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Post by daylilydude on Apr 30, 2013 12:03:37 GMT -5
What #&@#&$# animal would rip your tomato plants to shreds and leave all the rest of the garden alone? Out of 15 plants 2 are left and they don't look good at all, never touched the corn, beans, peppers, onions or the chard, just the tomatoes any help would be great so I can figure what caliber weapon I need
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 30, 2013 15:21:31 GMT -5
Look under your neighbor's porch. Wildlife generally eats everything else before tomatoes, because the solanum toxin makes them bitter. When tomatoes get shredded for the sheer joy of shredding something, it usually turns out to be someone's dog.
MB
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Post by stratcat on Apr 30, 2013 23:01:36 GMT -5
Man, that's a kick in the gut...
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Post by Laura_in_FL on May 1, 2013 22:56:39 GMT -5
I know, that makes me sad just to hear about it.
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Post by txdirtdog on May 4, 2013 16:51:52 GMT -5
DLD, I'd say it's the same kind of varmint that did this to my larger raised bed of garlic and bush watermelon plants last night. There were a couple of tail-wagging pit bulls bugging the rabbit and I had to chase them off a half-dozen times. I didn't know they'd been in the back yard, but there were large dog footprints all over the garden this morning. The pic doesn't show it well, but probably 2/3 of the garlic in that bed is toast as well as 2 hills of watermelon out of 4. The other 2 hills have been moooved, so I don't know if they'll make it or not. Most of the affected garlic was SHREDDED. Last I saw of the pooches, a police officer was putting them into his back seat. No, I didn't call for him, so apparently they were bugging other folks too. Anyway, looks like the garlic harvest will be much reduced over plan. The smaller raised bed was not touched. At least the watermelon can be replanted. I had already filled in the large, deep holes they dug along the left inside edge of the bed before I thought to take the pic.
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Post by stratcat on May 4, 2013 22:22:13 GMT -5
Really sorry to see that, TDD. I've had it with dogs running loose.
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Post by txdirtdog on May 5, 2013 7:11:21 GMT -5
Thanks Strat. Yep, I've had to chase 1 of the 2 dogs away from the rabbit hutch a few occasions before. Never saw signs of it in the back yard before now.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on May 5, 2013 11:18:22 GMT -5
Aw, I feel for you guys. I know that losing the garlic is especially disappointing, since it can't be replaced for a year.
Have you tried garlic chives? You could grow that this summer. It has a very mild, garlicky flavor, and you can use it as a garlic substitute in some dishes. Just a suggestion to tide you over until you can replenish your garlic supply.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2013 11:23:08 GMT -5
A scarecrow sprinkler or a couple BBs in the butt might convince him to play elsewhere. If the problem continues unchecked, set up a motion camera to get proof and bill the owner for everything the dog destroys. Market value of the final product, not seed price. Or just leave out some antifreeze laced weenies. It sounds like your neighbors would thank you.
MB
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Post by txdirtdog on May 5, 2013 21:31:48 GMT -5
Thanks Laura. You know I've tried chives half a dozen times over the years and I've yet to have a single one sprout? Another one of those veggies I need a remedial course in growing. I've still got garlic in the smaller raised bed which actually had more plants than the larger raised bed did. I'll just try to increase the supply again this year and just use less like I did last year.
Thanks for the deterent ideas Drahkk. I've seriously considered the BB idea. I think the owner is not much more than a kid - late teens/early twenties if I'm correct. So probably wouldn't be able to pay for the damage anyway. I'll avoid using the treat surprises as there are neighbor cats that prowl the perimeter of the yard - free rodent control - and my own dog is back there. If he was able to get loose, I'd regret that. I'm surprised that he and the two pits didn't get into it. Although he tolerates other animals a whole lot more than he did a few years back. He used to want to fight/eat any animal he came across. The scarecrow sprinkler's not a bad idea either.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 5, 2013 22:34:37 GMT -5
It did sound kinda harsh, didn't it? To be fair, I must admit that I've never actually DONE the poisoned bait thing. The problem went away after I let it be known around town that I considered it a viable option. Sometimes a little psychology can work wonders.
As for the BB thing, I HAVE used that one before. It works best if you can do it so the dog can't see where it's coming from. If he can see you, he learns to associate you with pain, so he'll run when he sees you coming, but will still come back whenever he thinks he can get away with it. If he can't tell where it's coming from he instead associates the pain with what he's doing at the time, so he actually learns to change the behavior.
The scarecrow sprinklers are a nice option because they're harmless, and they work whether you're there or not. If you use them though, make sure you use a hose with some reinforcement, at least medium duty. I have two that I move around to keep raccoons out of my corn, and I found out the hard way that "light duty" means "won't stand up to weeks of continuous pressure"...
MB
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Post by txdirtdog on May 6, 2013 9:33:11 GMT -5
Frankly, if it became an ongoing problem and I didn't have the other issues with it I listed, I might be tempted to consider it. It would be a hard call. The psychology can work wonders tho.
If I ever have to resort to BBs, I'll try to remain hidden.
I hear you on the hoses. Found that out summer before last using those round rubber soaker hoses. Watered late in the day using one, and forgot it was on. Next morning it had blown and there was LOTS of water. That was an expensive lesson too.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on May 6, 2013 15:56:45 GMT -5
I sow chives and garlic chives in early spring or indoors so I can keep the temperature mild. Gotta make sure they don't dry out (another reason they are easier to sprout indoors). They transplant just fine with reasonable care. Garlic chives are easier to grow than regular chives. They are almost invasive in many mild-winter areas if you let them set seed. I really thought mine would have bloomed this spring so I could get some fresh seed, but it hasn't. (I am probably nurturing it too much so it feels no pressure to reproduce!) But if you're still worried about germination, just pick up a plant - usually the big box nurseries have garlic chives plants in the spring. Sometimes the grocery stores have them, too - usually mislabeled as chives! Seed companies sometimes mix them up, too - the last pack of chives seed I bought turned out to be garlic chives. The seeds look identical, but it's easy to feel the difference in the leaves. Chives have round leaves like small onion leaves. Garlic chives have flat leaves. If you buy a plant, it will probably actually be a clump of lots of plants. You can go ahead and divide it to get your patch going faster. Just keep it watered until the roots settle in. Once the patch is going, it'll last forever. Most likely it will be evergreen in your area, too. Your summers are really hot, so I bet it would appreciate afternoon shade. Good luck getting the dog to stay out of your garden!
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Post by horsea on May 7, 2013 12:04:31 GMT -5
DLD & TDD, I am so sorry about the damage to your garden. I could write stories about what deer and rabbits and chickens have done to mine, over the years. One solution, and one only, and you know what it is, don't you: A 4-star fence. 8' tall. With a secure gate. Everything has to be just right. Yes, they are pricey and/or lots of labour if you build them yourself as opposed to hiring a fence builing company. I am still working on mine, piece by piece. Should be finished this year. It is so ugly - plastic + different types of wire + this and that. A mulligan's stew. Looks like dogpatch. Don't care anymore. P.S. Remember that poignant movie about the boy and the deer in the homesteading days in Florida? The Yearling.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 7, 2013 16:24:17 GMT -5
DLD & TDD, I am so sorry about the damage to your garden. I could write stories about what deer and rabbits and chickens have done to mine, over the years. One solution, and one only, and you know what it is, don't you: A 4-star fence. 8' tall. With a secure gate. Everything has to be just right. Yes, they are pricey and/or lots of labour if you build them yourself as opposed to hiring a fence builing company. I am still working on mine, piece by piece. Should be finished this year. It is so ugly - plastic + different types of wire + this and that. A mulligan's stew. Looks like dogpatch. Don't care anymore. P.S. Remember that poignant movie about the boy and the deer in the homesteading days in Florida? The Yearling. Oh that is one of my favorite movies so sad. Made me sob. We used to adopt wild animals (mostly birds) as pets when they were abandoned. So awful for a child to have to deal with that.
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billh
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Post by billh on Jan 8, 2014 0:16:04 GMT -5
I've had a few problems with dogs when I was farming a neighbors dogs kept chasing my mama cows, 1st offense a friendly talk about it 2nd friendly but firm 3rd was just to let the people know there wouldn't be a 4th talk. After I sold the farm and moved to my 5 acre ranch I had a little problem with the neighbors on 1 side but they moved pretty soon after. My neighbor now is the prosecuting attorney for the town. No worries. Might try the talk see what happens. Long way around to say I feel your pain
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billh
Pro Member
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Post by billh on Jan 8, 2014 13:35:36 GMT -5
By the way the term ranch is tongue in cheek. 2 dogs, 1 foster cow that thinks she's the 3rd dog, and my garden with room to expand. yea I'm blessed.
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