i can't find the post about the chicken wire. Where is it or what was it about?
CLOSED: Free Seed for Newbies! 07/04/09 Directions to get your seed
So sad Robin - my Mom said they had a frost last night too... I sure miss the seasons in Maine but not that cold cold winter...
Crit,
RE: chicken wire
Post #8132263
Post #8134241
I mentioned that I was trying to protect bulbs from squirrels with chicken wire netting.
Since they can chew through it or burrow under it when motivated, I now have a second line of defense. Flakes of red "Szechuan-looking" hot pepper are sprinkled beneath the chicken wire. Also, under the netting, I sprinkled some "Guajillo Molido" chili-powder that has a strong unusual odor. Hopefully the odor will de-motivate them from chewing through the netting, and the netting and flakes will keep them from getting the damp powder on their paws. And if they can't smell the bulbs, maybe they won't try.
And these aren't "cyto-toxic-level" peppers. To be humane, I tested them on myself first.
No squirrels were harmed in the making of this mac-n-cheese.
BTW - next time I won't try to make one big chicken-wire box-cage over a bed, espeically if the bed is too wide for the roll of chicken netting. But I stumbled on an alternate design when used a left-over 18" strip to cover a different, small area.
Letting the hex netting keep the curl it has on the roll, straightening it only part way, it forms a very natural hoop-tunnel as long as the width of the roll (4 feet). he edges dig into the soil, "gripping" it with the spring left in the wire. The ends to be sealed against squirrels are now fairly small, instead of the entire circumference of the bed. The center holds itself up in the air, away from any plants.
Although the width of this half-hoop-shaped tunnel is only 12", I think a 2 - 2.5 foot wide tunnel would still support it's roof. Then I could run as many 2' wide tunnels alongisde each otehr as I needed to protect.
Thast may even be a design for a very low profile "hoop house" or row cover. Film over the chicken-wire netting, held down with poles or rocks between the rows. Hmm.
The best part is that no framework needs to be constructed, not even bent PVC pipe and stakes.
Corey
Here's the non-hoop bed. Until the edges are fully weighted down around the whole circumference, it won't keep squirrels out.
Unless the neighborhood cats see a squirrel UNDER a 4' x 5.5' sheet of chicken wire that's basically lying on the ground. They may realize it can't get away very fast and jump on it, and play chicken-wire trampoline on top of the squirrel.
Robin,
Did you mean to smear hot-pepper-Crisco on the wire netting? So they won't chew through it or climb on it? Like painting the wire with repllent?
Corey
THat looks like it should keep the squirrels out!! You must have some determined squirrels!! I think with that,looking at itI might just take out the pam and spray it the top and sprinkle the flakes,here are a few other things suggested too...Squirrel Control
1. Bulbs: soak them in Ropel before planting and squirrels will leave them alone. You can also dust them with medicated baby powder.
2. Put sheet metal collars on trees to keep them from climbing the trunks. Prune back any access limbs also.
3. To keep squirrels from the bird feeders in winter try growing witch hazel, Hamamelis virginiana. It can be grown in the East and Midwest. They grow underneath trees and can continue blooming into December. The flowers form a seed pod that will eventually shoot out the seeds on the ground which supplies squirrels with some winter forage.
4. Sprinkle pepper or paprika around squirrel prone areas.
5. Using any type of "sticky barrier" can be effective as the squirrels' hate the sticky feeling on their paws.
6. For pole type bird feeders: grease the pole with petroleum jelly. They will get the message pretty quick and go elsewhere for goodies.
7. Learn to get along with them. We have squirrels who do get into the bird feeders but in general cause no trouble at all! In 15 years they have dug up some bulbs one time and that is it!
8. Plant Fritillaria imperialis bulbs in the area of plants that you want to protect. Supposedly they have a particular smell that squirrels and chipmunks find repulsive. They are certainly beautiful plants and a great addition to your garden!
9. Beware that water features will attract squirrels and chipmunks too!
10. To keep squirrels and chipmunks from bulb plants- soak them in Alum water before planting.
BTW I got the package!! What a great assortment!! THank you..You know I could package up a couple of the stray cats I feed here they will give those squirrels something else to do!!
Glad you liked the seeds! Now that I've found Dave's Garden for trading, I'll be collecting larger quantites and giving fewer away locally, where I think they never got used.
I like the idea about spraying the wire with Pam, then sprinkling pepper flakes. Maybe even hairspray.
I'll have to think about a "sticky barrier".
We have many cats in the park where I live, but they seem to be lazy when it comes to chasing squirrels.
I'm not sure what alum water is, or Ropel (I assume a commercial product).
When I find "Liquid Fence" in a store, I'll give that a try.
One thing for sure: the wire and pepper have prevented the lazy local cats from using these beds as litterboxes! Usually they are cratered and pock-marked with "gifts" within a day of my turning and raking them.
BTW: I did some research since buying the peppers and chili powders. Except for the few Habaneros I'm drying, they are all pretty wimpy!
1. Usually small hot peppers are hotter than large hot peppers.
2. The 1/2 pound of big ones I bought are probably California or "Anaheim" or "chile seco del norte" chilis -
the mildest variety of chili peppers (500-2,500 Scovil units).
3. Guajillo chilis and "New Mexico" style chilis are only a little hotter than Anaheim California chiles
(up to 2,500 to 5,000)
4. Chili peppers average only 1/10th as hot as simple cayenne peppers!
Cayenne peppers and Tabasco peppers rate 30,000 to 50,000 Scovile units.
Tabsco Sauce (™) is diluted, since one chef's site lists it as only 5,000. I bet powdered "cayenne pepper" as sold in Safeway is cut with something, or it would have liability labels.
5. "Serious" peppers are things like Thai, Habanero or Scotch Bonnet (100,000 - 350,000).
Possibly the skinny red chilis I bought a 1/2 pound of are "Thai". I always thought they were "Szechuan" but apparently not.
Red Savina(™) Habaneros have 580,000 Scovil units. (I think that is 4% Capsaicin.)
6. Naga chilis from Assam, India, are said to be "the hottest peppers grown". They rate a smoking 850,000 to 1 million.
I just know that when I went out to lunch with our Indian contractors at a restaurant they approved of, "two stars" out of five made me flinch, howl, sweat and drip tears..
7.. Civilian pepper spray is around 2 million, and LE grade pepper spray around 5 million. Those are 12-33% Capsaicin. These are banned for use in war!
And yet, that's a mere 2-5 times hotter than Naga chilis or 50-125 times hotter than pure cayenne or Tabasco pepper.
8. During some crusade, the defenders had access to many aromatic spices, and the attackers had been on short dull rations for some time. By cooking aromatic dishes on the battlements, upwind of the Christians, the defenders tempted the hungry attackers into launching their assault before they were ready, and defeated them decisively.
8. Pure Capsaicin is 15 million. The American Spice Traders Association (ASTA) suggests converting from parts per million of Capsaicin to Scoville Heat Units by multiplying by 15.
Corey
I dont know about the commercial products as like I said my squirrels are whipy next to yours, I thought alum water was just alum in water...you know alum the http://www.buzzle.com/articles/alum-powder-uses.html
Corey have you seen this? http://www.chileplants.com/
Thanks for this link! That is a fantastic site. http://www.chileplants.com/
In their "drying" section, habaneros are not listed. Maybe that's why I'm having poor luck drying some.
And under "Uses", one of the uses is "Mole" . Most of those are "Ancho", plus a few Chilhuacle and a long dark green to deep brown pasilla type called "Holy Mole Hybrid", oddly mild.
Interesting that they seem only to sell live plants and fresh peppers, not seeds. I guess I need to buy some Holy Mole plants next year.
Or order 6 half-pints of frsh peppers next August and save the seeds. It sounds like the minimum "fresh" order is $40 with shipping to the west coast.
Thanks again!
Corey
Looks like park seed has the seed!! http://www.parkseed.com/gardening/PD/5633/
THe person that shared this information also reminded me about the electronic
http://www.lake-aeration.com/deter_squirrels.asp
Thanks - that sprayer is exactly what I want, but for $50, I would buy 50 cubic feet of composted manure instead, and keep sprinkling flakes and if necessary re-planting bulbs.
Also thanks for that Parks link ... it turns out that in this context "Mole" refers to various Mexican "Mole Sauces" and not ways to repel burrowing mammals.
But I have lots of (I guess) hot Thai Chili seeds. And the mostly-dried Thai peppers are only around $6 per pound in season. And if I fel the need to escalate, I can save or buy Habanero seeds, or even Naga seeds, but much hotter than Thai chili might be animal cruelty.
Sigh.
Would you be interested in an old farmers trick to keep the varmits away? I've done it myself on my tomatoes and peppers, and it really does work!
Lay human hair around the plants. Strands, clippings, whatever. I save it out of my brush all winter then use it in the spring. Also, you can ask your hairdresser to give you your trims, and to save some for you. They usually will. The squirrels won't go near it because it smells like human. I put it around my baby tomato and pepper plants, then when they start to grow, put it on the plant itself near where the fruits are setting. I feed the squirrels in my yard and when they run out, they attack my bird feeders, but they didn't TOUCH my veggie plants. Give it a try.
I had heard that, but dismissed it as too easy. If it worked for you, I'll try it.
At least we will learn if urban squirrels have learned to ignore human smell. I have a tiny lot and many neighbors in a pretty urban setting.
But we shall see! Thanks for the tip. Also, the soil can use the fiber and the Nitrogen.
Corey
My husband laughs at me, but doesn't tease me as much since he saw it worked!
There are several old farm tips that I know that he thinks I'm silly, until he hears someone else say it or sees for himself it works. I lived on a farm for 25 years with my first husband. Gotta learn a little sumpin'.
>> but doesn't tease me as much since he saw it worked!
That's a rare man. It says right in our Union Rules Book not to be reasonable about something just because it works!
Corey
LOL! ! ! ! !
arejay59,
I sent an envelope off to you in the mail yesterday with packages of seeds to share with newbies.
Bonnie
Good Morning...This is great many newbee envelopes this month!!
human hair is also a wonderful deteraint for slugs & snails, too!! I have a mini trashcan in my bathroom that my daughter & I put our hair in from the hairbrushes. About once a week, I'll spread it around the tender plants that the slugs love so much....next morning, I find them all shriveled up....it dries them out.
Rec'd my seeds!!!!! I'm like a kid in a candy store!
Enjoy Crit!!
I don't know who...but someone renewed my Dg subscription today..it was very generous of you. Thank You
how nice is that!
It was such a nice surprise~~
Ooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhh - that Clematis is beUteeefullllllll! Glad you'll be sticking around;o)
I just ordered some big single-color Zinnia packets from Hazzards. When they arrive, I'll send some to the New Bee Kitty.
1. Zinnia Oklahoma Scarlet
2. Zinnia Oklahoma Golden Yellow
Cutflower for high yield, 1½" double and semi double blooms, bright colors, produces all summer, resists mildew
3. Zinnia Gem Orange (A "new" strain at Hazzards - - 1½" beehive shape, strong stems, for cutting or country garden
4. Zinnia Cut & Come Again Mix - - Medium tall, bedding or cut , 3" flat petal, dome shape double pumila type
Zinnia Benary Giant Deep Red
Zinnia Benary Giant Orange
4-5" giant dahlia flowered, uniform series, Cutflower of the Year, terrific plant for high yield field production, strong stem, resists mildew
Can you tell I'm easily excited?
Corey
Hi peeps!!!! Miss all of you! Glad to hear you are hanging around Arejay
Those sound GREAT Corey!!!
Hi Cue...it is so good to see you!! I hear ya RC...if you could only see the seed here!! Everyone loves marigolds and Roses....
Especially when the Irises are close by!!
I just harvested a bunch of Marigold seeds this morning!
ITs too cold here this morning for harvesting ....
seeee this is why I loooove having grown up in Florida!!! lol
I still have Okra growing and tomatoes and peppers lol
I hope the zinnias and salvia arrive before the RR. It's funny to be impatient for the February RR before the October one starts!
In-between rain showers, I cut some Lavatera pods that were dripping, but sure to be fungus-bait in a day or two.
I shook the water off my palm and now I'm pressing them in an old Tee shirt to wick off as much water as I can.
Scoot, earwigs! SCOOT!
Corey
I want to get some of the BIG yellow marigolds next year. I had some, but since the move I can't seem to locate them, so will just start over. They are so pretty in a mound of yellow!
If the rain doesn't rot them, in a few weeks I might have Crackerjack marigold seeds. If I do, I'll be saving three groups: orange, yellow and gold.
But you would have to remind me in 3-4 weeks - feel free.
Corey
Cool. I'll put it on my trade tracker so I will remember it too. Don't want to wear a string on my finger for that long. :-))