Simple garden techniques described in details so anyone can easily follow through on their end while sharing ideas and pictures on how the garden is progressing through out the year.
Need advice
I'm ready to throw in a towel on getting any harvest this year. Between the deer, groundhog, birds and squirrels it was hard enough trying to get anything to grow and protect it, but now we have a family of 3 raccoons moved in last fall and this week they've been very actively visiting my gardens - both new and old side. And completely disregarding water sprinklers - just walking past it like nothing happened. We also have automatic light that comes on motion detector on the patio - no result. They come to the patio and help themselves to my greens. Then easily climb the fence to the main garden to help some more to my salads and dig out my potatoes and bulb. I'm getting very frustrated with this and yet I can't bring myself to call a trapper because I know he'll kill them and that's against my way of life - my second major occupation is to rescue animals - not kill them! Someone recommended covering entire top of the garden with chicken wire but that will make it very hard for my husband to get in and do anything inside - he's taller than the fence, and while I'm a shrimp and it won't bother me but he'd have to bend each time to get in. Not a fun idea from his perspective. So if anyone know of a sure-way to repel animals I'm all ears.
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In the same situation, we live trapped them and relocated. ....far, far away. We rented the trap the first year but eventually bought one.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to check our town code if I can do it - live traps are not allowed in some places as it can be considered hazard for local cats/dogs. If I can get one I'll try to trap and move them.
DeleteTrapping/relocating is a good idea. None of our neighbors with dogs have problems with raccoons-but getting a dog is not an option for us. Best of luck!
ReplyDeleteGetting a dog is also not an option for me. My hubby is patient with my cats as it's part of my rescue program (and he loves his new baby boy that we addopted 2 yrs ago) but he won't get a dog.
DeleteI would also trap and relocate them far far away!
ReplyDeleteRelocating does absolutely no good. There are a couple dozen raccoons living in every square mile of the US on average, so they just shuffle around when you move them. On top of that, they are smart enough to come back unless you drive them at least 20 to 25 miles away. They are way overpopulated, and shooting them helps the population to remain more stable.
DeleteWe have the same situation with a jerky groundhog. Our chickens chased him off a couple times. Even though those chickens are good defenders, they too help themselves to whatever they please. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteGroundhog is also a big problem as he lives under our shed and sometimes overnights under porch but so far water repelant worked on him. It does not work on raccoons.
DeleteHave you tried some of the repellants? I've used pepper also Liquid Fence though the latter doesn't say anything about raccoons.
ReplyDeleteWe had raccoons stay over the winter under our deck and screen porch. One died under there so I'm still having that smell permeate the place. I've put chicken wire in the spots where they went under and sprinkled with pepper. I know they've been visiting when I find new transplants dug up. They dug around a rose bush after I fertilized it. I guess it was the fish emulsion that drew them to that. So far no problem in the vegetable garden.
I have 3 high pressure water repelants, I sprayed liquid fence all around the property but it had no effect on any of the critters. I'm actually going to try coyote scent crystals and see if that helps.
DeleteThis morning I walked out to find several of my tulips pulled out and half eaten bulbs and looks like they really like brassicas.
I concur with the others on trapping. You can pick up a havahart trap from home depot for about 50 bucks. It is worth the investment. What you decide to do after that is a matter of personal preference. If you don't want them harmed than relocate them. However, in many places it is against the law to relocate wildlife. Don't give up, you have worked too hard.
ReplyDeleteI don't want to give up - I want to grow my own food but all these critters are making VERY hard to do this. Tonight I'll stop by our animal control to find out what our rules are on relocation.
DeleteI'm so sorry to hear about your troubles. We had a groundhog problem last year. One thing I've heard that might help is leaving the top of your chicken wire fences loose (even drooping out away from the garden). The goal is that when the critters climb, the fence would flop over and drop them back on the ground. Maybe your husband would be willing to trade in a couple of your cats for a dog! :)
ReplyDeleteI'll talk to him about chicken wire (and maybe barbed wire to add), but sorry my furbabies are not for trade :) he tolerates them but they are my "babies" and I'd rather give up gardening than give up my cats :)
DeleteO.K., O.K., Gotcha! Maybe you can find the saddest, most desperate and pathetic dog story and convince your husband that you were its only hope; and that's why you brought it home! (but make sure it's a very cute one)
DeleteI only have my own furbabies and squirrels and birds to worry about here, but in Arizona many of the gardens are completely enclosed in chicken wire fencing, including the tops. They aren't pretty, but they are effective. If not too large, they can even be covered with plastic to extend the season, or just on the windy sides as a wind break. Your garden is so pretty, it would be a shame to detract from it that way. On the other hand, an empty (eaten) garden is really not a thing of beauty :-( I guess I'd opt for the Havahart traps.
ReplyDeleteI don't think covering 40 feet long garden with chicken wire will look good, but my hubby promissed me to add more water repelants and sprinkle stinky peppery mix to see if it runs them off. If that fails we'll go hiking in woods and see if we can find some bear dumps to place some around borders of the property - that would definitely drive raccons out.
DeleteIf you can afford the cost, an electric fence will definitely keep those guys out and it is definitely more attractive than chicken wire. Live traps are a good option if it is allowed in your area.
ReplyDeletePeople around here actually plant veggies with prickly vines (like cucumbers) around their garden fence. The cukes vine on the fence, and most critters hate the texture of the vines and will avoid them after their first encounter.
What I do, personally, is save my cat and dog hair that accumulates in the house and spread it around my garden and flowers. I am not sure if this will repel the raccoons, but it has helped us with deer. For groundhogs, we find their holes and fill them in with our used cat litter and cover it with something heavy. The groundhogs relocate to better, less smelly, pastures!
thank you for the suggestion, I will add cucumbers, beans and melons to my fencing and see if it helps.
DeleteI realize you are against killing raccoons, but the fact is you will never get rid of them if you don't. They are among the smartest of animals and will come back even if you drop them off 20 miles away. Just my advice.
ReplyDeleteBuy a steal box trap on amazon and put some bird suit in it, and shoot them. I disposed of two raccoons just this week using that trick...
I have this trap - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004RAMT/ref=oh_o00_s00_i00_details
Works like a charm.
i won't be able to bring myself to kill or injure animal :( so far we've been adding more repelants to the garden so we'll see if it works.
DeleteOne other note, I read recently that there are, on average over 20 raccoon adults per square mile in the US, on average. They are way overpopulated, and shooting some of them actually helps keep the population stable. Otherwise, raging epidemics of disease tend to wipe out the populations from time to time, which is very bad for the ecosystem.
ReplyDelete