ChefTalk.com › ChefTalk Cooking Forums › Food and Cooking Forums › The Chef's Garden › Garden planted, destroyed the next morning
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Garden planted, destroyed the next morning

post #1 of 16
4/19/09 at 8:28am
Thread Starter 
Well, I just planted about $50 of seeds, in 4 seed starter trays (200 pods) and some more stuff in pots.

And now, the next morning its all destroyed.

It looks like the animal was after either the beans, and/or chevril, and/or everything.

What is the best way to keep animals from wanting the seeds?
Reply
post #2 of 16
4/19/09 at 2:18pm
>>>What is the best way to keep animals from wanting the seeds?

in all probability you'll never stop them _wanting_ to munch on your stuff - that's Mom Nature at work.....

do you have any idea what kind of critters you're up against? sounds a bit like squirrels or perhaps chipmunks - if they're digging in pots/starter flats.

repellents concoctions & folk methods for rabbits, deer, etc. abound abound abound.

perhaps the most successful is a physical barrier - put some hardware cloth over the pots/flats and weight it down - double bricks - squirrels are very persistent.

I have used 12 inch wide "strips" of hardware cloth when direct seeding to keep the squirrels from digging. of course, as stuff starts to sprout, timing is _everything_

cayenne pepper is also supposed to be a wonderful mammal repellent. my results are mixed.
Reply
post #3 of 16
5/15/09 at 8:56am
sorry to hear that. I feel your pain. I started my seeds indoors a few weeks ago and they were doing very well... Then one morning I find them all shriveled up.... I suspect someone in my house sabotaged it.
Reply
post #4 of 16
5/15/09 at 9:13am
Thread Starter 
Yup, the good news is, its still early in the season, so it not to late to start over.

I restarted mine and have moved it from the house, to pots in the yard.
Reply
post #5 of 16
5/15/09 at 9:29am
Good point. Yes, I have not given up. :-)

Good luck on your garden!
Reply
post #6 of 16
5/17/09 at 6:28pm
I use bird netting to protect my vegetables and herbs in pots and in the ground from rodents as well as birds. So far it's worked. I've also heard that mint repels some animals -- rodents? Haven't tried it myself. Good luck!
Reply
post #7 of 16
5/26/09 at 10:16am
Although not my favorite recomendation, I have used moth balls in my flower beds and garden borders for years with good sucess. Just put them into the ground around the borders of your beds and/or pots. One word of caution is that they look like candy to kids so I RECOMEND NOT TO USE THEM WITH YOUNG CHILDREN AROUND.
Reply
post #8 of 16
5/31/09 at 4:46pm
I know the feeling, rotten for sure.
Maybe a gun bigger than the offending animal;)I had 3 cheapo store bought mesh collanders around the house, turned one upside down [when the day after planting my thai basil, it all but croaked after being chewed on by gnats or whatever devoured the cute little tasty bush]. Propped on little rocks to hold it off the ground and not topple over the basil, they're staying off, it gets enough light and water still and for me anyway, I'm having success. Why hasn't someone devised a way of using screening or something to protect from hungry buggers.:crazy:
Reply
post #9 of 16
8/3/09 at 3:35pm
That sucks. Around here the deer are our only real problem, and slugs.
Reply
post #10 of 16
8/3/09 at 3:37pm
Yeah...I hate the slugs !!!
Reply
post #11 of 16
8/5/09 at 8:02am
I've always found a standard roll of plastic-mesh fencing to be quite effective. Not only does it keep most critters out, but it also helps to upright the larger plants.

As for the bugs, a little dish soap mixed with water does the trick for me - it's more organic than moth balls or other pesticides and its seems to be pretty repellent.
Reply
post #12 of 16
9/25/09 at 1:45am
hi am a newbie here!...am sad to hear that...why wont you make a fence on your garden...my dad usually do that to keep animals away from his garden...i hope it can help.
Reply
post #13 of 16
9/27/09 at 7:52am
I did use a fence and a few other precautions.

The season is just about over...

I was able to harvest a bunch of tomatoes, a couple peppers and one zucchini.
Oh yeah, 3 pumpkins too!

:-)
Reply
post #14 of 16
9/29/09 at 1:09pm
Glad it wasn't a total loss
Reply
post #15 of 16
9/29/09 at 1:12pm
Yeah, I'm happy.

Next year its on BIG TIME though!
Reply
post #16 of 16
9/29/09 at 2:30pm
I hope this compost that I'm developing this year will work on my behalf for next years crop. Because I am tired of the work and effort that goes along with doing a garden only to find out that much of what you're hoping for did not develope.
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: The Chef's Garden
ChefTalk.com › ChefTalk Cooking Forums › Food and Cooking Forums › The Chef's Garden › Garden planted, destroyed the next morning