Lots to do and enjoy in our yards and gardens as the days grow shorter and the temps cool down!
Just a reminder to 'warm up' those muscles before tackling some of those major clean up efforts!
And find and wear those gloves!
We came from here:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1331578/
thanks! hooray for fall and trees!
Yes, lots to do, and some beautiful weather for working outside!
NIce opening picture, Judy!
The burn ban in Loudoun county was lifted on Oct 1. I have a huge pile that has been accumulating all summer - time for the first bonfire of the season, probably Friday night. Nothing nicer than a bonfire on a cool fall evening!
Terri, don't forget your Giant Marshmallows!! < =D
And chocolate, and graham crackers LOL - s'mores anyone?
Yes please!! I'll be right over, and I'll bring the chocolate bars!! < =D
Wow, a bonfire sounds lovely!
All of my annuals and tender perennials are still looking good, except the caladiums. They're looking pretty droopy. Time to redo the containers?
SS--
My caladiums are also starting to look yukky..
Would this time be a good time to dig them up--OR--do they have to
be nipped bu frost first? Anyone????
Seems I read somewhere that frost has to first nip the foliage.
I ask--as I have not really grown caladiums before...
Gita
Gita, I just stop watering my caladiums and bring them in either when they go dormant or when frost threatens... just don't leave them out once it gets cold enough to freeze the tubers.
Bonfire! neat. we're getting company in around 8 Friday, so timing isn't right for us, or we'd all be there -- with giant marshmallows!
On the prior thread I complained about raccoons digging out my newly planted azaelas. They continue to do it -- now they have taken to literally throwing the azaleas so that they are many feet from the holes. I most recently replanted them with compost, thinking it wouldn't smell new since I've had a compost pile in the yard for ages.
I had planned to try to use milorganite as a deterrent. I'm glad I didn't -- look what someone posted on-line:
"One word of warning: some animals love the smell of Milorganite. I think it's a raccoon that's been digging up my potted plants the last several nights in a row. My guess was it smelled the Milorganite, so I put out a small pile of it on my driveway. Next morning it was gone, so I assume it was eaten. I was hoping that would teach the critter that what it smells is not something good to eat, but I guess the stuff is tasty because he dug again the next night.
"I haven't had any holes dug where I've used this on in-ground bamboo, except one that was planted in very loose soil and was right next to a large potted division -- so the digging frenzy in that pot may have carried over. I did have a couple of other freshly-planted plants dug up (not bamboos) where I used Milorganite in the holes."
That reminded me that my dogs love Milorganite. I have heard it can deter chipmunks -- I may do a test. But I'm not going to put it down over the azaleas. I don't want to do anything elaborate (like special fencing) so I'm still looking for easy ideas.
Happy, that's awful! Throwing them, too -- how RUDE!
How about putting something around them that would be uncomfortable or unpleasant on little raccoon paws... sharp gravel? used kitty litter? I wonder if they'd be deterred by netting (like the kind people use as deer fencing) laid on the ground... worked for keeping something away that was digging around one of my dad's trees, but a raccoon might just take it as a fun challenge.
Oh my GOODNESS, sounds like they were having a raucous party!! =( Jill's got some great ideas, something that feels unpleasant to their little paws. Got any Espoma Soil Perfector? (aka: Permatill) I'm wondering also how they like the smell/taste of cayenne..?? Maybe if some were sprinkled around on the ground around each shrub it might help? Garsh, this is terrible!!
The scent of ammonia might also be a good deterrent... read that somewhere when my folks had a nightly skunk visitor... Mom put out a little dish of ammonia, and he never came back. As curious as racoons are, though, I'd put it in a container with a tight lid (old paint can?) and a few holes poked in the top. I wouldn't want them actually getting into the ammonia... Same concern with ground cayenne, actually, not good if they get it on paws and then into eyes.
Cayenne and ammonia -- those are good ideas. I would think a sprinkle of cayenne wouldn't cause a severe problem. I may try with just one or two and see what happens (we had planted two rows of azaleas). I'm going to Costco for other reasons - maybe I can get cayenne in bulk....
I totally agree, I wouldn't want any critter to get into ammonia, it could be seriously harmful... but cayenne...?? That wouldn't be anything more than a big ol' irritant I'd think, which in this case is what we want -- nothing harmful, just pesky enough to keep them from wanting to come back. I think of it as a swat on a child's bottom: Not going to damage anything, but a good attention getter. =)
Speedie---
Do you remember the little Popsicle Makers set Tupperware used to sell?
Those were also used by some people to keep dogs from peeing in their beds.
You filled them with Ammonia. put the little lids on--and buried them in the bed,
leaving just the lid part exposed.
The lid has a little slit through which the stick was inserted.
This was enough to bother the critters and they don't come around.
You can find. or make, your own little containers--make some holes in the lid--
and dig them in around your plants. Old spice shakers??
Maybe you can even find some kind of ice pops makers in a $$ store...
Gita
That's what I used to think about cayenne too, speedie, but folks on the birding forum pointed out to me once that if a squirrel or other critter got some in their eye, they'd rub/scratch hard enough with their paws/claws to do serious damage. I don't know if that's true or just one of those internet "facts." ?
Maybe using liquid Cayenne/Hot Sauce (diluted a bit) may be safer then????
put the ammonia in any kind of repurposed plastic container you would have recycled.
I have (belatedly) read that raccoons like Holly-Tone and other organic fertilizers.... which of course we used....
Jill, if you read it on the internet, it has to be true - we're all dating/married to French models right LOL. Anyway, for Happy's racoons, I agree how RUDE... Those pesky critters. I don't have any suggestions to add though to help stop them.
I probably have moles or voles again because when Richard brings his dog Zeke up, he goes nuts sniffing, digging, and barking at the ground in some of my flower beds. I've seen several plants go flying through the air as he is going after whatever it is that he is after. I'd much rather acquire plants and weed than actually do the work needed to plant them, so doing it twice is not what I call fun. I can't imagine the fun it must be having to re-plant the same things over and over again.
This message was edited Oct 11, 2013 6:28 AM
Gita, I waited too long to dig up the caladiums last year, and that may be one of the reasons they didn't survive. I'm not saving them this year, though.
Happy, that sounds awful. :( What's your new plan? Raccoons are so darn smart that you'd need a pretty solid physical barrier, right? Or a nasty irritant? Have you thought about trapping?
Hm I was going to save my caladiums but...and now they're totally soaked...
This time of year mama coons are teaching their brood to forage on their own before she shews them off to establish territories of their own. This includes lots of digging for grubs, worms, and other insects/critters that live underground as a source of food. Newly dug soil with or without yummy amendments is ideal practice! (Especially when most of our yards are drought dry and hard.) This rain should help the situation. Adult coons are generally more selective in their digging; it's the young ones that dig with abandon.
I'm sure you have already eliminated any food sources in your yard...pet food, bird seed, garbage. source of water, etc. How is the grub situation in your lawn areas? I've also seen evidence of them going for cat and dog poop for larvae and dung beetles. etc (They seem attracted by whatever might indicate insects/dinner.
I've seen the motion detection water spray devices be effective especially when relocated regularly so they don't just go around. Key is disrupting their habits. If you are able to exclude deer from your back yard, how are the raccoons getting around that and in? Do they pass through your yard to get to desireable food source in a neighbors yard?
At least all of the holes are dug and amended. Now, how to save the plants?? Might need to re pot them or heel them in in a small area that can be defended with fencing and ammoniia soaked rags or wicking system til the digging frenzy subsides. Someone also suggested putting bricks or heavy rocks around plants to deter digging them out again. I'm wondering if one of those metal stakes with the flange to keep it in the ground would do to keep each bush where you have planted it? Some thing that goes below shallow rooted azaleas and can't be pulled out by raccoons, or those wooden surveyors stakes?
If you post your concerns over on our 'Critter' thread
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1318583/
maybe DreamofSpring will see it and respond. She seems to know lots about raccoon behavior!
Coleup - just wanted to say that I skimmed your post and really appreciate the suggestions, but can't respond now because I'm desperately busy. But will later. Spouse is in charge of the azalea recovery this weekend. The azaleas are in a very shady area, far from the lawn -- we didn't see any sight of grubs.
I set out a few buckets earlier this week to capture some of the rain -- homemade rain barrels to use next week just in case we had an extended dry period again. I did not enjoy dragging that hose around all last month. I think I'm all set for water for awhile! LOL
Yesterday, DH told me he took care of the drainage problem in the back. I assumed he'd pushed aside some of the mulch and leaves that had piled up at the bottom of the hill, but he actually built up a small berm and blocked water from draining into the water garden. Oops! Time to explain to him again what a rain garden is.
Photo for Coleup... This is the Huge Hosta that Bluespiral bred, in her back yard. Hope the Phlox gives an idea of its size.
Since we really won't have "fall" for at least a month, I just had some fun ordering bulbs and some vines I'll get in the ground as soon as I get them, my garden beds, that were planted in July is doing great, grew and thrived and I think I only lost a few plants :) so today's order was "fillers" and I want to cover an unsightly box next to the driveway and the mailbox with "on sale" Clems from Bluestone - my lawn dude is building us 3 large planters boxes that I'll use for veggies & 3 narrow ones for berry bushes!! With Sascha I don't want to give her an opportunity to dig in veggie beds, so the boxes will be perfect - I have some Peonies to plant that just came in the mail and I'll get those planted next week, I feel good enough now to do a little digging and weeding & it's somewhat cooler during the day/afternoon!
getting back in the swing!
I did a bit of clean up today. Starting to put leaves in compost.
Saly--
I have raked my back lawn twice already--and have 2 lg. black trash bags full
of shredded leaves (used my shredder.vac) to stash somewhere to "cook"....
The 3 bags from 2 years ago--are still under my shrubs by my grill.
I need to use them up--somehow. Don't want to waste them--as by now there is,
probably, some "liquid gold" in dem bags...
I may use one of them up--mixed with "Organic Choice" potting mix to amend my
bed after all the iris are dug up.
Tomorrow will be our "dig" just so Karen and Cat can dig up some for themselves.
I will be finishing the "job" of digging everything up and then amending the soil
Then--re-planting some of the better divisions.
The smaller divisions will be potted in pots and allowed to grow a bit and
then shared at a future Swap.
Been trying to ready all the nooks and crannies inside for the BIG "panic night"
when everything will have to come in. it will be nice to have most of the areas ready.
Today was my first full day in garden at the HD. We had very little business.
The cool day--the drizzle--and--THE BALL GAME at 1PM--when everything dies off...
My feet hurt from standing around...
OK! I will dream on as i am going to bed asap. Gita
I still have my large Alocasia leafs and am hoping to do some castings in the next few days.
Holly, it is good to have you back and posting. I've been following your updates all morning!
It is really nice to be back home. Boy do I miss my Lap Top. Sharing the house computer with Ric is a pain in the ........ We are really going to be very busy the next few weeks. I will be leaving again on a Dive Trip in 3 weeks and then Ric's surgery as soon as I get home.
Speedie---
You can find. or make, your own little containers--make some holes in the lid--
and dig them in around your plants. Old spice shakers??
Maybe you can even find some kind of ice pops makers in a $$ store...
Gita
Brilliant, yehudith!
Holly, I started a fall project thread- so now you have to do it....
Sing a song while you garden
http://www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=2282&c=23
Sally--
That is a wonderful web site! I bookmarked it and also sent it to
my cousin's daughter in Latvia to play with her children. They are 6 and 3.
Perfect age--and i am sure they speak English as their father is from England.
The father speaks fluent Latvian also by now. I am sure their home language
is Latvian.
He was already doing good when we were there in 2008.
Thanks! G.
This message was edited Oct 15, 2013 9:49 PM
I'm addicted to being outside in nice weather.
That's all.
; ^)
yehudith - so nice to see you posting!
Sally -- I can just imagine you humming and gardening!
