Darn fuzzy tailed tree rats are at it again.
I went out to my shade house yesterday and a plant was laying on the ground. I looked at the pot and there was a hole like squirrels dig. Blue words colored the air. This poor plant has had a time of it. As a cutting it had scale. I fought it for over a month before I get the scale cleaned of it. But even thought it no longer was sick I placed the pot on the ground away form the other plants. It has rooted and sent out two stems/leaves. Luck for the squirrels they did not harm it.
After re potting it I looked around and found a number of very small pieces, more blue words. Most of these come from my seedlings and are only 1-2 inches longs so I am going to use them for rooting experiments.
Lets see there is roasted squirrel, stewed squirrel, squirrel chile, Please send along andy recipes for squirrel that you know of.
Their at it again!!!!
Swirl of squirrel, tree rat rattatouie, and last but not least, rack of rodendtia with roasted nuts. Yum, yum!
Uh oh, Looks like Wren is in need of some Recipes: http://www.backwoodsbound.com/zsquir.html
LOL Wren, you can have a neighborhood cook-off!
I still say "Yuck", although I've never tasted squirrel meat just the thought of eating it makes me want to barf. They are cute, funny critters and I enjoy watching them run around chasing each other and having fun in the trees but they can be destructive little creatures! Someone once told me of squirrels getting into their attic and chewing through wiring ... don't remember if the squirrels were electrocuted but what an expense it would be having to have re-wiring done! Someone should open a "Squirrel Zoo" ... some of us have enough around our property to supply a few zoos! ^_^
That site is a hoot! I had squirrel many years ago, and since I have no memory of how it tasted, I must not have been impressed (or terribly hungry).
With the way these destructive little blah, blahs have been, I may have to revisit that cuisine. lol
Squirrel taste very good but not much meat. Mine are nice an fat with all the sunflower seeds they eat. The cute little critters have even figured out how to get into the can where the seeds are stored.
Defense strategies. Wrap the shade house with Chicken wire. Electric fence , bob-wire and one large hairy dog.
Yes, that's the ticket, outsmart the little buggers. Pottery shards in container plants- lots- plastic or wire mesh over bulbs. I'm experimenting with sprinkling died with herbs that are offensive to squirrels but safe for plants. So far, cayenne seems to work for a while, but after only a few applications, it kills vegitation.
I need to look into keep away sprays. Of course I also need to do something now about me. I broke off half of my epi"silense" I have not decided what to do with the piece. I like the pink. Would make a nice size branched plant or 3 fair size cuttings. Think, think.
Sandy
Wren, Oh my goodness I just had to look up Epiphyllum 'Silence' when you said Pink! I love anything pink and that is one Gorgeous Epi! I think you should plant the entire thing as one branched plant! By this time next year I bet she would be pretty big and then you could take cuttings!
oops ... forgot to add the link for the picture I found of that pretty pink Epi: http://www.epikakteen.de/03%20epigalerie/a%20-%20z/s/silence.htm I found info in Plant Files too but no pictures there yet: http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/115700/ If someone has a photo of this one in bloom I hope they will upload it to PF.
This message was edited Oct 8, 2008 9:33 AM
Wow, that's a stunner! I agree with plantladylin on what to do with it.
I think I will. It was growing and branching so good.
I get the new 13 cuttings I ordered.
Bozo (pinks)
alfred dunn (orange)
desert sunrise (red)
gold braid ( white,yellow)
guard of honor (purple
madras ribbons (pink)
mozart's ballett (pinks)
red velvet (red)
niagra (creamy white)
shirley aline ( pink!!!!!!)
stormy weather ( red with purple)
trudy jane (pink)
white splendor (I realy like this white)
My Goodness! Wren, we are going to have to start calling you the Epi Queen!
or ... Queen of Epi's!
How many does that make now, in your ever growing collection? I can just picture them all in full beautiful bloom ... a rainbow of Epi's!
Over 160 and I am eying some more. To me they are like potato chips.
Sandy
Yep, I've heard that saying about potato chips ...
Years ago a friend (knowing I like cats) gave me a t-shirt with kittie's on it and it said "Cats are like Potato Chips ... You can't have just one" ^_^ I guess that saying would go for Epi's too! Now, that would make a nice t-shirt ... pretty, colorful Epi's and that verse!
Oh make that over 170+ I just bought 11 more. And one is Clown!!!!!! Doing epi dance. That is one of the first epis I owned. Lost in the big Christmas freeze we had many years ago.
Sandy
Oh, Clown is a gorgeous Epi ... I remember seeing photo's of it when I was googling last week! Gotta go look again!
Now, this is one going at the TOP of my "Wish" list! http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/108581/
Got epis has 5 cuttings left $8.00 each
Sandy
Wren, Where are you buying your epis? I have been eyeing some on ebay, but I am never sure if I should buy there.
I buy for www.gotepis.com/cart (very good cuttings only problem is he runs out quickly and you have to keep looking. He does have a great mother's day sale that last until all the cuttings are gone-he gets them at a show)
And www.epigalleria.com (very nice cuttings also)
both us paypal
Sandy
Wren, you are such an enabler! I have bookmarked both of those sites to visit later. You have given me enough time to give the **hint hint** to hubby as my b-day is at the end of this month. I guess I will have to get rid of more "unessentials" to make room --------- after all who needs a kitchen if the resturaunts are open??
Hee, hee, I like the way you think. Furniture? We don't need no stinkin' furniture.
Mom and I are eating out almost daily. That means I can use the pantry shelves, the table, etc. I need to redesign that green/shade house.
this is what I ordered today
From www. epigalleria.com
Campfire (RED)
miss America (light watermelon red in other words light pink)
Virginia Strong (pink)
Trapeze (red, purple ?? just beautiful)
Apache Tears (Dark orange with purple throat)
Chuck n' Jerry(bi-color beautiful)
June salute (red but looks more like dark pink to me)
Whirlibird (orannge with purple edges)
From Got epis
CLOWN (bi-color Doing epi happy dance thought in my case it looks more like I set on a cactus!!!!!
Spring on Mars (red)
Neon Smile (red)
Some one stop me!!!!! No will power.
Whew! I would have been broke a long time ago! You ARE the Epi Queen! Your username shouldn't be Wren but rather EpiQueenSandy ... or SandEpi. ^_^ You are going to need an awfully big greenhouse/shadehouse with a door that locks to keep those furry critters out!
I could lend you Lucy the dimbulb lab...... she has never met a squirrel she did not like to chase. We live in a wooded area so there is lots of opportunity. She is very talented and also does impersonations. When she comes back from chasing squirrels she looks like one of those cartoon dogs with bulging eyes and a tongue about a mile long.
Well as I no longer work and live a home with my parents. I do not have many expenses. And as epis do not add any weight on my body (my other weakness is food) I think they are the saver addiction. These latest cost about a hundred the last 13 where around 70. So not bad and I allow myself 200 each month for no-nos, so lets see that leaves 30 dollars. Think, think. Excuse me I have to go see what I can spend that on.
Sandy
Great send Lucy along, she can team up with Andre the demon child, who loves to chase squirrels too and he has caught 3. We first need to fence the shade house because if Lucy is a wild as Andre they may do more damage than the squirrels. LOL
ROFLMBO! I Love it ... Epi Expenses! Wish I were so fortunate! I am blessed though ... I haven't worked in 16 years and have a wonderful, supportive husband ... but I know he would think I'd lost my mind if I spent $170 in one month for plants.
I have a little magnet on my frig that says: Lost ... husband and cat, $25 reward for return of cat! My friend has one that says the same thing only it's reward for return of dog. It would be cute to find a magnet like that about plants.
The house and car are both paid for. As I do all the shopping, driving and other work around here, mom pays for food and gas. The only expense I have is my phone and medical.
I am just waiting for my retirement from where I worked then I will really go wild.
But I think I have about all I want right now. But then I might weaken!!!!!LOL
Sandy
Nah ... You may "think" you have all the Epi's you want right now, but the addiction is there and you will need another "fix" before long, I'm sure! LOL.
I am afraid you are right. I just get my second Frank Supplie book and there are other types of epies that I am looking for. Any one know who is selling German and England breed epis???????
Sandy
hee hee ... I didn't even know there were German and England breeds! ^_^ I am an Epi newbie!
Well I read in one of the Frank Supplie book (I think) that Europe breed epis can handle colder temps than American ones.
Oh there is a big epi nursery in South Africa!!! I just do not know how to get all the paper work to order some or really think I want to go to that much trouble.
Tomorrow I will look up so of the species but it is dark in here and I am to tired to get up and turn on the light.
Sandy
I don't have to worry about squirrels attacking my epis. They are to busy taking the pecans from the trees and burying acorns everywhere.
I didn't realize how much of an epi newby I really am. LOL I would love to have a collection like that, but I truly don't have the space. I could fill the yard, but in winter I would have to move out and give the house to the plants.
The squirrels wreak havoc with my gerber daisies, bulbs of any kind, tuberous begonias and jasmines, but they generally leave my epies alone. It is the dogs running after the squirrels that get to the cacti. ( They also dump them trying to find frogs) I'll have to admit though that its funny when they catch the toads and then they run back spitting, gagging and foaming at the mouth and the little frog just hops away..... ( should I have more sympathy for the dogs?)
I am working on a combine green/shade house.
We have oak trees, a pecan tree and lots of birdfeeders. The squirrels are using the epi areas for path ways. Squirrels are to heavy to climb on the epis with out braking them off.
I raise tropical birds and I have an aviary in my yard so as a result the squirrels and other critters get fed some of the best tropical birdfood and seed available. I think they destroy things for fun in my yard. LOL, I have watched 1 in particular dig up a bulb, take it to the railing by the window ( where I could see), then take 1 bite of the bulb and throw it down. It is so frustrating.
I know what you mean. I have a bunch of feeder and one squirrel seems to think I am hiding the really good stuff, he ate a hole in the large plastic garbage can that I had the seeds in, went and get a metal one and he learned to push the lid off.
Well I am off to get some more pots for my new epis and to look at price some building materials. I only have a month or two before the cold weather gets here.
If you do a search for "squirrel catapult" on youtube, you will discover a way to deter those little critters.
As much as I hate the damage they do in my garden I don't think I could torture them that way though.
I was told of a website on the topic of squirrel fishing- no joke. It doesn't harm them (no hooks involved) and they even seem to enjoy it, seek it out. They grab hold of the bait, hang while you reel them in, preferably from a 2 story window. Squirrel circus.
Darn I do not have a 2 story window. But that does sound like fun. I think DD has some rods and reels around here. At least that would keep me form looking aa epi pictures.
Does anyone know how to get paper work to import cuttings? I am drooling over some epis from South Africa!!!!!!
Sandy terminally sick with Episities
Poor, Poor Sandy! I think we should do an intervention. I know that I can make room for more.......... Hee Hee Really though, if you have to have an obsession that is the one to have.
Do you know the addy of the website about the squirrel fishing? That would be highly entertaining.