23,948 Garden Web Discussions | Vegetable Gardening

Any suggestions for Squirrels ? I started with a deer fence (6') to slow them down but was pretty sure that I'd have to reinforce as the season progressed. First, our raised beds with hardware cloth did a great job of protecting against gophers which destroyed everything last year. As tomatoes began to ripen, friends often mentioned seeing squirrel activity and soon there was a tasted tomato each day, and the number of tasting has continued to increase.

Steps I've taken in defense: 1. put bird netting across top of 6 foot deer fence; 2. Knitted edges of netting together when they found it was easy to go between; 3. Ringed lower part of plastic deer fence with chicken wire to keep them from eating a hole to enter through; 4. Used wolf urine as a deterrent; 5. sprayed tomatoes with hot pepper spray that I made with garden's hot peppers, and 6. I try to plug obvious holes as I plan on a higher fence (our tomato plants are growing to about 6 feet + the raised bed) and either a squirrel proof roofing material, but would prefer a ring of electric fence at the top of the side fencing. SUGGESTIONS ?

If you want to use plain wire and need to see it just tie pieces of old sheet or white to-shirts every few feet. This is what we used to do so the horses could see it, before the invention of tape fencing.
Also, you can use 1" PVC pipe with the bottom sharpened and holes drilled where you run the wire or string through as the PVC works just like an insulator.
I used a solar charger for many years with horses and cattle. Never had a problem.
If the fence isn't very hot water the ground rod, and make sure you have 2-3 rods very deep,in the ground.
Sounds like that fence that burns grass would be a serious fire hazard in dry weather.

Yes after searching and searching I think it is a bacterial rot. I am trying to figure out how long this will persist in my soil, and any way to stop the disease process.

Spring sown kale really doesn't do well through hot summers--and you're zone 7, right? For fall/winter kale, I sow in mid July. And of course, rotate your crops.

Here's the picture.

I don't see another picture. Look up pictures of our native Convergent ladybug to see if that's what you might have. Lady beetles come in a variety of colors. The convergent species is quite orange.

Unless I see a different picture that changes my mind, I still think that you've shown us a ladybug. And they don't chew leaves, so I think that something else might be sneaking in to do that.

If you do take another picture, please show the front of the beetle, especially the pronotum, which is the shield covering the thorax just behind the head. A very identifying feature.

IMHO, your orange mystery squash looks more like the Amish Pie that I have grown than does that striped one in the middle!! Google Amish Pie Squash and look at the pictures, you'll see what I mean. Unless you are saving seeds, I wouldn't worry too much what is what, enjoy the squash that are produced this year, and use fresh seed of known provenance for next year.

Steve

I don't think I can save seeds because I have the spaghetti squash growing with the amish pie pumpkins anyway...

But... very interesting about the pie pumpkins. I ordered from heirloom seeds, which shows a pumpkin looking much like a typical jack-o-lantern type pumpkin. An image search turned up others that look more like my mystery pumpkin. I don't get it, both come from heirloom seed houses, not just random gardeners, so you would think they know what they are talking about and using appropriate photos.

I have a few pounds, Texas or Louisiana Long Hook, Long Horn or a number of names they call them. Old variety from the south. They have been around for many years. When the weather gets hot enough next year you soak them a couple days outdoors, as they will start to stink but when they start to sprout plant them in the ground. The plants get up to 8' or more and reach out a far. I don't plant them too far apart and let their branches reach past each other. If you get any that have shiny smooth skins I would cut the plant down. They don't seem to have a good taste, and when cooked they have a bad smell. The good ones are some of the best tasting okra I have ever had. I found that it doesn't matter how long they grow as long as they are picked by the third day after the blooms fall off.
Let me know if I can be of any help. SESEB
pgwal1936@sbcglobal.net

seen it grown in chico tx...ten to twelve feet tall...old hog pen area...pods very long, needed step ladder to pick....best to pick about 6 or 7 in long....look on ebay for seeds...
heirloomvegetables....leave a few pods on plants in fall, let them dry out real good, save seed for next year...the indian

After reading this post, and taking my walk around the block (2 miles in the country), I did see some great gardens in ground that had some wandering paths through them.
Most appeared to be 4-6' wide, still. I also saw a LOT of gopher damage!
My beds are 4x8 raised with hardware cloth under each bed. Unfortunately, we have such a bad gopher problem for a home garden we HAVE to have raised beds! The cats can only do so much above ground! Nancy

I haven't had much predator damage here. Last year voles/mice were bad in the sweetpotatoes though. This week I have caught 5 in traps.

OP is probably in Montana or Wyoming. Alberta (Canada) got dumped with up to a foot of snow in some places, with lows down to the mid-teens in a few areas.

The weather has been crazy for some of us! Northern WA/ID hit hard frosts. We just got low to mid 30s. Going to be in the 80s/50s in a few days.

Thank you all!

Something in the Rubiaceae, anyway. Mollugo verticillata would fit as would Galium aparine, Cleavers. Just pull it up.

Lady peas are really small. If you want to try small peas White Acre is small but large enough to shell.

Thanks, FarmerDill! If these are indeed lady peas, they certainly are hard to shell. But the seeds are so small I bet they cook real quick even when dried.

Apple and peanut butter has worked some. Peanuts or alfalfa pellets (the horse ones that are made with molasses) are also worth trying if you have some around. I have not found netting to work well, even in relatively small areas; the rabbits are inclined to cause even more damage by digging to get into areas they are interested in. Even though you will not get rid of all the rabbits, you can make a big dent by trapping for a few weeks; the effort is worth it.
Renais

Stick apple slices into the peanutbutter jar?

I have one row where I transplanted lettuce after the spinach had drowned. I noticed a stray surviving spinach plant had been nipped off at the base today. There's also been gnawing on the zukes.

I planted my Broccoli Transplants (Premium Crop) yesterday evening. Put them under Tulle to keep the bugs out and put a shade cloth on the south side of the bed. It will get morning sun and very shaded shade in the afternoon. Just after I spread the wheat straw mulch we got a thunderstorm with 1 inch of rain. The soil temp this morning in that bed is 80*.

I have carrots sown, rutabagas and turnips up, lettuces sown, and broccoli transplants set out. Hopefully can get the bed ready for the greens this weekend. I consider Farmerdill my personal mentor on fall gardening. I have used his dates for about four years now with consistent success.

It is in the low nineties daily right now, with lows in the low to mid seventies. Still hot. I am watering everything daily for the time being. So far, so good. Of course, my garden is small and I can give it this kind of attention.

edie j what variety of cocumber did you use?

thak you mark

I started one Marketmore cucumber in a 20" diameter pot about a month ago. This is my first go at cucs in pots. That plant is climbing a 6 foot tomato cage and is looking good. Lots of blooms this week. Hopefully there will be fruit soon.

Growing melons in z5a? That's no easy trick..

pnbrown, I have been growing various melons since 2006. the first few years I merely started indoors and planted out then depending on the season would have varying degree's of success dependant on variety. The last few years I get boat loads even with our very strange short and cool year we had this year. I fabricated a bunch of 4x8 mini green houses which go over top of either garbage bags or black weed barrier. I must pay close attention to the weather forecasts as it can get so hot inside it totally fries everything if I don't open the ends on a 70-75F day it can get well into the hundreds.
I have gone a little melon crazy and this fall/winter I will be fabbing up even more bigger homes for some of the more rampant growers who love heat. I haven't even finished harvesting this years crop and I am already getting a whole acre dedicated to growing melons prepped.

Glenn

I have more than 10 bags of old sunflower seeds, even the Russian Mammoth. All of them are smaller than the seeds I can buy from a supermarket.

Yes, I'll test plant some seeds in the winter inside to see if they germinate. I do not see the reason for the farmer to spray any chemicals. The only problem if the seeds are too old. But I think sunflower seeds can be good for a couple of years.

Because the black oil birdseed sunflower seeds are so inexpensive just buy another 25 or 50 lb. bag for next year and don't give it all to the birds. I plant it wit a 2-row tractor drawn corn planter (bean plates) and I'm cutting on my third planting for this year. Most people comment on how mich nicer the flowers are than the ones they are growing when I take to market. When I had mixed varieties on first planting (auction seed purchase) the majority of the customers preferred the generic birdseed sunflowers. So by all means plant them and expect about 50% of the flowers to be attractive enough to cut, same as for the expensive seeds. For each planting expect a 2-3 week cutting period before outer petals begin to drop; always best to cut flowers within a few days of first opening. Other flowers give you a slightly longer cutting window.

Thank you so much

I agree with Rodney "somewhat." The somewhat part is I think it IS a Jalapeno, just with some pod shape variation. Not to mention that there are oodles of Japapeno varieties that are short and squatty.

Agree about the corking also. One other reason why I think Jap. Japs are notorious for corking.

Kevin