From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Bristol R.I. USA

Can some of the growers tell me if the critters have done a job on your plants. This year the racoons and chucks torn through the patch. My friend mikes season is over do to them. Even today i got a 32 pound racoon. So whats the critter report from region to region. Here in southern New England we've been getting chucks like crazy and the racoons have been getting bigger every year. They also seem to have aquired a taste for pumpkin leafs. It has been said that disease has killed off a lot of the cyote and fox population taking out a member of the food chain. As for me i have adapted to the changes in the patch.

7/7/2010 1:59:19 PM

Anamosa, IA [email protected]

A groundhog got into the patch when the electric fence shorted out and ate some leaves and the end of one main vine. We used some fox urine and he never showed up again. The fence is fixed. Something got in by breaking one of the wires a couple days ago, but no damage done to any plants. So I guess we aren't doing too bad.

7/7/2010 5:39:28 PM

Hamilton Nj

i have a racoon beating the heck out of my tomato plants and my zuccini blossems has not got to my pumpkin yet but i havent polinated on yet either not looking good lol pizzapete

7/7/2010 7:47:08 PM

Des Moines, Iowa

deer had a veggy salad last night in my patch

7/7/2010 10:44:42 PM

Jefferson Me

I use two things to keep critters out of my patch. First a stereo cranking out heavy metal tunes 24/7 until they are all harvested. And secondly Neptunes Harvest fish/seaweed liquid fertilizer. Not only does it fertilize well, but it stinks really bad. Great for repelling groundhogs. I have yet to see a groundhog that enjoys a loud stereo and a rotten fish salad! LOL

7/7/2010 10:57:55 PM

Bristol R.I. USA

Believe it or not i've been able to adapt well. I got conservation fence buried. Critter ridder on the perimeter along with fox urine. And then have a hart traps throught the area. We got rid of a raccoon and 3 days later he reapeared. After reaserching it said that animals like that can come back they must be moved over 3 to 4 miles minimum. I was forced to get rid of one the hard way. It seems that the rabbits and raccoons have taken a liking to pumpkin leaves. They can destrox a plant faster than any cumber beatle or parasite. Its so discouraging to be surprised by leaves that have been eatened to the stems.

7/7/2010 11:21:46 PM

Mercersburg, PA

I thought that others have said that fish fertilizer may actually attract coons. I would think this would be the case, but maybe it also keeps 'hogs away. I have been lucky with all critters inside the patch(knock on wood)so far, but something is chomping some of the sunflower leaves on the perimeter of the patch. I started off using moth balls--yesterday i spread my shedding dog's hair around the perimeter and then sprayed some fox p around.

7/8/2010 8:57:05 AM

Bristol R.I. USA

The worst part about Raccoons is that they can totally destroy any chances that you have overnight. This year as well as last year they seemed to have taking a liking to the pumpkin leaves. They have those huge paws that they use to pick and choose the best leaves to rip apart. I also used mothballs and
Fox urine. You do have to use the urine quite liberally and you have to reapply it every few days. I have some carriers that I made to put around the area of the patch. I know that people out there say you shouldn''t kill animals but then again when you have nusance animals eating all your money and hard work things seem to change.

7/8/2010 9:03:45 AM

Ohio

What about human urine?,,, after drinking a good twelve pack or more in the patch, use the waste of that to go around the edges of your patch,,lol,, just make sure the neighbors cant see ya,,ha!

7/8/2010 11:11:28 AM

Joliet, IL

i brush my dog in the summer repeatedly and put dog hair around the patch entrances that are easiest for rabbits and critters to get into my patch. i am not sure if it helps or not, but canine is also wolf or coyote and i have to believe even though wolves are gone now, that critters still fear the canine smell of coyotes and hoping it is enough stink of dog to make them stay away. it can't hurt and the hair is better out there then on my carpeting. now racoons are smart and fearless and can climb to get anywhere in the patch. my dog has battled a mother racoon and skunks for the past 2 years and runs the fence line in her area seperate from the patch everytime i let her out trying to pick up a scent trail. she gets sprayed once in a while, but the critters usually stay on the other side of the fence. she has presented me with a ripped up squirrel and multiple dismemebered rabbits over the years along with a stray kitten i am sad to say. but that is area is her domain and it is right next to the patch. so when i put her hair out around the patch, i hope they get the point to stay clear. or else. also i keep my garbage as far awy from my plants as possible and on the other side of the fence so if coons or critters want to pick through it, they never get used to jumping the fence to get at it.

7/8/2010 11:29:14 AM

Sharon, MA

I caught 3 woodchucks so far (before they wandered into the garden). I leave 3 Have-A-Heart traps out in the yard with a white towel over them, all year long with no bait. The woodchucks just keep wandering in. I also trapped 16 mice. They love the peanut butter on the mouse traps. I just set up 18 rat traps with peanut butter near the pumpkins, for the chipmunks. There are dozens of them running around the yard, and they like to nibble on the side of the pumpkins.

7/9/2010 4:48:20 PM

Glosta

one woodchuck down, became coyote food. coyote population is fine here. they keep most critters away.

7/9/2010 8:10:51 PM

Brookfield, Wisconsin

I don't have any thing eating leaves, but they are eating all my female flowers before they bloom. Think its chippies? I have sprayed them with cayenne pepper spray. Tomorow I will surround the area with rat traps.

7/11/2010 12:09:08 AM