Happy Spring, Everybody!! ( . . . and questions, as usual)

Good grief, I don't think I've been here since last fall, and are there ever a lot of new folks here. That's really nice to see. Hi to all the newcomers, and Hi to all the regulars who are still here.

I don't see anything recent from Darrell R in NB - anyone know if he's still around? I have a bell for him - or, more precisely, for his market garden stand.

Just got all my new seeds, and took my saved ones out of cold storage, so will be planting some and starting others indoors tomorrow. I CAN'T WAIT TO GET MY FINGERNAILS DIRTY AGAIN !!

One weird thing though, I ordered squash and zucchini seeds, even though I can really only use one of each, so I shared the rest (of everything I ordered) on Freecycle, and we're going to do a bigger seed exchange next year. But what's weird, both the zucchini and squash are *bushes*. I've never heard of that, it wasn't in the book or on-line that they were bushes, and I didn't want bushes. I wanted to try what someone here suggested to deter the squirrels and racoons, wrapping the squash vine around the perimeter where my tomatoes and stuff are because apparently the critters don't like the picky leaves.

What *really* irks me is that I explained that to the seed seller person, and she assured me that they were good picky leaves, and then she sends me bushes!!

So glad to see you all again, and see the fantastic photos you are putting up.

Another question: I am really allergic to anything with capsaicin- the stuff in peppers that bites you back - and I know cayenne is full of it. If I use cayenne sprinkled around my food crops (such as they are on 6 sq ft) (again, as a critter deterrent) does anyone know if the tomatoes and so on can 'soak it up' and it might affect the taste of them or if the capsaicin can somehow get transferred into new plants from the earth?

I may have to call the U and see if they can tell me, as I guess that's not a usual gardening question. But then you bunch aren't the usual gardening bunch, either - much smarter .

Hi!!!

I just read a site that said capsaisin could be absorbed through the skin, and they are using it as a topical drug to treat skin problems. If it can be absorbed by our skin, tomatos can probably absorb it as well. But, you're using such small quantities that this may not be a problem.

However,

If you are that allergic I wouldn't put cayenne in the garden, at all. All you have to do is get the stuff on your hands, then rub your mouth or nose.... also its a powder, it will get in the air if there is a slight breeze, you could breathe it in! Or if go pick your tomatoes, and have cayenne on your hands, you might spread it all over surface of the fruit. If I were you, i'd try something else for critter control.





This message was edited Apr 1, 2006 10:06 PM

Thanks bubbles - I'll maybe have to re-think that.

Last year I only got 1 (!!) tomato from 4 plants. The squirrels will carry off anything that's smaller than their body - the neighbours think it's hysterical. I get very grumpy and start muttering about shotguns.

The racoons take one bite out of everything, and then move on to the next one.

They're making me crazy.

This message was edited Apr 2, 2006 12:14 AM

Hi Crone, Nice to meet you. I do not have the squirrel and raccoon problem, but can sympathize, since I have deer, rabbits, birds, and voles to contend with! I mutter a lot, too, but threats is as far as it goes. LOL! slugs, too, if summer is dampish.
Always something, but so very much worth the time and effort. love dirt too, and all season, my nails are very dirty! BAM

Hi BAM from just north of you in Ottawa.

I had a problem for years with critters chewing off my beans just as they germinated. (Never did determine just what sort of critters I was dealing with, though). But one year a made a really strong garlic solution - just put it in the blender with water. I sprayed that on the emerging beans and had no problems. Don't know whether that was the reason, but I didn't have grawing problems that year.

Ann

Ann, we used to have the same problem with our bean plants and discovered it was chipmunks!!! I can get soo mad at those little critters sometimes.......but they are cute :)

Have never seen chipmunks in my immediate neighbourhood and I've been here for almost 36 years. but recently, I've seen them in a nearby more rural neighbourhood.

Ann

we've had the same house cat for the past 16 years. Chipmunks and squirrels usually are only seen once alive.....then never again.

We have three house dogs, and if one deer comes into the yard, the dogs will just watch it gnaw off my lillies, rose bushes and hens 'n chicks.

If more than one deer comes into the garden, the dogs will give chase to them, as far as the neighbours.....go figure!

Rabbits, however, are chased immediately and with great enthusiasm!

happy gardening!

Sue

ViolaAnn,
My dad gardened for years and always planted beans. Once they broke surface and started to sprout the tops were cut off. He discovered it was cut worms doing the damage. After that he always covered the sprout with milk jug or other plastic containers. Top and bottom cutoff and placed directly over the bean sprout. It looked funny for about a couple of weeks but it stopped the cut worms from doing any damage.
Michelle

This message was edited Apr 3, 2006 1:27 PM

Could be, but I never found any evidence of cut worms. I was blaming squirrels, but think it may have been rabbits as I've seen a few around.

Ann

Hi All:

I can corroborate Michelle's statements regarding cutworms. I too have had intermittent problems with bean seedlings being chewed off at ground level. I had initially blamed the vast hordes of squirrels and chipmunks that reside on my property (it's a side effect from bird feeding) but have since changed my tune.

Cutworms live in the soil by day and then emerge at night to feed. Dig up the root of the ex-seedling and sometimes the worm is still down there.

Thanks for the tip about the garlic. Good advice.

Cheers

Steve

Ann,
It could be bunnies but I would not rule out the cut worm being one of your culprits. As Steve posted they hide in the soil during the day and do all of their damage at nite. Little varmits!lol

Steve,
It use to drive my dad nuts. He always had a large veggie garden and would plant 4-6 long rows of beans. When the cut worms would hit it would make him so angry. Now that my dh and I have taken over his garden we also do the same with the beans. As soon as we see them starting to sprout we cover them. We haven't lost a bean sprout at all the last couple of years. My Dad still reminds us every veggies season to cover the beans.
Michelle

Yeah, but usually you can find evidence of cut worms if you do some digging. I never have.

Ann

Are the bean sprouts still lying there after they're bitten off? If they are it's not rabbits. I have a pet rabbit and she wouldn't leave a juicy sprout lying on the ground! But if there's no trace of the sprout it very well could be a rabbit.

Well, two years ago, the garlic spray worked. Last year I didn't seem to have a problem. Can't rightly say I remember from before that but if I find them lying there this year, I'll dig deeper for cutworms. I DO have problems with squirrels nibbling on everything, chewing things off and just leaving them though.

Ann

One year a squirrel bit the flower right off my jack-in-the-pulpit. And left it there. I was soooo mad! I had just put it in. I've since used chicken wire cages over plants and that works well.

Steve

Hi Ann
I had this problem with my sweet peas and found that it was the sparrows as the peas were the first up. I noticed that if i trenched them and the sparrows only took of the top bit I could get them to come again. My neighbor had a big problem with all her veggies being eaten off and when she got a dog she found out it was a gopher living under her step!
Maybe the barrier thing for the cutworms would do the same protection from bunnies and birds?
I just use a bit of mesh till all the other green things are big enough the peas aren't such a treat any more.
Good luck with all the advice!
The other Ann

I've seen blackbirds munching beans as soon as they have germinated. Finally stopped it by covering rows with those very thin curtains found at Value Village.

First couple of years growing carrots in Manitoba, covered them with those curtains too, to keep off the carrot fly. (Thats what you do in Victoria). Finally was told - no carrot flies in MB. Duh.

For cutworms I cut toilet paper tubes in half and press down into the soil around the seed.

Inanda