of your fence to allow easy access for coyote, bobcat and fox.
These animals are very good at hunting ground squirrels and rabbits.
If
you are concerned about these predators chewing drip lines, place a
few
pans underneath your drip lines to collect water for their use during
the dry months."

Sounds like a lot of masturbation. Squirrels gotta live too.
Squirrels eat your tomatoes mainly for their water content. If you
put out a birdbath squirrels will much prefer that... keep it clean
and full... the best birdbath is the type that sits on the ground...
the least expensive one, holds the most water, easiest to clean, and
is the best configuration; a snow coaster, grandkids outgrew it..
http://i44.tinypic.com/8x8pza.jpg
http://i44.tinypic.com/293g585.jpg
http://i41.tinypic.com/dbjjns.jpg
Price doubled in ten years but still a bargain:
http://www.amazon.com/Paricon-Flying...ords=snow+disk
Also helps greatly to distract squirrels with food they prefer... I
feed the birds and put out in-shell peanuts too... squirrels prefer
peanuts to my vegetable garden. I buy bags of unsalted roasted
in-shell Hampton Farms peanuts at BJ's; five pounds/$6... a handful
each morning suffices. Bad enough you're a masturbator, I don't want
to hear you're a cheapo ******* too.



I am cheap, but no Carlos Danger. (The name generator said I should be:
Armando Dynamite.)
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_a...ny_weiner.html

They discourage birdbaths here, because of mosquitoes. I have heard
squirrels want tomatoes just for water, but how do you redirect the
squirrels to a water source away from tomatoes? They eat the young
green ones which can't be that good tasting? I don't think it's the
water. It has rained here a lot the last month. There should be plenty
of water sources. Maybe I will try leaving out water in an old cottage
cheese container as an experiment.

Squirrels are evil. I don't trust them. They can live, just not around
me. Round them up and send them to Australia or Antarctica. Or,
somewhere with lots of red-tail hawks.

I will try peanuts, but won't that just fatten them up? And attract
more of them. How much do you put out at a time? If too much, won't it
attract other things like opossums and raccoons?

squirrels, again
 

Brooklyn1 writes:

"Gus" wrote:

Another young, green tomato on the deck yesterday morning. Not how I
like to start the day... I had been lax with the vinegar soaked rags.
Been raining a lot and that dilutes it. I will have to redouble my
efforts... Or, where do I get some Red-Tailed Hawks? (I don't think
coyotes or foxes exist where I live, in the city.)

"Ground Squirrels are active during the day and the nocturnal Barn Owl
will not help with a squirrel problem. However, in areas of infestation,
you can erect a substantial post of 20-25 feet in height to provide a
perch from which hawks will hunt during the day. Red-Tailed Hawks in
particular will hunt ground squirrels. If your vineyard is enclosed in
deer fencing, you may wish to cut several coyote sized holes in the
bottom of your fence to allow easy access for coyote, bobcat and fox.
These animals are very good at hunting ground squirrels and rabbits. If
you are concerned about these predators chewing drip lines, place a few
pans underneath your drip lines to collect water for their use during
the dry months."

Sounds like a lot of masturbation. Squirrels gotta live too.
Squirrels eat your tomatoes mainly for their water content. If you
put out a birdbath squirrels will much prefer that... keep it clean
and full... the best birdbath is the type that sits on the ground...
the least expensive one, holds the most water, easiest to clean, and
is the best configuration; a snow coaster, grandkids outgrew it..
http://i44.tinypic.com/8x8pza.jpg
http://i44.tinypic.com/293g585.jpg
http://i41.tinypic.com/dbjjns.jpg
Price doubled in ten years but still a bargain:
http://www.amazon.com/Paricon-Flying...ords=snow+disk
Also helps greatly to distract squirrels with food they prefer... I
feed the birds and put out in-shell peanuts too... squirrels prefer
peanuts to my vegetable garden. I buy bags of unsalted roasted
in-shell Hampton Farms peanuts at BJ's; five pounds/$6... a handful
each morning suffices. Bad enough you're a masturbator, I don't want
to hear you're a cheapo ******* too.

Hmm, that advice leaves something to be desired.
Are you seriously suggesting that feeding the squirrels will solve
the problem?

Any idea how many squirrels will be around after one year of free food?
How about 2 years?

I don't grow vegetables, it's hard enough keeping the deer away from
flowers, but if I lost my mind and tried, I'd be thinking fencing and netting.

--
Dan Espen

squirrels, again
 

"Gus" writes:

I will try peanuts, but won't that just fatten them up? And attract
more of them. How much do you put out at a time? If too much, won't
it attract other things like opossums and raccoons?

Please don't feed wild animals, it's a very bad idea.

The fact that it won't help with your vegetable garden, but make the
problem worse is another issue.

--
Dan Espen

squirrels, again
 

"Dan Espen" wrote in message
...
"Gus" writes:

I will try peanuts, but won't that just fatten them up? And attract
more of them. How much do you put out at a time? If too much, won't
it attract other things like opossums and raccoons?

Please don't feed wild animals, it's a very bad idea.

The fact that it won't help with your vegetable garden, but make the
problem worse is another issue.

--
Dan Espen


I have heard of some people planting tomatoes, etc in another part of
their yard and leaving that for the squirrels etc. Is that so very
different? Though it just seems like a bad idea, and I would attract
more, and a larger population than there should be.

squirrels, again
 

"Gus" writes:

"Dan Espen" wrote in message
...
"Gus" writes:

I will try peanuts, but won't that just fatten them up? And attract
more of them. How much do you put out at a time? If too much, won't
it attract other things like opossums and raccoons?

Please don't feed wild animals, it's a very bad idea.

The fact that it won't help with your vegetable garden, but make the
problem worse is another issue.

I have heard of some people planting tomatoes, etc in another part of
their yard and leaving that for the squirrels etc. Is that so very
different? Though it just seems like a bad idea, and I would attract
more, and a larger population than there should be.

Same basic idea.
Might work for a little while, but I doubt it.

--
Dan Espen

squirrels, again
 

On 7/27/2013 8:32 AM, Gus wrote:
Another young, green tomato on the deck yesterday morning. Not how I
like to start the day... I had been lax with the vinegar soaked rags.
Been raining a lot and that dilutes it. I will have to redouble my
efforts... Or, where do I get some Red-Tailed Hawks? (I don't think
coyotes or foxes exist where I live, in the city.)


"Ground Squirrels are active during the day and the nocturnal Barn Owl
will not help with a squirrel problem. However, in areas of infestation,
you can erect a substantial post of 20-25 feet in height to provide a
perch from which hawks will hunt during the day. Red-Tailed Hawks in
particular will hunt ground squirrels. If your vineyard is enclosed in
deer fencing, you may wish to cut several coyote sized holes in the
bottom of your fence to allow easy access for coyote, bobcat and fox.
These animals are very good at hunting ground squirrels and rabbits. If
you are concerned about these predators chewing drip lines, place a few
pans underneath your drip lines to collect water for their use during
the dry months."
http://www.hungryowl.org/services/vineyards.html

I've had problems this year and put out the old Havahart trap. Caught
and released 6 squirrels before I caught the real culprit, a raccoon who
now lives in a more affluent neighborhood.

I advise buying the biggest Havahart trap as the largest raccoons can
escape without it latching. Peanut butter is universal bait, I've
caught squirrels, raccoons and groundhogs with it - once even a bird and
a skunk.

squirrels, again
 

On Sat, 27 Jul 2013 15:32:04 -0400, Frank
wrote:

On 7/27/2013 8:32 AM, Gus wrote:
Another young, green tomato on the deck yesterday morning. Not how I
like to start the day... I had been lax with the vinegar soaked rags.
Been raining a lot and that dilutes it. I will have to redouble my
efforts... Or, where do I get some Red-Tailed Hawks? (I don't think
coyotes or foxes exist where I live, in the city.)


"Ground Squirrels are active during the day and the nocturnal Barn Owl
will not help with a squirrel problem. However, in areas of infestation,
you can erect a substantial post of 20-25 feet in height to provide a
perch from which hawks will hunt during the day. Red-Tailed Hawks in
particular will hunt ground squirrels. If your vineyard is enclosed in
deer fencing, you may wish to cut several coyote sized holes in the
bottom of your fence to allow easy access for coyote, bobcat and fox.
These animals are very good at hunting ground squirrels and rabbits. If
you are concerned about these predators chewing drip lines, place a few
pans underneath your drip lines to collect water for their use during
the dry months."
http://www.hungryowl.org/services/vineyards.html

I've had problems this year and put out the old Havahart trap. Caught
and released 6 squirrels before I caught the real culprit, a raccoon who
now lives in a more affluent neighborhood.

I advise buying the biggest Havahart trap as the largest raccoons can
escape without it latching. Peanut butter is universal bait, I've
caught squirrels, raccoons and groundhogs with it - once even a bird and
a skunk.

I live on severl rual acres surrounded by thosands of rural acres...
there aren't enough hava-a-heart traps on the planet.

squirrels, again
 

On Sat, 27 Jul 2013 10:04:16 -0400, Dan Espen
wrote:

Brooklyn1 writes:

"Gus" wrote:

Another young, green tomato on the deck yesterday morning. Not how I
like to start the day... I had been lax with the vinegar soaked rags.
Been raining a lot and that dilutes it. I will have to redouble my
efforts... Or, where do I get some Red-Tailed Hawks? (I don't think
coyotes or foxes exist where I live, in the city.)

"Ground Squirrels are active during the day and the nocturnal Barn Owl
will not help with a squirrel problem. However, in areas of infestation,
you can erect a substantial post of 20-25 feet in height to provide a
perch from which hawks will hunt during the day. Red-Tailed Hawks in
particular will hunt ground squirrels. If your vineyard is enclosed in
deer fencing, you may wish to cut several coyote sized holes in the
bottom of your fence to allow easy access for coyote, bobcat and fox.
These animals are very good at hunting ground squirrels and rabbits. If
you are concerned about these predators chewing drip lines, place a few
pans underneath your drip lines to collect water for their use during
the dry months."

Sounds like a lot of masturbation. Squirrels gotta live too.
Squirrels eat your tomatoes mainly for their water content. If you
put out a birdbath squirrels will much prefer that... keep it clean
and full... the best birdbath is the type that sits on the ground...
the least expensive one, holds the most water, easiest to clean, and
is the best configuration; a snow coaster, grandkids outgrew it..
http://i44.tinypic.com/8x8pza.jpg
http://i44.tinypic.com/293g585.jpg
http://i41.tinypic.com/dbjjns.jpg
Price doubled in ten years but still a bargain:
http://www.amazon.com/Paricon-Flying...ords=snow+disk
Also helps greatly to distract squirrels with food they prefer... I
feed the birds and put out in-shell peanuts too... squirrels prefer
peanuts to my vegetable garden. I buy bags of unsalted roasted
in-shell Hampton Farms peanuts at BJ's; five pounds/$6... a handful
each morning suffices. Bad enough you're a masturbator, I don't want
to hear you're a cheapo ******* too.

Hmm, that advice leaves something to be desired.
Are you seriously suggesting that feeding the squirrels will solve
the problem?

Any idea how many squirrels will be around after one year of free food?
How about 2 years?

I've been putting out peanuts here for more than ten years and there
aren't more than 4-5 squirrels... the population doesn't grow because
wild critters are extremely territorial

I don't grow vegetables, it's hard enough keeping the deer away from
flowers, but if I lost my mind and tried, I'd be thinking fencing and netting.

There are lots of deer here, anything I don't want deer to eat I
fence.

squirrels, again
 

"Brooklyn1" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 27 Jul 2013 15:32:04 -0400, Frank
wrote:
I advise buying the biggest Havahart trap as the largest raccoons can
escape without it latching. Peanut butter is universal bait, I've
caught squirrels, raccoons and groundhogs with it - once even a bird
and
a skunk.

I live on severl rual acres surrounded by thosands of rural acres...
there aren't enough hava-a-heart traps on the planet.


New ones will just move in... My NIL cousin has four acres in the
country and has killed 43 squirrels this year. They've gotten into his
wiring and caused lots of damage besides just stealing tomatoes.

squirrels, again
 

"Brooklyn1" wrote in message
...

I've been putting out peanuts here for more than ten years and there
aren't more than 4-5 squirrels... the population doesn't grow because
wild critters are extremely territorial

There was another half eaten young, green tomato on the railing out back
yesterday evening. I put out a couple little tubs of water this morning
and going to get some peanuts today. If they keep stealing the young
green tomatoes, I'm going to just pull off all there are and let them
ripen on the counter... Yesterday, it rained a fair amount and there
were puddles so I don't think the squirrel(s) are biting the tomatoes
for just the water, or maybe they are just lazy insensitive squirrels.

Where do you put your peanuts? Near the garden? Out by trees they live
in? Maybe I can put out peanuts with peanut butter with extra
butter--or better, trans fat margarine-- on the peanuts, and they will
get fat with clogged arteries and have heart attacks and fall out of the
trees.

squirrels, again
 

"Gus" wrote:
"Brooklyn1" wrote:

I've been putting out peanuts here for more than ten years and there
aren't more than 4-5 squirrels... the population doesn't grow because
wild critters are extremely territorial

There was another half eaten young, green tomato on the railing out back
yesterday evening. I put out a couple little tubs of water this morning
and going to get some peanuts today. If they keep stealing the young
green tomatoes, I'm going to just pull off all there are and let them
ripen on the counter... Yesterday, it rained a fair amount and there
were puddles so I don't think the squirrel(s) are biting the tomatoes
for just the water, or maybe they are just lazy insensitive squirrels.

They may not be squirrels, other critters will eat tomatoes, field
mice and voles love them, so do chipmunks. Perhaps you need a couple
of cats... I have two ferral cats living in my barn and there are many
more around. The community of ferral cats patrol all night, other
than insects I get very little critter damage in my garden.

Where do you put your peanuts? Near the garden? Out by trees they live
in? Maybe I can put out peanuts with peanut butter with extra
butter--or better, trans fat margarine-- on the peanuts, and they will
get fat with clogged arteries and have heart attacks and fall out of the
trees.

My garden is about 200' from my house. Every morning I put a big
handful of peanuts out with the bird seed I put on the table on my
deck... I add seed all day but no more peanuts. The few squirrels
compete with the bluejays for peanuts, but I blend cracked corn 50/50
with bird seed and squirrels like corn too, corn is cheap, a 50 pound
sack/$12... premium bird seed costs $40/40 lbs. I don't mind feeding
animals, I actually spend quite a bit on food for critters... that's
my charitable contribution... I'll never give a cent to charities for
people... I see way too many able bodied people paying for groceries
with food stamps, and then get into a Lexus. Food drives are also a
scam, the organizers skim off the good stuff for themselves and most
of what remains goes to lazy deadbeats who more than likely never
bother to cook those foods. Food stamps are an even bigger scam,
people lie to get them and then they get 75¢ on the dollar from small
grocery stores... flog food stamps into illegal drugs... yeah some
legitimately need a hot meal, let them visit soup kitchens... take all
you want, eat all you take. I'd rather feed a thousand squirrels than
one lazy scamming deadbeat.
http://i43.tinypic.com/e6shtu.jpg

squirrels, again
 

On 7/27/2013 8:54 PM, Brooklyn1 wrote:
On Sat, 27 Jul 2013 15:32:04 -0400, Frank
wrote:

On 7/27/2013 8:32 AM, Gus wrote:
Another young, green tomato on the deck yesterday morning. Not how I
like to start the day... I had been lax with the vinegar soaked rags.
Been raining a lot and that dilutes it. I will have to redouble my
efforts... Or, where do I get some Red-Tailed Hawks? (I don't think
coyotes or foxes exist where I live, in the city.)


"Ground Squirrels are active during the day and the nocturnal Barn Owl
will not help with a squirrel problem. However, in areas of infestation,
you can erect a substantial post of 20-25 feet in height to provide a
perch from which hawks will hunt during the day. Red-Tailed Hawks in
particular will hunt ground squirrels. If your vineyard is enclosed in
deer fencing, you may wish to cut several coyote sized holes in the
bottom of your fence to allow easy access for coyote, bobcat and fox.
These animals are very good at hunting ground squirrels and rabbits. If
you are concerned about these predators chewing drip lines, place a few
pans underneath your drip lines to collect water for their use during
the dry months."
http://www.hungryowl.org/services/vineyards.html

I've had problems this year and put out the old Havahart trap. Caught
and released 6 squirrels before I caught the real culprit, a raccoon who
now lives in a more affluent neighborhood.

I advise buying the biggest Havahart trap as the largest raccoons can
escape without it latching. Peanut butter is universal bait, I've
caught squirrels, raccoons and groundhogs with it - once even a bird and
a skunk.

I live on severl rual acres surrounded by thosands of rural acres...
there aren't enough hava-a-heart traps on the planet.


I live in a semi-rural area too. Figure I just remove the creatures
that are bothering me and it will take a while for others to take their
place. Since my trapping venture over a week ago, I have not seen a
squirrel since.

squirrels, again
 

"Brooklyn1" wrote in message
...

They may not be squirrels, other critters will eat tomatoes, field
mice and voles love them, so do chipmunks. Perhaps you need a couple
of cats... I have two ferral cats living in my barn and there are many
more around. The community of ferral cats patrol all night, other
than insects I get very little critter damage in my garden.

I'm sure it's squirrels, at leastly a large majority. I saw a damn one
running down my driveway with a tomato in it's mouth. And the one-bite
remants of tomatoes are often during daylight and left where I know the
squirrel(s) traverse, such as on the old deck railing.

If I got a feral cat someone would probably steal it or adopt it. I see
a neighbor cat once in a while, passing through but rarely. There was
one coming to my porch and sleeping on my wicker chair cushion in the
afternoon. I started to put treats out for it to encourage it to come
by, but after a couple weeks it stopped and have never seen it again.
I hope a raccoon or dog did not get it; it's been a few months since I
last saw it. I suppose I could get a cat cheap at Animal Control that
has not been declawed and is okay outside?


My garden is about 200' from my house. Every morning I put a big
handful of peanuts out with the bird seed I put on the table on my
deck... I add seed all day but no more peanuts... I'll never give a
cent to charities for
people... I see way too many able bodied people paying for groceries
with food stamps, and then get into a Lexus...


I got some whole raw peanuts this morning and threw 7 out front. I
should go see if they are still there. It was $2.29 for a medium-ish
bag. Maybe I can find some bulk cheaper. I like peanuts myself, so
would wouldn't mind having some around... I deferred on bird seed. Had
a bag in my cart, but it seemed kind of pricey.

My ex gets food stamps, and she is poor. She has a decent car, but it
was some sort of deal with the first ex a few years ago. So she has a
decent 6 year old Jetta, but she can't afford gas or repairs for it and
is always driving on E. (How driving near E saves any money, I never
understood.)

squirrels, again
 

Brooklyn1 writes:

On Sat, 27 Jul 2013 10:04:16 -0400, Dan Espen
wrote:

Brooklyn1 writes:

"Gus" wrote:

Another young, green tomato on the deck yesterday morning. Not how I
like to start the day... I had been lax with the vinegar soaked rags.
Been raining a lot and that dilutes it. I will have to redouble my
efforts... Or, where do I get some Red-Tailed Hawks? (I don't think
coyotes or foxes exist where I live, in the city.)

"Ground Squirrels are active during the day and the nocturnal Barn Owl
will not help with a squirrel problem. However, in areas of infestation,
you can erect a substantial post of 20-25 feet in height to provide a
perch from which hawks will hunt during the day. Red-Tailed Hawks in
particular will hunt ground squirrels. If your vineyard is enclosed in
deer fencing, you may wish to cut several coyote sized holes in the
bottom of your fence to allow easy access for coyote, bobcat and fox.
These animals are very good at hunting ground squirrels and rabbits. If
you are concerned about these predators chewing drip lines, place a few
pans underneath your drip lines to collect water for their use during
the dry months."

Sounds like a lot of masturbation. Squirrels gotta live too.
Squirrels eat your tomatoes mainly for their water content. If you
put out a birdbath squirrels will much prefer that... keep it clean
and full... the best birdbath is the type that sits on the ground...
the least expensive one, holds the most water, easiest to clean, and
is the best configuration; a snow coaster, grandkids outgrew it..
http://i44.tinypic.com/8x8pza.jpg
http://i44.tinypic.com/293g585.jpg
http://i41.tinypic.com/dbjjns.jpg
Price doubled in ten years but still a bargain:
http://www.amazon.com/Paricon-Flying...ords=snow+disk
Also helps greatly to distract squirrels with food they prefer... I
feed the birds and put out in-shell peanuts too... squirrels prefer
peanuts to my vegetable garden. I buy bags of unsalted roasted
in-shell Hampton Farms peanuts at BJ's; five pounds/$6... a handful
each morning suffices. Bad enough you're a masturbator, I don't want
to hear you're a cheapo ******* too.

Hmm, that advice leaves something to be desired.
Are you seriously suggesting that feeding the squirrels will solve
the problem?

Any idea how many squirrels will be around after one year of free food?
How about 2 years?

I've been putting out peanuts here for more than ten years and there
aren't more than 4-5 squirrels... the population doesn't grow because
wild critters are extremely territorial

You live on wide open land, I've seen the pictures.
Not really squirrel habitat.

I don't grow vegetables, it's hard enough keeping the deer away from
flowers, but if I lost my mind and tried, I'd be thinking fencing and netting.

There are lots of deer here, anything I don't want deer to eat I
fence.

Fencing for the deer, netting for the birds, raccoons, chipmunks, rats,
field mice, ground hogs...

--
Dan Espen

squirrels, again
 

On 07/27/2013 05:32 AM, Gus wrote:
Another young, green tomato on the deck yesterday morning. Not how I
like to start the day... I had been lax with the vinegar soaked rags.
Been raining a lot and that dilutes it. I will have to redouble my
efforts... Or, where do I get some Red-Tailed Hawks? (I don't think
coyotes or foxes exist where I live, in the city.)


"Ground Squirrels are active during the day and the nocturnal Barn Owl
will not help with a squirrel problem. However, in areas of infestation,
you can erect a substantial post of 20-25 feet in height to provide a
perch from which hawks will hunt during the day. Red-Tailed Hawks in
particular will hunt ground squirrels. If your vineyard is enclosed in
deer fencing, you may wish to cut several coyote sized holes in the
bottom of your fence to allow easy access for coyote, bobcat and fox.
These animals are very good at hunting ground squirrels and rabbits. If
you are concerned about these predators chewing drip lines, place a few
pans underneath your drip lines to collect water for their use during
the dry months."
http://www.hungryowl.org/services/vineyards.html


Hi Gus,

Try modifying this Red Neck Mouse Trap for squirrels. A metal
trash can should suffice. Fill the bottom with RV radiator
fluid.

Here are the instructions:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Redneck-Mouse-Trap/

Here it is in action:
http://giggletime.thoughts.com/posts...neck-mousetrap

Anyone who viewed the second link, JUST TRY AND TELL ME YOU
DIDN'T LAUGH!

-T

squirrels, again
 

Gus said:

New ones will just move in... My NIL cousin has four acres in the
country and has killed 43 squirrels this year. They've gotten into his
wiring and caused lots of damage besides just stealing tomatoes.

Last Monday morning I found a very freshly dead male fox squirrel in
front of the house (and collected the corpse for My Daughter the Zoologist).

By noon, and through the rest of the day, there were at least three male
squirrels chasing, fighting, biting, tail-flicking, growling and sqealing their
way around our yard. Apparently the Capo di tutti capi squirrel snuffing
it left a power vaccuum. They must have settled things in short order--the
next day everything was back to normal.

(Squirrels are excluded from the vegetable garden during the growing
season by a carefully reinforced fence with a charge wire at the top.)

--
Pat in Plymouth MI

"Yes, swooping is bad."

email valid but not regularly monitored

squirrels, again
 

The peanuts are gone again. I threw about 7-8 in the side of the front
yard early this morning. I assume squirrels forage soon after sunrise?
And best to put out peanuts then, and maybe again in the afternoon?

The container of water I put in the front was completely empty and dry.
Could be raccoon or opposum or other animals though. The container in
the back, didn't look like any water was gone.

So far, no half eaten tomatoes lying around But it's just been a
couple days.

squirrels, again
 

On 7/29/2013 10:10 AM, Gus wrote:
The peanuts are gone again. I threw about 7-8 in the side of the front
yard early this morning. I assume squirrels forage soon after sunrise?
And best to put out peanuts then, and maybe again in the afternoon?

The container of water I put in the front was completely empty and dry.
Could be raccoon or opposum or other animals though. The container in
the back, didn't look like any water was gone.

So far, no half eaten tomatoes lying around But it's just been a
couple days.


I think it is a mistake to put anything out to attract them.

This article says squirrel forage range is 1 to 100 acres but they can
travel up to 50 miles:

http://icwdm.org/handbook/rodents/TreeSquirrels.asp

My wife did not mind them coming to the bird feeder on our deck in the
winter and this year after taking it down a couple of months before I
set out tomatoes in pots, I watched squirrels coming back for weeks
looking for the feeder.

Old guy in the park would walk around with peanuts for the squirrels.
I watched a squirrel come out once and follow him even though he had no
peanuts.

Feeding them is just training them to come around and if pickings are
sparse elsewhere you may attract more in.

squirrels, again
 

Tomorrow morning, I pull all the tomatoes no matter what size... After
putting out water, peanuts, vinegar on rags, chicken wire-- another
half eaten tomato on the deck rail this evening.

squirrels, again
 

"Gus" writes:

Tomorrow morning, I pull all the tomatoes no matter what size...
After putting out water, peanuts, vinegar on rags, chicken wire--
another half eaten tomato on the deck rail this evening.

Netting.

Go to hardware store, buy deer netting.
Get stakes or some other material to build frame around plants.S
Frame must have door.
Staple netting to frame.

Netting must go to ground and cover sides and top.

There are other material than deer netting
like chicken wire. You need a physical barrier,
not a diversion.


--
Dan Espen

squirrels, again
 

"Dan Espen" wrote in message
...
"Gus" writes:

Tomorrow morning, I pull all the tomatoes no matter what size...
After putting out water, peanuts, vinegar on rags, chicken wire--
another half eaten tomato on the deck rail this evening.

Netting.

Go to hardware store, buy deer netting.
Get stakes or some other material to build frame around plants.S
Frame must have door.
Staple netting to frame.

Netting must go to ground and cover sides and top.

There are other material than deer netting
like chicken wire. You need a physical barrier,
not a diversion.


I was going to do that a couple years ago, and by the time I was done
had spent $60 at Lowes. Couple days later, I returned everything. I
love tomatoes but I'm on a tight budget and decided garden ones aren't
$60+ better than grocery ones.

I would love to grow my own tomatoes, last year I had a decent amount
and they were great. I think once the squirrels get into tomatoes they
are hard to keep out. Last year I never had a problem till end of
August and even then was only a few lost. My dad never had problems
with them in Erie. Rabbits were more an issue there, we had trees
around the area but my dad never had squirrels steal his tomatoes.
Maybe I should move to Erie?

squirrels, again
 

"Gus" writes:

"Dan Espen" wrote in message
...
"Gus" writes:

Tomorrow morning, I pull all the tomatoes no matter what size...
After putting out water, peanuts, vinegar on rags, chicken wire--
another half eaten tomato on the deck rail this evening.

Netting.

Go to hardware store, buy deer netting.
Get stakes or some other material to build frame around plants.S
Frame must have door.
Staple netting to frame.

Netting must go to ground and cover sides and top.

There are other material than deer netting
like chicken wire. You need a physical barrier,
not a diversion.


I was going to do that a couple years ago, and by the time I was done
had spent $60 at Lowes. Couple days later, I returned everything. I
love tomatoes but I'm on a tight budget and decided garden ones aren't
$60+ better than grocery ones.

Makes sense to me.

I garden to create a place I like to be.

--
Dan Espen

squirrels, again
 

On Mon, 29 Jul 2013 23:23:45 -0400, Dan Espen
wrote:

"Gus" writes:

"Dan Espen" wrote in message
...
"Gus" writes:

Tomorrow morning, I pull all the tomatoes no matter what size...
After putting out water, peanuts, vinegar on rags, chicken wire--
another half eaten tomato on the deck rail this evening.

Netting.

Go to hardware store, buy deer netting.
Get stakes or some other material to build frame around plants.S
Frame must have door.
Staple netting to frame.

Netting must go to ground and cover sides and top.

There are other material than deer netting
like chicken wire. You need a physical barrier,
not a diversion.


I was going to do that a couple years ago, and by the time I was done
had spent $60 at Lowes. Couple days later, I returned everything. I
love tomatoes but I'm on a tight budget and decided garden ones aren't
$60+ better than grocery ones.

Makes sense to me.

I garden to create a place I like to be.

True, home vegetable gardening is a hobby... the definition of a hobby
is something one does for enjoyment but costs money, once it shows a
profit it's called a business... no way a home vegetable garden saves
money. That said I assumed the poster's garden was properly fenced
(only a fool doesn't fence a vegetable garden), then placing more
appropriate food the critters prefer at a distance will keep them from
finding ways past the fencing (no fencing is 100% critter proof). I've
been feeding birds in winter forever but now I feed them all year as
birds are the worst maurauders of vegetable gardens. If someone is
concerned with cost they need to quit growing veggies and buy them...
in season farm stands sell home growns... farm stands sell far better
produce than farmer's markets and at far lower prices. Farm stands
sell what they grow and pay no rent... farmer's markets mainly sell
the very same produce one buys at the stupidmarket but at higher
prices, they have to pay rent for their booth, and they need to make a
profit for their efforts. Conversely many farm stands at the side of
the road in front of private homes sell the overage from home gardens,
they sell for cheap rather than composting... I had a farm stand for
two seasons but I found it easier and more beneficial to just trade my
extra produce with neighbors who also did vegetable gardening... every
gardener grows enough different crops to benefit from trading. My
next door neighbor grows a lot of onions, garlic and potatoes... this
year I will have a glut of melons, winter squash, and cabbage... by
trading we both benefit. We don't actually do any formal trading, we
simply leave bagsful at each other's back door. I already left my
neighbor a dozen yellow crookneck zucchini. And soon I will have more
kirbys than I can possibly use, I already ate six yesterday... very
soon I'll pick a peck a day... I can only pickle so much before I run
out of space.

squirrels, again
 

Brooklyn1 wrote:
....
True, home vegetable gardening is a hobby... the definition of a hobby
is something one does for enjoyment but costs money, once it shows a
profit it's called a business... no way a home vegetable garden saves
money.

we save between $500-$1500/yr in food costs.

so yes, there is a way...


songbird

squirrels, again
 

On 7/29/2013 1:06 AM, Todd wrote:
On 07/27/2013 05:32 AM, Gus wrote:
Another young, green tomato on the deck yesterday morning. Not how I
like to start the day... I had been lax with the vinegar soaked rags.
Been raining a lot and that dilutes it. I will have to redouble my
efforts... Or, where do I get some Red-Tailed Hawks? (I don't think
coyotes or foxes exist where I live, in the city.)


"Ground Squirrels are active during the day and the nocturnal Barn Owl
will not help with a squirrel problem. However, in areas of infestation,
you can erect a substantial post of 20-25 feet in height to provide a
perch from which hawks will hunt during the day. Red-Tailed Hawks in
particular will hunt ground squirrels. If your vineyard is enclosed in
deer fencing, you may wish to cut several coyote sized holes in the
bottom of your fence to allow easy access for coyote, bobcat and fox.
These animals are very good at hunting ground squirrels and rabbits. If
you are concerned about these predators chewing drip lines, place a few
pans underneath your drip lines to collect water for their use during
the dry months."
http://www.hungryowl.org/services/vineyards.html


Hi Gus,

Try modifying this Red Neck Mouse Trap for squirrels. A metal
trash can should suffice. Fill the bottom with RV radiator
fluid.

Here are the instructions:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Redneck-Mouse-Trap/

Here it is in action:
http://giggletime.thoughts.com/posts...neck-mousetrap

Anyone who viewed the second link, JUST TRY AND TELL ME YOU
DIDN'T LAUGH!

-T

Just as I walked into my family room a couple of winters ago, I heard a
snap trap go off in the adjacent utility room.

Getting trap and mouse, I decided to flush him rather than open the door
to the cold.

He splashed into the bowl and revived, desperately trying to escape, so
I flushed him.

He now resides in my septic system with a diet of stink bugs ;)

squirrels, again
 

songbird wrote:
Brooklyn1 wrote:
...
True, home vegetable gardening is a hobby... the definition of a
hobby is something one does for enjoyment but costs money, once it
shows a profit it's called a business... no way a home vegetable
garden saves money.

we save between $500-$1500/yr in food costs.

so yes, there is a way...


songbird

This is one of Brooklyn's little bugbears. Because he can't save money from
his veges therefore nobody else can either. In reality the outcome is most
variable. Some people pour money into it and get very little return and
some people spend little and get much. It's a matter of skill and
situation.

D

squirrels, again
 

"David Hare-Scott" wrote in message
...
songbird wrote:
Brooklyn1 wrote:
...
True, home vegetable gardening is a hobby... the definition of a
hobby is something one does for enjoyment but costs money, once it
shows a profit it's called a business... no way a home vegetable
garden saves money.

we save between $500-$1500/yr in food costs.

so yes, there is a way...


songbird

This is one of Brooklyn's little bugbears. Because he can't save
money from his veges therefore nobody else can either. In reality the
outcome is most variable. Some people pour money into it and get very
little return and some people spend little and get much. It's a
matter of skill and situation.

I love to having a garden and it is not about saving money, but it is a
fair amount of work and patience, and so frustrating when squirrels take
what I planted and nurtured. Fresh garden tomatoes are the best
vegetable there is. But alas my skills are not on par with the lowly
squirrel. I surrender to the little mammal with better gardening street
skills.

squirrels, again
 

"Frank" wrote in message
...
Just as I walked into my family room a couple of winters ago, I heard
a snap trap go off in the adjacent utility room.

Getting trap and mouse, I decided to flush him rather than open the
door to the cold.

He splashed into the bowl and revived, desperately trying to escape,
so I flushed him.

He now resides in my septic system with a diet of stink bugs ;)


I wonder how long a mouse can survive? I had one in a trap in a brown
paper bag once in the morning and assumed it was dead, but was running
late for work and so decided to deal with it after work... When I got
home, the trap was empty.

A little off topic, but apropos to the revival of the mouse but
regarding humans:

"What happens when we die - wouldn't we all like to know? We can't bring
people back from the dead to tell us but in some cases, we almost can.
Resuscitation medicine is now sometimes capable of reviving people after
their hearts have stopped beating and their brains have flat lined."

"[Dr. Sam Parnia:] So today when we define someone as being dead, we
look at those three criteria - no heartbeat, no respirations, and we
check the pupils of the eye for a reflex that when it's absent, it tells
us that the brain stem and the brain is no longer functioning. The
person is motionless - and they're dead, and we define them as dead.

However, what we've now discovered - in the past decade or so - is that
actually, it's only after a person dies. So in other words, when someone
has actually reached that point and they've become a corpse, that the
cells inside the body start to undergo their own process of death, and
that the period in which the cells die is variable depending on the
organs, but it certainly goes on to hours of time.

So for instance, brain cells will die at about eight hours; again, there
is some variation, but around eight hours after a person has died. And
therefore, our work in resuscitation science is to try to study the
processes that are going on in a person after they've died, but before
they've reached the point of complete, irreversible and irretrievable
cell damage such that no matter what we do, we can't bring them back.

And if we manage to restore oxygen and nutrients back to those cells
before they've reached that point, we are able to successfully bring
someone back to life. And that's why today, with numerous advances that
have taken place in the field of resuscitation science, we have managed
to push back that boundary to well beyond the 10-, 20-minute time frame
that had been perceived in the past, into many hours of death."

http://www.npr.org/templates/transcr...ryId=172495667


'With today's medicine, we can bring people back to life up to one,
maybe two hours, sometimes even longer, after their heart stopped
beating and they have thus died by circulatory failure. In the future,
we will likely get better at reversing death.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/ar...urs-death.html


"He [Sam Parnia] specializes in people who survive cardiac arrest.
Eighty to 90 percent of these patients do not have stories of bright
lights, tunnels, out-of-body experiences and luminous beings."
http://www.npr.org/2013/02/21/172495...-erasing-death

squirrels, again
 

Frank wrote:
....
Just as I walked into my family room a couple of winters ago, I heard a
snap trap go off in the adjacent utility room.

Getting trap and mouse, I decided to flush him rather than open the door
to the cold.

He splashed into the bowl and revived, desperately trying to escape, so
I flushed him.

He now resides in my septic system with a diet of stink bugs ;)

funny name for turds.


songbird

squirrels, again
 

Gus wrote:
....
I love to having a garden and it is not about saving money, but it is a
fair amount of work and patience, and so frustrating when squirrels take
what I planted and nurtured. Fresh garden tomatoes are the best
vegetable there is. But alas my skills are not on par with the lowly
squirrel. I surrender to the little mammal with better gardening street
skills.

rat traps and peanuts are a effective combination.
make sure the birds can't see them tho...


songbird

squirrels, again
 

In article ,
songbird wrote:

Gus wrote:
...
I love to having a garden and it is not about saving money, but it is a
fair amount of work and patience, and so frustrating when squirrels take
what I planted and nurtured. Fresh garden tomatoes are the best
vegetable there is. But alas my skills are not on par with the lowly
squirrel. I surrender to the little mammal with better gardening street
skills.

rat traps and peanuts are a effective combination.
make sure the birds can't see them tho...


songbird

And then I put out nuts for the squirrels, who, when I'm lucky, come
while I'm having my morning coffee and watching the birds at the feeder.
Sometimes they go down to the ground where the pampered birds have
dropped sunflower seeds. I've never lost any fruit to a squirrel. All
they do is entertain me.
--
Palestinian Child Detained
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzSzH38jYcg

Remember Rachel Corrie
http://www.rachelcorrie.org/

Welcome to the New America.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA736oK9FPg

squirrels, again
 

In article
songbird writes:
Brooklyn1 wrote:
...
True, home vegetable gardening is a hobby... the definition of a hobby
is something one does for enjoyment but costs money, once it shows a
profit it's called a business... no way a home vegetable garden saves
money.

we save between $500-$1500/yr in food costs.

I don't think I come close to breaking even at this point, but I'm
really a recycled beginner (gardening after a break of ~15 years).
So I'm still figuring out what works for me in Ohio, which isn't
the same as what once worked for me in Virginia.

so yes, there is a way...

My grandparents did pretty well with it for about 60 years. It
didn't hurt that they were brought up on it (so they expected to
work hard). Nor did it hurt that their garden was huge with a
stream diverted to water it.

I would like to think that when retirement age comes (I'm 51 now),
I will have the cash flow reversed.

--
Drew Lawson | We were taking a vote when
| the ground came up and hit us.
| -- Cylon warrior

squirrels, again
 

In article
"Gus" writes:

I love to having a garden and it is not about saving money, but it is a
fair amount of work and patience, and so frustrating when squirrels take
what I planted and nurtured. Fresh garden tomatoes are the best
vegetable there is. But alas my skills are not on par with the lowly
squirrel. I surrender to the little mammal with better gardening street
skills.

I keep reading these threads and, while greatful, I am puzzled as
to why squirrels don't give me any noticable problems. We have a
large number of gray squirrels, but as far as I can tell, all they
do in my yard is plant walnuts and spill birdseed.

(They may be who takes the fruit off the volunteer tomatoes, but I
only let those grow out of curiosity. I don't expect anything good
tasting.)

I suppose they just have to wait in line until the deer finish eating.
[grumble]

--
Drew Lawson | "Look! A big distracting thing!"
| -- Crow T. Robot.
|

squirrels, again
 

Billy wrote:
....
And then I put out nuts for the squirrels, who, when I'm lucky, come
while I'm having my morning coffee and watching the birds at the feeder.
Sometimes they go down to the ground where the pampered birds have
dropped sunflower seeds. I've never lost any fruit to a squirrel. All
they do is entertain me.

this past spring i thought we were going to
have more trouble with squirrels because there
were five of them playing in the tree line to
the NE. i've only seen one wander through this
summer and they don't stay long. it's more
open than they like (hawks/eagles).

what we lack in squirrels we make up for in
ground squirrels/chipmunks.


songbird

squirrels, again
 

David Hare-Scott wrote:
....
This is one of Brooklyn's little bugbears. Because he can't save money from
his veges therefore nobody else can either. In reality the outcome is most
variable. Some people pour money into it and get very little return and
some people spend little and get much. It's a matter of skill and
situation.

i've really enjoyed some recent reading in
natural farming where the author suggests getting
a wide variety of seeds and broadcasting them in
an area to "ask nature" the question of what it
can do with minimal intervention.

the challenge is to find seeds cheaply enough.
i can often pick up leftovers off the seed racks
for a few pennies.

another challenge is to protect the seeds from
birds and animals so they can have a chance if the
area is arid. he recommends coating them in clay
and various substances to discourage the critters.
not bad ideas if you have the substances or can
get them for cheap. if not, just coating with
clay alone can help enough.


songbird

squirrels, again
 

"Drew Lawson" wrote in message
...
In article
"Gus" writes:

I love to having a garden and it is not about saving money, but it is
a
fair amount of work and patience, and so frustrating when squirrels
take
what I planted and nurtured. Fresh garden tomatoes are the best
vegetable there is. But alas my skills are not on par with the lowly
squirrel. I surrender to the little mammal with better gardening
street
skills.

I keep reading these threads and, while greatful, I am puzzled as
to why squirrels don't give me any noticable problems. We have a
large number of gray squirrels, but as far as I can tell, all they
do in my yard is plant walnuts and spill birdseed.

My dad never had problems with squirrels; he lived in Erie, PA. He
raised tomatoes every year for decades and had plenty of them. He had
some rabbit issues, but he put a fence and they stayed out... Oddly, I
never have any rabbit issues-- even had lettuce last couple years and
they never ate any of it. There are rabbits around here but not as
prevalent as squirrels.

squirrels, again
 

On 7/30/2013 8:06 PM, songbird wrote:
Frank wrote:
...
Just as I walked into my family room a couple of winters ago, I heard a
snap trap go off in the adjacent utility room.

Getting trap and mouse, I decided to flush him rather than open the door
to the cold.

He splashed into the bowl and revived, desperately trying to escape, so
I flushed him.

He now resides in my septic system with a diet of stink bugs ;)

funny name for turds.


songbird


Haven't the stink bugs made it to your area yet?
If not, you're in for a real treat.

squirrels, again
 

On 7/30/2013 6:53 PM, Gus wrote:
"Frank" wrote in message
...
Just as I walked into my family room a couple of winters ago, I heard
a snap trap go off in the adjacent utility room.

Getting trap and mouse, I decided to flush him rather than open the
door to the cold.

He splashed into the bowl and revived, desperately trying to escape,
so I flushed him.

He now resides in my septic system with a diet of stink bugs ;)


I wonder how long a mouse can survive? I had one in a trap in a brown
paper bag once in the morning and assumed it was dead, but was running
late for work and so decided to deal with it after work... When I got
home, the trap was empty.

I prefer snap traps. I caught one in a holding trap that I had not checked
for a while and just got a stinking carcass. Poison inside the house
can also lead to stink. Glue traps are torture. I've seen them gnaw
off a leg to try to escape. As I discovered, the snap traps may not
just break their neck but suffocate them. Still preferred to suffering
in other traps.

I believe life span of mice and rats is about 3 years and most that
don't suffer predation, expire of cancer. Mice are used to test
chemical toxicity as they do not have a throw-up mechanism. The
chemicals are injected down their throats with a blunt syringe.