The "Frosty Stuff" ....#3

My neighbors have seen a bobcat here. I haven't seen it. They've also seen nutria and I haven't. I have seen the raccoons and squirrels. Something ate my baby Meyer lemons off the back deck last summer and bit off the top of my Disporum last fall. I see many things nibbled on, but so far nothing dug up.

That having been said, there are spots in the yard that are very interesting to the dogs in the morning, so I do think something's squeezing its way in under the fence.

I've never seen the nutria dig, since they mostly eat grass. But I've seen raccoons dig, I figure they're after bugs. How about sprinkling cayenne pepper around? People use that for cats.

I think that's a great idea. They all sniff, and sniffing pepper is no fun. Even regular pepper would probably work. We were just talking about citrus on another thread. Most critters don't like the citrus smell or taste, either.f You might try something like that?

Then there are the critter scarer machines that sprinkle water when the critters approach. I'm supposed to be getting the nasty sound version of one of those for my neighbors since my cats keep getting on their porch.

huh.... maybe the "thing" coming under your fence and my "thing" is the same thing. lol Bobcats are around here, but i don't think that they could have been all the way around the plants without leaving an obvious foot print. However, the cocoa mulch is also what would allow a small animal to walk around their without leaving a footprint.

I think that raccoons would happily take your lemons! That would be really upsetting!! Even if they decided not to eat them, I can see them taking them simply because it smelled like food. I would love to see what "face" a raccoon would make once it got the lemons somewhere and started to eat one!!

Geeez, just when you get your kids to behave, your critters start in. LOL

A raccoon on bitter lemons!! ROFLOL

That's a great thought about the cayenne. I sort of thought that it might be something hunting for bugs. I have lots of cayenne. However, the citrus might actually benefit the soil some too since it alkaline due to clay. Maybe both! Will lemon or lime juice bothere the plants if it should get a dose on the roots. The potting mixture is really soft and porous since it's an amendment to the clay.

lol..... A raccoon on Lemons! teehee.

I'd start with the cayenne since you have it. You could probably leave a lemon-soaked cloth draped over a stick stuck in the ground in the area and see if that had any effect. It's a quick way to see if it works.

Cheap perfume might do the trick, too. Soak a cloth with it - they don't like the sweet/alcohol smell.

Never tried citrus. Wouldn't think a little would hurt.

Oh, I like that idea Kathy.

I'm all about cheap and quick. Wait, that didn't sound quite right. :-)

lol....no, it didn't sound right. but it sure was funny!!

I'm a huge fan of cheap and quick... varmit repellants! lol.

Good, I'll put out the cayenne in one area and a lemon soaked cloth in a different spot. Although, I'm not sure how long the lemon juice will stick around in the cloth given the rain, but I'll have fun trying it. And I really do think that it could benefit the soil there.

Does anyone have an idea about what the life span of the cayenne would be? Maybe reapply every couple of weeks?

I'm trying to post one more time.

I was dying over what Kathy said and my post wouldn't go through!!! So frustrating!

Don't know about the pepper, longer than the lemon I would think. See if I can find anything.

Then there was the guy who was trying to keep out the raccoons with human urine.....but I don't think you want to go there. He said it only worked for a little while anyway.

Okay, I'm late in the game, but Redchic, I think squirrels may be your culprit. I hope that hasn't already been posted. It's getting really late and I need to get to bed, but wanted to post something gardening related here. The reason I am thinking squirrels is that I recently had to protect a newly planted ornamental grass by putting large river rocks aroung the base. The squirrels were tearing it apart. I could see them digging at the base of the plant, and then noticed long blades of grass laying to the side. When I checked the plant I could see that they had been tearing the roots apart. Maybe they taste good! All I know is they were ruining my grass before it even got started. So it is now protected by rocks.

Willow, if I'm reading correctly, I'm thinking that you are wise to share with people individually about what you see, and not post it on the thread. Very smart, indeed.

Oh, I think you have to reapply cayenne pepper after every rain.

Sally... don't you just hate it when you're computer is stalling and you have something that you really want to say. You spent soooo long typing it and then it might all be gone. lol. Yep.... know that feeling. haha... I can't imagine going the urine route, that would be a site that no one wants to see!

Never too late Pixy, sometimes it just has to hold over until the morning. My digging culprit definitely will not hav changed it's patterns overnight! Huh, well, I can do rocks if I need to. Unfortunately, my source for rocks isn't really excessible without large risk until at least June! (river rock) But, i'm sure I cand find a bunch of rocks without too much digging. Boy if I have to reapply pepper after every rain, that could be a problem too.

So, I'm thinking that I'll try the pepper and citrus, just applying every couple of days. If that doesn't work I'll go hunting for rocks. In the meantime, keeping an eye out for silly creatures!

So many critter stories! it is rumored that there are raccoons in the neighborhood but I have not seen any. Other than that there are only cats and school kids who sometimes pick my crocus on their way home from school.
Red I would be so upset if that was happening to my plants. Tell Mother Nature to control her children!

My yard is basically cratered from squirrels, thanks to the neighbor who feeds them peanuts in the shell by the pound (the squirrels are quite fat and happy about it, too). I've seen damage like that-some poor things have been bothered again and again. They seem to dig about 3" deep at the deepest-would that fit what you have?
I'm frequently replanting stuff. I do have rocks, I may try that. RC, I'd be happy to share them with you if you were just a little closer...Judi, I'd be happy to share the squirrels with you if you'd like to come and catch a few... ;)

My version of "Sqrl-b-gone" that I use when I get really frustrated is: blood meal, granulated garlic, and cayenne. The granulated garlic doesn't melt as fast as the powdered would. I suppose the blood meal might attract dogs, and I know garlic is very bad for them, but maybe the cayenne would counteract their interest in the blood meal?

And then there's this site:

http://www.predatorpee.com

I do have squirrels so I must turn your generous offer Susybell! I had forgotten about those guys. So far they have not caused a problem in my yard but I'll keep watch. oh wait - I did have some missing bulbs that I had in a bag on the back porch - do they like bulbs?

Who knew people would be paying for pee???

Oh, darn! guess I'm stuck with them, lol!!! Yes, squirrels really like some bulbs. Their really like crocus & tulips. They also like lily bulbs and possibly camassia. But, they don't like muscari, daffodils, chionodoxa, or alliums. I don't remember about galanthis, leucojum or scilla, but I'm thinking that they don't. I'm sure someone else remembers.

It was a bag of crocus and tulips so now I know where my bulbs went! D#*!#! squirrels!

Rats with pretty tails . . .

I had to exchange some of the rocks for larger rocks as they are able to move some of them, and they do so! Smart critters.
Gosh, Redchic. I'd love it if my supply of rocks ran low. I always have a bumber crop.

I have to go get rocks to, must be an area thing. We have an abundance of heavy clay, I would gladly share that.

Wish I could find the thread of the guy having the raccoon problem, it was really funny.

I guess my squirrels don't like what I have planted. But they've never bothered the tulips, maybe it's what is planted around them. Or maybe it's because I leave corn cobs out for them and they leave my stuff alone. LOL

With all the critters in my yard, including my own, it's a wonder any of my plants survive. My big dog, Fran, apparently believes the best place to potty is on top of any plant. It annoys me horribly.