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| I've been making regular forays into the garden at night lately, because I'm raising butterflies and sometimes have to get fresh cuttings for the caterpillars in the middle of the night. I bring a little LED flashlight.
Last night, I decided to start poking around a see what's going on. I love the sounds at night, it's quiet in the neighborhood, and there are lots of buzzers and chirpers going at it. An occasional raccoon, or owl. Assorted moths coming to nectar on flowers. And...lots of pests eating my flowers and veggies! Beetles, earwigs and slugs mostly. So it's darn beetles that have been eating the basil, and slugs now working on the kale and cabbage. I got a little container with soapy water and started drowning. Time for a little slug bait too. Do you go out in the garden at night? Any interesting observations? |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| No, but I should. I'm afraid I'll cross paths with our local skunks. lol! Karen |
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| Yes, you should be very careful not to step down on toads. |
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| I really don't anymore for some reason, but when I worked late hours and wouldn't get home until 10 pm or so I would often sit out there by the pond and listen to the water flowing and all those other wonderful sounds. Then one night while I was sitting there I felt and saw something come between my legs. It was big, but I thought it might be a cat. It wasn't. It was a raccoon. Heading right towards the pond. It freaked me out a bit. Kevin |
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| Visiting the garden after dark has long been recommended as a good way to catch plant munching culprits. You'll find many of us suggesting it right here in the gardenweb. I suggest that you make your presence known before you stroll around, so that you won't come across foraging critters of all kinds. Snakes tend to be nocturnal, too. |
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| Not me! No way! LOL! I was born and raised a city girl, and despite me now living in the rural burbs, and my wannabe-farmer dreams, I'm afraid to go out at night, lol. Maybe if I at least had a street light by my house I'd feel better, but no, for now I stay safely indoors. It's too darn dark out there. I will venuture out on the patio in the summer, and last night was out with my daughter examining a huge toad, but that was only about five feet from the front door, so I was safe, lol. ;) |
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| Before my work schedule was so looney, I'd exercise after dark - and I loved that and miss being able to do it. Being outside on a warm, humid summer night is a whole other olfactory experience! You'd be surprised how many other people are out there during the summer months after dark walking/running. Note that I do feel safe in my neighborhood, am always aware of my surroundings and if something doesn't feel or look "right" I short-cut it back home or take another route. Right now I often have to water annuals after dark when I get home from work which I don't particularly enjoy, but I have to do it or the plants will croak. No time to poke around for bugs, critters, etc. all I want to do after working a 14+ hour day is get those darn plants watered, wash up and hit the sack to get some sleep before I have to get up and do it all again the next day. Someday I hope to be back to some sort of normal schedule where I can enjoy late evenings/nights outside again :0) |
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| I only wish we had warm, humid nights in which to be outside - I find that only when traveling :) I do go out at night, as Rhizo mentioned - as a means of identifying pests. I carry a big flashlight, a spray bottle of 1/4 ammonia to 3/4 water for spritzing slugs (won't harm your foliage and they are dead in a heartbeat), my oldest pruners for snipping climbing cutworms in half. My lawn and gardens would be a trout fishermen's dream, nightcrawlers everywhere. I have found some 4 legged pests I hadn't expected, raccoons, 'possum, and one night a deer crossed the road and started up the lawn towards me. I don't know what was causing the curiosity but I have to admit it gave me 'pause' - the front door was locked, it was a long way to the back, but the doe changed her mind and went back the way she came. I make sure my neighbors know it's me so no one reports me as a prowler :) |
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| I deal with cutworms at night in the garden in spring, and go out some after frost in the fall, but in the summer, I'd be carried away by mosquitoes. |
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| a spray bottle of 1/4 ammonia to 3/4 water for spritzing slugs Great idea! I'm going to try this tonight. I was out again last night and picked more beetles, earwigs, and slugs. The slugs are sticky and gross - using the spray bottle is much more appetizing. Mxk, crazy work schedule, hope that settles down for you. |
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| Sometimes I go out at night just to breath in the fragrance from my brugmansia blossoms. They open at twilight or later and are wonderfully aromatic. I am a night owl, 3:11 a.m. and I haven't been to bed yet, and love the night. If there is a breeze and the mosquitoes aren't too bad I will sit out and enjoy the garden and the night sounds and sights. |
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| One word...mosquitoes. They are typically little vultures this time of year all throughout the day (in shade) and early evening (usually until 10pm). Raising butterflies...that sounds fun. I'd also like to raise Fireflys and Lady Bugs. Dang aphids are so dang alloying! |
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- Posted by linda_schreiber z5/6 MI (My Page) on Mon, Aug 22, 11 at 21:54
| Yeah, I go out into the garden at night. And I wander the paths, and then sit for a while, and look at the shadow-shapes of the plants, and listen to all the sounds. Try to catch a glimpse of the moon, or watch the clouds. When it is 'night' in August, I'm afraid that work is just not on my agenda. Relaxing down for sleep, with my bare feet on the grass/soil, my behind on a chair, and my senses quietly open. At that time of night, there are probably things I should be seeing, and thwarting, but at that point, I don't care enough to do it. Time to go in ..... |
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| I'm a night wanderer, also. I go out into my woods at night, wander the paths, sit on the bench with my glass of wine and take in the fireflies and the night smells and sounds, look to see who's out there with me. If I sit very still possums, racoons and deer will come close to drink in the small pond, and I might see a fox, or an owl swooping through the trees over my head. Or maybe an armadillo shuffling its way along the path. The night blooming plantaganea hostas and flowering tobacco scent the whole yard with moths fluttering around the sweet nectar. Cool night air soothes my sun-weary skin, and it is paradise out there. I can't see the weeds or raggedy plants that need to be cut back, it all looks lush and beautiful, my perfect garden! |
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