Tuesday

relationship~

 bridal wreath

I'm in a relationship with all the critters coming out of the woods to visit my yard.  It's a true love hate relationship.  I LOVE seeing them; but HATE it when they nip off the tops of my flowers before they even have a chance to bloom.

My solution ... plant so many flowers that if a few get nipped off I won't even notice or care.  Ah... but I do  notice  and I do care  ...  and it's the squirrels in particular that are getting a bad name for themselves.  I have hanging planters on my deck and those little rat looking, fur balls with bushy tails are demolishing them!   If I don't have seed in the feeders... they chew the feeders apart.  I swear... they are worse than the bears when it comes to destroying property.

 cinnamon ferns

Yesterday I had four squirrels on the feeders, four on the deck floor, five on the ground all at the same time.  Now these are all adult squirrels and I know they have babies out there that they'll be teaching soon to come to my deck and make a mess... what to do... what to do? I'm thinking of setting some live traps to move them away from here ~ but if I move the adult squirrels while they have little ones in the nest ... the little ones won't survive.

Then there's Plan B ~ take down the bird feeders.... well ...  that's not going to happen.

 buttercups

Maybe Plan C will work ...  set up a squirrel's only feeding station.  I'll stash it with peanuts and corn and sunflowers and maybe they'll leave my smaller feeders for the birds alone... and quit jumping on my hanging planters.

 purple bougainvilla vine

I really don't want to resort to Plan D ~  yep... you know it ...  


And what about all the rabbits  !!!  ??? !!!! ????


Until next time...
So it goes in my neck of the woods.
~mel

6 comments:

  1. We have the same types of problems you do, Mel. The Squirrels about drive us crazy... The thing which made me want to buy a GUN (sorry) was when they ate the buds from our beautiful Rhododendron bush --long before the bush bloomed. That is almost worse to me than them getting into the bird feeders.

    We also have chipmunks --which dig huge holes in our flowerbeds and even under the driveway and under the porch and house. They are VERY destructive....

    My hubby says "welcome to living in the woods"...I guess that goes along with it--but they do drive me crazy. We do buy a spray liquid called LIQUID FENCE which we spray on the roses and other flowers --to keep the deer from eating them. It works about 90% of the time. Occasionally--they will get some anyhow... The spray doesn't hurt them--it just is something they don't like to smell nor taste.

    We haven't seen any rabbits so far this year --but 2 yrs. ago, the baby rabbits ate the flowers off of all of our Impatiens. That drove me crazy also---but we found nothing that would stop them.

    I hope that gorgeous white bush is still blooming when you have the big wedding. It's so pretty...

    Good Luck with your critters... Let me know what works.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  2. My problem is with deer, and when I googled "plants that repel deer," I was amazed with the information I found. I have since planted marigolds around the plants that deer love, and guess what? No more nibbling, AND it is beautiful! I will also be planting poppies, lavender and, in the fall, daffodils for that reason. I didn't want to chase the deer away, 'cause The Kids and I love to watch them. I just wanted them to leave my beautiful plants alone. Now they do! It's the most pleasant and cost effective method I could find, and I'm very happy with it. Who cold be unhappy with more beauty? :)

    Try googling the same for squirrels and rabbits. I'm betting you'll find some help.

    Good luck, Mel!

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  3. I tried and tried to make a squirrel proof feeder for Shirl, I had no luck. Her squirrels can jump 80 feet!!!!! (well it seems that way.)
    Love the pictures

    (silently he says, "get the shotgun, squirrel gravy is good!") 'splain that to 'em', Surely that will work. hahahahaaha
    good entry.

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  4. Mel, try some red pepper spray on the
    outside of the feeder...that should
    stop them....hopefully.

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  5. aren't we having the similar problems lately....some out there will not like this solution...but Plan D works. For my planters, to keep the chipmunks from planting sunflower seeds in them, I put rocks about a quarter to half dollar sized, in between the plants. It works. and it's pretty too and holds the moisture in the pots longer...have fun.
    Love the pics.
    Blessya

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  6. Fluffy goes with Plan Dee, with all varmints. Besides the eagles have to eat too.

    XXXOOOXXX, Tim

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