Time to pull out the pie tins??

13 years ago

Grr, I went outside a little earlier to check on my babies and I found a couple containers knocked over. My black hollyhock got the worst of it. All my seedlings were uprooted and the container was laying on its side. Grrr.... I can't say if it was the wild cats or the squirrels.

I normally put out a pole and a pie tin to keep the critters away from my tomatoes but I have never thought about trying to keep the critters away from my containers.

What are you guys doing to keep the critters from knocking your containers over and uprooting your babies??

I do believe I managed to replant some in the container I just sure hope they are going to be ok.

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Comments (6)

jodie74
13 years ago
That is a BUMMER!! Hope your babies survive!!
gardenunusual
13 years ago
If you have old spices at home, or can buy them in bulk cheap, may I suggest cinnamon, cayenne, and/or hot pepper flakes. Squirrels *hate* the smell of cinnamon, I sprinkled it all around my beds this fall when I discovered them and it worked like a charm. Did the hot pepper too. Has to be reapplied after a rain.

If your containers have handles, maybe tie them together if it's the wind knocking them over?
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sandysgardens
13 years ago
Shoot, I wish I had babies to worry about. All I have at the moment are my frozen jugs under 14 additional inches of snow that fell overnight and more still falling! I don't expect babies until the end of March beginning of April.

I've been lucky though not to have to worry about critters to much getting my jugs since I started keeping them on man-made tables (just for wintersowing) on the back patio. With them just a foot or so off the ground it seems to keep the critters, cats, dogs and what have ya from getting into them. My first year I had some on the ground and they were being knocked over by critter and man.

I think your pie tin idea is a good one, or maybe those whirly flowers on a stick would help. I think anything that helps in the garden would help to deter animals by the winter sown containers too.

Sandy
countrycarolyn
Original Author
13 years ago
LOL, ya know cinnamon is one of those all purpose herbs that taste good too!! I have learned so much about that herb that I guess when it goes on sale those are one of things I better stock up on. I am going to give that a shot, thank you gardenunusual!!

Sandy, Jodie I sure hope the warm will visit you both soon!! I have had my windows up pretty much all day.

Also those little pinwheels are a good little idea, I never really thought about that to much, they would probably be cuter than my years old pie tins, LOL.
ladyrose65
13 years ago
"Cinnamon!?" There is alway great info. on this site.

Trip to the dollar store!
gardenweed_z6a
13 years ago
Cinnamon also neutralizes damp-off if you're growing things indoors under lights or in a sunny window. It won't hurt your seedlings but it will kill the damping off fungus. It also naturally lowers blood sugar a certain percentage. I hadn't thought of using it outdoors but I shouldn't be surprised that it has its uses in the garden as well as indoors.

Now if only it would keep the slugs away from my hostas...