< Wild Asparagus | Main | Redefining local (again and again) >

Master Gardener 3, Vermin 6

Posted at 8:40 PM on June 4, 2008 by Donna McClurkan (2 Comments)

Last week, most of the magnificent Black Prince tomato plants from Lori's seed starting workshop were attacked...presumably by a squirrel (he came back to the pots to collect the evidence). Three retained their leaves, but were slumped over with their stems scratched. Six were nubs varying in height from 1-2 inches.

An urgent post to our Yahoo Group resulted in some great advice: the slumped over plants can be repotted to a depth above the bend - they should be fine as long as they are watered, since it will be harder for them to move water past the bend until new roots start to form. The nubs are probably done-for, though one is making a noble attempt at sprouting new leaves...we'll see.

Of course, we also need to take some defensive measures. After ruling out extreme revenge (explosives, flame throwers, etc.), we settled on sturdy chicken wire enclosures for each container. So far, so good.

This must be the "school of hard knocks" part of Master Gardener training.

Anyone out there have a garden critter story to share?

Comments (2)

Dear Mistress gardener in distress,

I sometimes feel as though squirrels are our most sucessful crop or after live trapping 18 and placing them in the squirrel relocation program that catching those cute little bushy tailed tree rats is like dipping a cup of water from the lake.
Ultimately the level doesn't seem apreciably changed. And what a surprize to me several years ago to discover that our resident or is rodent buddies had developed a taste for pumpkins at halloween. There is a certain amuzment value to watching a squirrel sort of teter tottering on it's front legs as it tries to carry off one of those small pumpkins. A further shock came last summer when one or two developed a taste for almost ripe tomatoes. These may have been gourmet squirrels though as relocating one or two bad actors seemed to stop the problem. We may as always be missing the opertunity that hides in most things that distress us at first. I'm considering possibilities like recycling some of that protien on the paw or teams of trained squirrel laborers to help power new types of hybrid vehicles. Perhaps this is something GM is finally ready to embrace. And dont get me started talking about minks and racoons and their taste for chickens. Slugs and bugs and birds that pluck small tomatoe plants from the soil oh my.

Posted by mike lawrence | June 5, 2008 9:28 PM

Hi Mike - what popped into my head after reading your critter stories is "wouldn't this be a better world if we all turned off the TV and let the squirrels, minks, racoons, chickens, etc. entertain us instead?" OK. Back to reality. Love the squirrel/pumpkin story - I can see it in my mind's eye. Keep 'em coming. :)
Donna

Posted by Donna | June 7, 2008 2:09 PM