O/T Garden qustions

old · Jul 13, 2012

So I have something that is eating my tomato's. Pulls them off the plant then eats part of them and leaves to rest of them laying. I do know I have had a wood chuck moved in under the house and close to the garden. So is it likely that it is the animal doing the harm???

larry@stinescorner · Jul 13, 2012

yes,and since it has been hot and dry they do it to get moisture too,that may be why they bite and chew part of the tomato not all of it

jackinok · Jul 13, 2012

thats likely the problem,but Ive had squirrels do the same.supposedly they are after the moisture,so if you put out a water pan it may help(thats code for .22 in the head by the way!).

Billy NY · Jul 13, 2012

I think you answered your own question, that is exactly what they do here, when they were able to get into the garden, and they know their produce, you wait til that tomato is just ripe or how you want it, and he will beat you to it every darned time by a fraction of a second it seems. Now, there are some critters that I just plain cannot stand, these guys are not one of them, I have to fence off what I plant regardless but when its dry like it is, they're just like us, trying to survive, I think the worst is when the population spikes and their forage disappears, the garden, potted plants and flower gardens become high priority, can't blame em, either have to kill em off or work around them, I've done the latter mostly, just recently dosed their dens with hi test gasoline, put a lid on it, did not ignite, 2 days no activity in 3 holes. I am ashamed to admit having to do something so rotten, but I am overrun with them or was.

old · Jul 13, 2012

I figured that was the problem. I fill in the hole a couple of weeks ago and had no activity till a week or so ago and it was back. I filled it back up today and set a shovel in the spot the hole is at. When it was filled in I lost nothing but now that it opened it up again problems again

Mark-Ia · Jul 13, 2012

Time for the Three S's

El Toro · Jul 13, 2012

Time to lock and load and send him to ground hog heaven. Houses are too close for 22, but one of my retired co-worker's said I could sting him using his pellet gun with a scope. Hal

old · Jul 13, 2012

My problem is not the house but the fact it seems to see or hear me before I get close enough to see it. About 1.5 hours ago I shoveled his hole full then set the shovel in front of it. Went out to water the chicken and found the shovel laying back on the ground so shoveled it full again and set the shovel over it but in such a way it will have to work a good bit harder to open it up. Wish the window in this room opened because if it did I could sit at the window and have an easy shot

ChuckMa · Jul 13, 2012

Old put a radio out in the garden keeps deer woodchucks and nearly anything else out. I put it on 24/7 tuned to conservative talk radio, my daughter says the deer and other animals are liberals because the stay far away.
Chuck

DoubleR · Jul 13, 2012

I would put a 220 conibear trap over the hole. Thay took care of my woodchuck problem.

Billy NY · Jul 13, 2012

They are funny, fill that hole in, he clears it out, I did that with one that was a hazard, left a pile of wood there for awhile, finally cut and cleared it off, now he's dug in under there, either they stay in there a long time or move from den to den which I have seen, but when active, whats your dirt doing in my hole ?, he clears it, you put it back, rocks and all, boy they can move some dirt, cripes I had to put cone up near it, easily break a leg or ankle you step into one of those by mistake !

For a few years, if you saw the one in the photo yesterday, I had to share my produce with him, he was something else, did not have the heart to shoot him, and I had extra, would have went to waste, I always over plant, but man did he know how to pick a ripe tomato, they ain't stupid that is for sure !!!!

James Williams · Jul 13, 2012

Old,the deer are eating our vines about half way down and eating the green tomatoes also,200 plants and no tomatoes for the second year.This started when the farmers dog died.We have sprayed liquid fence once a week,it helped the first couple weeks than quit.Sprayed our beans also and it worked on them

jimmy

old · Jul 13, 2012

Can't use a trap due to cats and dogs. Cats are there all the time dogs go in and out so traps no good unless live traps

old · Jul 13, 2012

I never have any deer problems garden is to close to the house and chicken and goat pins/barns.

PJH · Jul 13, 2012

I use a radio and spotlight connected to an old motion detector. Motion detector is set in "test" mode so it only comes on for four seconds then off. Radio is turned up loud, but I set the dial on a country rock station. Keeps the deer out of the sweet corn.

Eldo case · Jul 13, 2012

Get a live trap and use a very ripe cantaloupe for bait. I caught 2 last year when hot and dry in 2 hrs. I just don't know why they call them live traps. Mine all die when in it.

gtractorfan · Jul 13, 2012

I have 4 large flower pots by our back door. Two of them have spinach growing and 2 have lettuce. I started some lettuce not long ago and it was 2 or 3 inches tall. Overnight something ate half the lettuce (RIGHT by the back door) Figured it was a rabbit. So I put the large pot up on a 3 foot high platform, making it 4 feet to the top of the pot. The next morning ALL the lettuce was eaten off! It must have been a deer--- and this is right up against the house by the door!

old · Jul 13, 2012

Where I am I have never found any deer sign close to the house and I have been here for 32 years now. I do see them on the other side of the small lake I have by the house and out in the field at 100 yards or so but never up by the house but then I do deer hunt when in season so guess they stay away since they know if I saw them close in season they would get very very cold

jbp · Jul 13, 2012

Old, I had the same thing happen a couple years ago. Set a live trap baited with sardines and caught 6 possums at once. The old possum was carrying five young ones on her back, never saw that before or since. Have had no more trouble with half eaten tomatoes though. Joe

onefarmer · Jul 13, 2012

I had woodchucks move in under my garage. I tried shooting them off and filling in the holes. More would just move in like there was a no vacancy sign up. Finally I shot off the current family, all but one. He ducked to fast for me. So I filled in the all the holes but one. Pulled my F250 PS diesel next to the hole and used a solid 4" piece of tile to hook the exhaust into the hole. I not only must have got him, but made the dirt stink enough no one else has moved in yet and it's been 4 years now.

Billy NY · Jul 13, 2012

Thats what I think happens when one dies in there, the hole is not used, happened here, then all of a sudden, occupied again, gasoline seems to do the same.

onefarmer · Jul 14, 2012

Whether it's the carbon monoxide or the corpse I got the desired result.HEHE

Actually I have shot them, shoved em down the hole(dug their own grave), and covered it up. Done this several times and had them move back in. This time they have been gone from there for years.

coachr · Jul 16, 2012

One repellent that covers a broad range of animals that we use with great success is Shake-Away Large Animal Repellent.
There a number of Shake-Away products, but the Deer & Large Animal product works with all animals of prey that may be targeting your garden.
Product can be purchased in some Ace Hardware Stores or online at www.Critter-Repellent.com
Natural Deer Repellent

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