Every year I plant sunflowers and something digs up the seeds and eats them ... also when the sprouts are small there is still a bit of seed left and they eat that and leave the sprout lying in the dirt ... now it's happening to my peas -- no peas this year! I'm thinking chipmunks ... I tried putting chicken wire over the plants but they just dig around and through it ... any ideas how to keep the critters out until the plant gets bigger?
Chipmunk damage?
I've had terrible problems with ground squirrels, which are awfully close to chipmunks. The thing I found that worked the best was a product called "Shake Away"--powdered coyote urine. Cost a bloody blue fortune, but since it saved the remains of my tomato crop, it was worth it. I would look into some of the critter deterrents, but do pay attention to the label--not all of them are good for veggies.
Not sure I want coyote urine on my vegetables either .... but thanks!
I didn't put it on the veggies, but around the base of the plants. What can I say--I was desperate! :)
I've never gotten a firm answer to the question whether this coyote urine will attract more actual coyotes or repel them, thinking another animal has marked the territory.
I tend to think this depends on the sex of the coyote who contributed the urine.
Fortunately, my back yard is completely fenced in with concrete block, so the coyotes themselves don't have access. Although, if they did, maybe I wouldn't be having problems with the ground squirrels...
My cats take care of those varmints.
Our neighbor's cat eats voles (not enough of them) but never seen him with a chipmunk ... we've relocated some but you can only do so much ... would shade cloth work?
Crockny, I had bird netting up, and had done my best to anchor around the bottoms. Little devils went right under the edges.
Wish my neighbor's cats would make themselves useful and go after the ground squirrels. Instead they just make messes.