Last year I lost several new plants (maybe 7 to 9), tomatoes, peppers, etc,
all plants I had started from seed........ gone over night and part of the
next day. I was ****ED!! My neighbor has about 5 cats that of course run
free. Well one or more of them make a nightly pass through my garden and
this also happens to be the side where my plants continue to be destroyed.
The plants were beheaded about an inch above the ground, most of the leaves
and stems were left laying on the ground. Something chews on the stems a
bit then leaves it lay.

Well last year I bought a trap and caught me a the ugliest cat, a cat from
hell. I never had any plants disappear again after that. I had to buy more
plants from a nursery to replace the plants lost, but I was glad it ended.

Well, here we are a year later and it's starting all over again!! Lost 4
tomatoes and 3 pepper plants, even some of my potatoes plants are getting
ripped. I really wanted to see how these particular tomatoes plants would
do this year. I planted 6 of every thing, but the last few potted tomatoes
got mixed up, so I'm not sure what is what (I planted 4 different types of
tomatoes from seed).

Well, no cat tracks this year.......but one has shit and dug in my new grass
patch twice now, about 10 feet from the garden. I'm thinking it's another
cat ......got to be.....what else would chew a plant off and leave most of
it?? It's not a rabbit!! I looked at the bite marks and I think I know
what it is but I need to see it. I hung the remaining parts of my tomato
plants on the cages just to see if something takes them but nothing does.

OK, so today......I hide by the window for about an hour......just when I'm
about to give up...a black bird lands with a mouth full of greens, and it
starts biting at one of my good plants. DAMN, there are the remains of 3
plants handing there....and it wants to chop down another plant just to take
one leaf?? I bang on the wall and it fly's off. My garden is full of grass
clippings but that's not good enough for this black bird. (It's an ugly
black bird, not shinny like the larger ones I'm use to seeing, maybe this is
a female back bird??)

So I quickly build a make shift scare crow with a tall garden stake, a hat,
and a shirt on a hanger. Then I dust the plants (again) with bug powder and
try to think of other things to do.

I went and BOUGHT replacement plants today and planted them, (of course I
can't find the variety that I grew from seed). I have some 2x4 fence wire
that I ran around some of the plants that were previous attacked. The birds
can still get at the plants but maybe they'll be intimidated by it.

I borrowed a pellet gun today, shot 3 black birds. I must admit I don't
like killing harmless animals for no use but I'm hoping they are smarter
than they look and realize that my garden is not a nest building
smorgasbord.

Any suggestions to rid my garden of black birds? (Oh don't say a cat.) I
don't want to continue to dust my plants until they are 2 foot tall. I
thought about tying fishing string around and in between the cages (down in
TX by the water they do this to keep the seagulls from flying in but it's
higher in the air).

Cheers,
Jim =====Not a killer.......just trying to protect my
young......(plants) :-)

A cat isnt going to eat your garden, killing birds sucks, try a
sportshorn.







On Mon, 26 May 2003 06:02:16 GMT, "Play4aBuck"
wrote:

Last year I lost several new plants (maybe 7 to 9), tomatoes, peppers, etc,
all plants I had started from seed........ gone over night and part of the
next day. I was ****ED!! My neighbor has about 5 cats that of course run
free. Well one or more of them make a nightly pass through my garden and
this also happens to be the side where my plants continue to be destroyed.
The plants were beheaded about an inch above the ground, most of the leaves
and stems were left laying on the ground. Something chews on the stems a
bit then leaves it lay.

Well last year I bought a trap and caught me a the ugliest cat, a cat from
hell. I never had any plants disappear again after that. I had to buy more
plants from a nursery to replace the plants lost, but I was glad it ended.

Well, here we are a year later and it's starting all over again!! Lost 4
tomatoes and 3 pepper plants, even some of my potatoes plants are getting
ripped. I really wanted to see how these particular tomatoes plants would
do this year. I planted 6 of every thing, but the last few potted tomatoes
got mixed up, so I'm not sure what is what (I planted 4 different types of
tomatoes from seed).

Well, no cat tracks this year.......but one has shit and dug in my new grass
patch twice now, about 10 feet from the garden. I'm thinking it's another
cat ......got to be.....what else would chew a plant off and leave most of
it?? It's not a rabbit!! I looked at the bite marks and I think I know
what it is but I need to see it. I hung the remaining parts of my tomato
plants on the cages just to see if something takes them but nothing does.

OK, so today......I hide by the window for about an hour......just when I'm
about to give up...a black bird lands with a mouth full of greens, and it
starts biting at one of my good plants. DAMN, there are the remains of 3
plants handing there....and it wants to chop down another plant just to take
one leaf?? I bang on the wall and it fly's off. My garden is full of grass
clippings but that's not good enough for this black bird. (It's an ugly
black bird, not shinny like the larger ones I'm use to seeing, maybe this is
a female back bird??)

So I quickly build a make shift scare crow with a tall garden stake, a hat,
and a shirt on a hanger. Then I dust the plants (again) with bug powder and
try to think of other things to do.

I went and BOUGHT replacement plants today and planted them, (of course I
can't find the variety that I grew from seed). I have some 2x4 fence wire
that I ran around some of the plants that were previous attacked. The birds
can still get at the plants but maybe they'll be intimidated by it.

I borrowed a pellet gun today, shot 3 black birds. I must admit I don't
like killing harmless animals for no use but I'm hoping they are smarter
than they look and realize that my garden is not a nest building
smorgasbord.

Any suggestions to rid my garden of black birds? (Oh don't say a cat.) I
don't want to continue to dust my plants until they are 2 foot tall. I
thought about tying fishing string around and in between the cages (down in
TX by the water they do this to keep the seagulls from flying in but it's
higher in the air).

Cheers,
Jim =====Not a killer.......just trying to protect my
young......(plants) :-)

You've got a problem with cats and it has nothing to do with the problems
with your plants.

Since there are no cat tracks, you can't blame it on them.

Beheading is more a bird or insect problem but you already know that.

So stop blaming your woes on your neighbor's cats and get a life, you
deranged animal killer!

Get a scarecrow and/or a noise maker.


Play4aBuck wrote in message
...
Last year I lost several new plants (maybe 7 to 9), tomatoes, peppers,
etc,
all plants I had started from seed........ gone over night and part of the
next day. I was ****ED!! My neighbor has about 5 cats that of course run
free. Well one or more of them make a nightly pass through my garden and
this also happens to be the side where my plants continue to be destroyed.
The plants were beheaded about an inch above the ground, most of the
leaves
and stems were left laying on the ground. Something chews on the stems a
bit then leaves it lay.

Well last year I bought a trap and caught me a the ugliest cat, a cat from
hell. I never had any plants disappear again after that. I had to buy
more
plants from a nursery to replace the plants lost, but I was glad it ended.

Well, here we are a year later and it's starting all over again!! Lost 4
tomatoes and 3 pepper plants, even some of my potatoes plants are getting
ripped. I really wanted to see how these particular tomatoes plants would
do this year. I planted 6 of every thing, but the last few potted
tomatoes
got mixed up, so I'm not sure what is what (I planted 4 different types of
tomatoes from seed).

Well, no cat tracks this year.......but one has shit and dug in my new
grass
patch twice now, about 10 feet from the garden. I'm thinking it's another
cat ......got to be.....what else would chew a plant off and leave most of
it?? It's not a rabbit!! I looked at the bite marks and I think I know
what it is but I need to see it. I hung the remaining parts of my tomato
plants on the cages just to see if something takes them but nothing does.

OK, so today......I hide by the window for about an hour......just when
I'm
about to give up...a black bird lands with a mouth full of greens, and it
starts biting at one of my good plants. DAMN, there are the remains of 3
plants handing there....and it wants to chop down another plant just to
take
one leaf?? I bang on the wall and it fly's off. My garden is full of
grass
clippings but that's not good enough for this black bird. (It's an ugly
black bird, not shinny like the larger ones I'm use to seeing, maybe this
is
a female back bird??)

So I quickly build a make shift scare crow with a tall garden stake, a
hat,
and a shirt on a hanger. Then I dust the plants (again) with bug powder
and
try to think of other things to do.

I went and BOUGHT replacement plants today and planted them, (of course I
can't find the variety that I grew from seed). I have some 2x4 fence wire
that I ran around some of the plants that were previous attacked. The
birds
can still get at the plants but maybe they'll be intimidated by it.

I borrowed a pellet gun today, shot 3 black birds. I must admit I don't
like killing harmless animals for no use but I'm hoping they are smarter
than they look and realize that my garden is not a nest building
smorgasbord.

Any suggestions to rid my garden of black birds? (Oh don't say a cat.) I
don't want to continue to dust my plants until they are 2 foot tall. I
thought about tying fishing string around and in between the cages (down
in
TX by the water they do this to keep the seagulls from flying in but it's
higher in the air).

Cheers,
Jim =====Not a killer.......just trying to protect my
young......(plants) :-)

Have you protected thed plant with collars to eliminate the common
cutworm as the source...since they timber down plants exactly as
described.

And if birds are an issue buy birdnetting and erect a frame/tent over
the garden. Will keep out birds and deter small animals.

www.gardeners.com sell it, as im' sure other places. I covered all my
freshly seeded dirt to prevent birds from eating the seeds. I don't
think I lost anything to birds yet, and we've got at least 5 birds
nest just on the house property. There are 5-10 small birds out back
at all times.
DiGiTAL_ViNYL (no email)

jammer wrote in message ...

A cat isnt going to eat your garden, killing birds sucks, try a
sportshorn.


I don't blame the cats anymore for eating my garden, but I don't like the
cat **** smell or that they shit all over my yard. And I don't like killing
birds either. I'm sure there are more birds out there then I have pellets.

OK, what is a sportshorn? Where can it be purchased? Is it motion
activated?

Thanks,
Jim

Cereoid-UR12yo wrote in message ...
You've got a problem with cats and it has nothing to do with the problems
with your plants.

Yes, your right I hate cats, they are just domesticated rats that loose more
hair and have a longer tail. In China they eat them, that is what started
the SAR's virus!!


Since there are no cat tracks, you can't blame it on them.

I don't any more, but I still don't like piles of cat shit and the ****y
smell in my yard. When I had dogs I didn't let them dirty in my neighbors
yard. Cats have no place in the home, except outside on a farm to catch
mice.


Beheading is more a bird or insect problem but you already know that.

So stop blaming your woes on your neighbor's cats and get a life, you
deranged animal killer!

LOL!

Get a scarecrow and/or a noise maker.

I've put both out now, and dusted the plants with bug killer (except for the
3 varieties of cucumbers that were planted today.

Thanks,
Jim

DigitalVinyl wrote in message
...
Have you protected thed plant with collars to eliminate the common
cutworm as the source...since they timber down plants exactly as
described.

It's the birds, I caught them in the act.


And if birds are an issue buy birdnetting and erect a frame/tent over
the garden. Will keep out birds and deter small animals.

Yes, but I have a good size garden, too big too cover all (I think), BUT I
will get some next year and just protect each individual plant. I usually
put tomatoe cages around most every plant when they are small. I do this so
I don't step on them or damage then with the hose during watering. I later
remove the cages for those plants that are not tomotoes. I will see what
the cost is.....if I can purchase a big piece cheap enough to cover the
whole garden then I would do that, other wise I will just do each plant
individually.


www.gardeners.com sell it, as im' sure other places. I covered all my
freshly seeded dirt to prevent birds from eating the seeds. I don't
think I lost anything to birds yet, and we've got at least 5 birds
nest just on the house property. There are 5-10 small birds out back
at all times.

I tried growing strawberrys for several years, every year that I had a good
crop going the birds would pick and half eat the fruit....I gave up. I
planted strawberrys for my parents (at their house) and I bought rabit wire
and made these great looking cages to protect the fruit. Well one day 5-6
black birds found a way under the cage but could not get out. My dad was
****ed beat the birds over the head with a 10lb fence post driver!! The
plants and the birds were a total loss.

Thank you for your post!
Jim

Seems you have a phobia about little pussies.

You are mistaken. Cats are carnivores not rodents. See for yourself and
count the teeth. Rodents don't have retractable claws either.

In China, they eat a whole lot of bizarre things: dogs, rats, grasshoppers,
ants and worms too.

I thought you'd like the line about "deranged animal killer".


Play4aBuck wrote in message
...

Cereoid-UR12yo wrote in message ...
You've got a problem with cats and it has nothing to do with the problems
with your plants.

Yes, your right I hate cats, they are just domesticated rats that loose
more
hair and have a longer tail. In China they eat them, that is what started
the SAR's virus!!


Since there are no cat tracks, you can't blame it on them.

I don't any more, but I still don't like piles of cat shit and the ****y
smell in my yard. When I had dogs I didn't let them dirty in my neighbors
yard. Cats have no place in the home, except outside on a farm to catch
mice.


Beheading is more a bird or insect problem but you already know that.

So stop blaming your woes on your neighbor's cats and get a life, you
deranged animal killer!

LOL!

Get a scarecrow and/or a noise maker.

I've put both out now, and dusted the plants with bug killer (except for
the
3 varieties of cucumbers that were planted today.

Thanks,
Jim

Sounds like bird-killing runs in the family. Not good.

"Play4aBuck" wrote in message ...
DigitalVinyl wrote in message
...
Have you protected thed plant with collars to eliminate the common
cutworm as the source...since they timber down plants exactly as
described.

It's the birds, I caught them in the act.


And if birds are an issue buy birdnetting and erect a frame/tent over
the garden. Will keep out birds and deter small animals.

Yes, but I have a good size garden, too big too cover all (I think), BUT I
will get some next year and just protect each individual plant. I usually
put tomatoe cages around most every plant when they are small. I do this so
I don't step on them or damage then with the hose during watering. I later
remove the cages for those plants that are not tomotoes. I will see what
the cost is.....if I can purchase a big piece cheap enough to cover the
whole garden then I would do that, other wise I will just do each plant
individually.


www.gardeners.com sell it, as im' sure other places. I covered all my
freshly seeded dirt to prevent birds from eating the seeds. I don't
think I lost anything to birds yet, and we've got at least 5 birds
nest just on the house property. There are 5-10 small birds out back
at all times.

I tried growing strawberrys for several years, every year that I had a good
crop going the birds would pick and half eat the fruit....I gave up. I
planted strawberrys for my parents (at their house) and I bought rabit wire
and made these great looking cages to protect the fruit. Well one day 5-6
black birds found a way under the cage but could not get out. My dad was
****ed beat the birds over the head with a 10lb fence post driver!! The
plants and the birds were a total loss.

Thank you for your post!
Jim

"Play4aBuck" wrote:


DigitalVinyl wrote in message
...
Have you protected thed plant with collars to eliminate the common
cutworm as the source...since they timber down plants exactly as
described.

It's the birds, I caught them in the act.


And if birds are an issue buy birdnetting and erect a frame/tent over
the garden. Will keep out birds and deter small animals.

Yes, but I have a good size garden, too big too cover all (I think), BUT I
will get some next year and just protect each individual plant. I usually
put tomatoe cages around most every plant when they are small. I do this so
I don't step on them or damage then with the hose during watering. I later
remove the cages for those plants that are not tomotoes. I will see what
the cost is.....if I can purchase a big piece cheap enough to cover the
whole garden then I would do that, other wise I will just do each plant
individually.

Henry Field's has some decently large ones, and the netting is thin
nylon, not thick plastic like others. I used this. the biggest is
26x30 or 14x75 at $35-$40 online.

http://henryfields.com/item_disp.asp?pn=09611

However, as you've found out. Having birds get inside netting and be
trapped is worse. I had one 2" flower seedling vanish, cut off at the
base. Likely a bird since I never see the squirrels on the ground out
back. So far they haven't done damage. But I know I will have to
protect stuff later. Hence having bird netting on hand.


I wonder if I place stuff out back for them to eat, will that deter
them from going after the garden or just be a neon sign for birds that
a new all-you-can buffet is in town.

DiGiTAL_ViNYL (no email)

DigitalVinyl wrote in message ...

Henry Field's has some decently large ones, and the netting is thin
nylon, not thick plastic like others. I used this. the biggest is
26x30 or 14x75 at $35-$40 online.


Thanks I will look into this before next years planting. Hopefully my
problems for this year have stopped since my shootout. I have not had any
more damage, but I have been able to keep bug dust on the plants since it
has not rained. Rain is in the forecast for tonight. :-( If I have any
more plants damaged I'm going to mount my $180 wide mount hunting scope on
my Dad's $20 pellet gun and be Rambo for a couple of days.

I wonder if I place stuff out back for them to eat, will that deter
them from going after the garden or just be a neon sign for birds that
a new all-you-can buffet is in town.

I think that will only attract more birds to do more damage. I don't think
they are eating the plants but using them for nest building. I've also
considered buying some cheap plastic flowers at garage sales and placing
them in the ground near my veggies.

Cheers,
Jim