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Garden Gate:  Now its groundhogs!  |
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embchicken
True Blue Farmgirl
1487 Posts
Elaine
Ocean
NJ
USA
1487 Posts |
 Posted - Jun 16 2011 : 5:41:54 PM
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Bad enough I was battling with the squirrels earlier this month - this evening around 6 I was chasing a groundhog out of my garden. I felt like crying - he had eaten a lot of my peas.
I have put epsom salts around the garden and tomorrow I am going to Lowes to get fox urine spray (ugh).
~ Elaine
Farmgirl sister #2822
"Find yourself a cup of tea; the teapot is behind you. Now tell me about hundreds of things." ~Saki
http://embchicken.blogspot.com
http://gusandtrudy.blogspot.com |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Jun 16 2011 : 7:16:13 PM
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I hate them. We had alot when we first moved here. I had to trap them. And my dog hated them too. He got a few. I planted cantaloupes and they ate nearly all of them. I was not happy. But I have not seen any since. Bubba is probably keeping them away now. I hope so. They are the ugliest creature besides the possum. I hope you can find a way to keep those nasty things away.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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oldbittyhen
True Blue Farmgirl
1511 Posts
tina
quartz hill
ca
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - Jun 16 2011 : 7:24:46 PM
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Oh, Kris, they are so ugly, that they are cute, lol...I'm with you on rodents, they do play hell on gardens, Elaine, urine spray does help alot, and so does a couple of cats, big tom cats...good luck...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
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forgetmenot
True Blue Farmgirl
3602 Posts
Judith
Nora Springs
IA
USA
3602 Posts |
Posted - Jun 16 2011 : 9:36:46 PM
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I feel your pain, Elaine. A few years ago we moved in an old chicken house to use as a garden shed. Finally, DH took it down, and the ground underneath was perfect for a garden. (All the grass and weeds had been killed out by the darkness under the shed. So, I planted a beautiful herb/flower garden. My first. One day, Exactly in the middle of the garden I found a perfect hole. Very deep and just dead center. Didn't know what it was, but filled it full of rocks, and covered it over with dirt. No animal was taking over my garden. Next day the rocks were all dug out of the hole. I went shopping and filled the hole with mothballs and rocks. Next day, the rocks were out again, and something had burrowed from that hole to directly under our front steps (wooden). On the way the critter decided to burrow along out foundation because it was so nice and soft and take out the wiring to our well, so we had to get the well fixed, and new wiring. Turned out it was a groundhog. Guess I took out his front door, so he took out mine. Now I can laugh. But, not too loud.
"Courage is not the absence of fear, but the belief that something is more important than fear." Ambrose Red Moon |
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Bellepepper
True Blue Farmgirl
1207 Posts
Belle
Coffeyville
KS
USA
1207 Posts |
Posted - Jun 17 2011 : 08:32:12 AM
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I just finished an ordeal with a coon in my herb garden. I had set the live trap and the first night I caught a cat. Then I baited it with bananas. The coon tripped the trap and ate the bananas. Next night I wired a fresh ear of corn to the trap and he tripped the trap, carried the trap all over the garden, dug holes and made a general mess. The next night I set the trap with more corn and wired the trap to a gate, near but not in the garden. I use old bed sheets in the garden for shade and protection from cats and so on. Anyway I took one of the sheets (queen size) and laid it over the back of the trap so maybe he wouldn't reach through the wire and eat the bait. Wanted him to go IN the trap. Next morning not only had I trapped the coon but he had pulled the entire queen size sheet into the trap with him. The little squares on the live trap are probably 1/2 inch square. He had the sheet torn to bits but got the whole thing in there. #1 son came out and shot him and carried him off down in the woods. Son said the coon weighed at least 35 pounds. No wonder, he had been eating pretty good.
This is where I usually get on my soap box and rant and rave about animal rights people. They have no idea what crule things we have to do to keep varmits out of our gardens and food. So I won't say anything about blowing the brains out of that cute little face.
Belle |
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embchicken
True Blue Farmgirl
1487 Posts
Elaine
Ocean
NJ
USA
1487 Posts |
Posted - Jun 17 2011 : 7:05:21 PM
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groundhog stew will be served shortly. Not only has the little bugger eaten my peas but he munched on my green beans and kidney beans as well. I bought the fox urine spray and sprayed it all around (whew that stuff stinks). I'll keep you all updated on my continuing battle.
~ Elaine
Farmgirl sister #2822
"Find yourself a cup of tea; the teapot is behind you. Now tell me about hundreds of things." ~Saki
http://embchicken.blogspot.com
http://gusandtrudy.blogspot.com |
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Candy C.
True Blue Farmgirl
823 Posts
Candy
Mescal
AZ
USA
823 Posts |
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oldbittyhen
True Blue Farmgirl
1511 Posts
tina
quartz hill
ca
USA
1511 Posts |
Posted - Jun 17 2011 : 7:34:53 PM
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it may be time for the old fashioned way, a 22 rifle and a steady hand...
"Knowlege is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad" |
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Fiddlehead Farm
True Blue Farmgirl
4562 Posts
Diane
Waupaca
WI
USA
4562 Posts |
Posted - Jun 18 2011 : 06:09:21 AM
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I am with Tina, a Ruger with some varmint loads in it! The varmint loads are quiet, just in case you live in town!
http://studiodiphotosite.shutterfly.com/
farmgirl sister #922
I ask not for a larger garden, but for finer seeds.
I get up every morning determined to both change the world and have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning my day difficult.
- E. B. White |
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embchicken
True Blue Farmgirl
1487 Posts
Elaine
Ocean
NJ
USA
1487 Posts |
Posted - Jun 18 2011 : 6:55:27 PM
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The fox urine seems to be doing the job but it is nasty smelling. I also shredded Irish Spring soap around the roots. I would love to shoot the critter but gunshots in NJ - not such a good idea! LOL
~ Elaine
Farmgirl sister #2822
"Find yourself a cup of tea; the teapot is behind you. Now tell me about hundreds of things." ~Saki
http://embchicken.blogspot.com
http://gusandtrudy.blogspot.com |
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embchicken
True Blue Farmgirl
1487 Posts
Elaine
Ocean
NJ
USA
1487 Posts |
Posted - Jun 19 2011 : 5:48:30 PM
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I am now becoming fixated on this groundhog. I feel like Bill Murray in the movie "Caddyshack"!
~ Elaine
Farmgirl sister #2822
"Find yourself a cup of tea; the teapot is behind you. Now tell me about hundreds of things." ~Saki
http://embchicken.blogspot.com
http://gusandtrudy.blogspot.com |
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Garden Gate: Now its groundhogs! |
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Now its groundhogs!
