If you use a section of insulated wire to hang the chicken wire from the branch so the branch and chicken wire don't connect, it should work. Just strip open a section of your local electricians waste 12 or 14 gauge wire and use the single coated pieces inside. The 14 is really easy to twist and it is insulated to 600 volts.
What's Growing in the Garden
- Thread starter trc65
- Start date
Bare wire will still contact the tree?
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- #1,923
No bare wire touching the tree. Use the wire with insulation intact. If you don't have any romex sitting around to strip, look at getting an individual spool of 14 ga insulated solid wire.
If you go this route, I think I'd still want some electric fence posts/insulators to help hold the fencing down low.
If you go this route, I think I'd still want some electric fence posts/insulators to help hold the fencing down low.
On another note, I've mentioned I've been looking for a pressure canner for canning beans this year. I forgot I had purchased a National No 7 16 Qt pressure canner years ago. Bad shape, but I bought it for the pot to cook down tomatoes. Don't use it for cooking anymore because it's Aluminum. I did use it to cook down a deer skull for a mount I posted a long time ago. I put it away somewhere and recently found it. The lid I tossed outside and recently found it. I have the basket too. I'll clean the lid and pot up with a little phosphoric acid, name threads I hope. Don't think I want to trust the old one. Then I would still need the jiggler and the rubber pressure relief button. Photo tomorrow after I get it cleaned up.
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- #1,926
Should be able to get parts, don't forget a lid gasket. I always keep an extra on hand just in case. By the way, I don't have a Rural King, but do have Farm King and they usually have all the parts for pressure canners. Rural King may carry parts too.
I’ve got good peaches this year and expect a big squirrel problem. I’m going to try a small piece of electric net that I once used around my beehives. I’d recommend that you try baiting the fence. Wire on anything metal(cat food can,metal bottle top) that you can put something attractive on like peanut butter maybe.
When they come to that they get the nose or the tongue first. If they learn to respect it before the goodies are ripe, it may help. Good advice for all purposes.
When I was a kid and we turned first time heifers out to pasture we always led them to the fence and let them sniff it. Learned real quick!
This is the fence I’m gonna use. This was around this swarm trap box I had moved to my in-laws. Had baited weeks before but it was not fresh bait. Guessing this was a bear, but not sure. Fence was a little roughed up but the bees were okay!
I use Aggie quarters to control squirrels...
Alan
Alan
I'm a little slowDon't know what it Aggie quarters are, but I'd bet they contain gunpowder
22lr
Alan
Alan
The garden has started paying back. Intensive gardening works ok with some plants and horribly with others. Beans don't want to coexist with any of my other crops. I will likely just sow them in the lettuce bed when it is done next year instead of trying to interseed them in the edges of the beds. They still don't get quite enough sunshine there to produce heavily.
I picked another 2 quarts of domestic Blackberries today. Nice big ones. Previous ones were not completely turned and full. I think it was because of the heat we had. I didn't water early enough.
Anyway, I've picked wild berries pretty much my whole life and the vines were always supported by weeds. I've noticed this the last several years on my tame ones.
The offshoot of the main vine is still full of berries and the stem seem to break of the main. Then the remaining berries never ripen. A lot of it going on. I don't know if a) this is normal b) the weight of the fruit is causing it because it's unsupported c) birds are doing it. My yield would be way up if these berries would ripen.
I've pruned the vines heavier this year than previous years and the main vines are interwoven into the trellis. Most are supported. Do I need to weave them tight in the trellis so more of the offshoots are supported. Any ideas into the cause or prevention of it happening next year?
Anyway, I've picked wild berries pretty much my whole life and the vines were always supported by weeds. I've noticed this the last several years on my tame ones.
The offshoot of the main vine is still full of berries and the stem seem to break of the main. Then the remaining berries never ripen. A lot of it going on. I don't know if a) this is normal b) the weight of the fruit is causing it because it's unsupported c) birds are doing it. My yield would be way up if these berries would ripen.
I've pruned the vines heavier this year than previous years and the main vines are interwoven into the trellis. Most are supported. Do I need to weave them tight in the trellis so more of the offshoots are supported. Any ideas into the cause or prevention of it happening next year?
We’re down to okra, and okra, and okra… can’t say I’m sorry either. I like okra and I’m tired of picking and putting up. I’ma see if I can talk the wife into a store boughtn supper tonight. A hamburger or maybe Mexican food!
Alan
Alan
Squirrels and rabbits - AAaaaaaarrrrrrgggggghhhhh. Have had, or more correctly have, mole problems, but may have found an end around on those. Ain't cheap but not bad. Stainless steel wire mesh root baskets. So far have been working. The moles/voles will get to the perimeter of the basket and probably get to some feeder roots, but can't get to the main roots. Rabbits, on my more expensive plants, I'll put a 9 to 10" diameter x 24" tall tube of galvanized rabbit fencing. Can't do everything - that stuff is expensive! I've used plastic fencing, but they gnawed through that. I've tried a surrounding fence, but they have dug under them - they don't seem to do that with the tubes - however, any leaves that are near the wire, can be rabbit food. With the root baskets and fencing tubes - would that be called Full Metal Jacket? Do have to stake the tubes as they have figured out if they somehow knock them down, they can get to the plant.
Trying to out think the tree rats, and decided to put a few tomato plants in pots on the deck. Was doing great until Saturday morning about 11:00. Got back from KY and looked out on the deck and the tomato plants were about 1/2 the height of when we left early that morning. Every tomato gone, and many branches broken or eaten off. Well, got on amazon and bought some traps. Gotta find out what baits rabbits and squirrels will come to. Within an hour I had caught 2 chipmunks and relocated them. All good and dandy, but they are not the ones causing the damage. And NO, I can't use what you call Aggie Quarters (I can not decide whether to take offense to that or not) as right in the middle of the city!
Another thing I seem to have bad this year is earwigs. My daughter wanted some basil plants this year, so told her I'd grow some for her from seed as the plants were exceedingly expensive. Had to replant 4 times. First 3 times something got all of them. After the first time, put wire mesh over the trays, but still lost them. 4th time I moved again, off the ground and onto a deck table and mesh. Doing ok for now. Had to do the same from some okra - appears my rabbits really, really, really like okra! So grow in pots until 8 inches tall or so, then plant in place with Full Metal Jacket. But had top reseed 3 times, because something ate them like the basil. I think with all the new construction (bah humbug) up and down the street, it has affected and driven the squirrels and rabbits to other places like my yard. Have not had it this bad in 43 years of living here.
It is not just tomato plants that seem to be bogged down. Just about any plants that I've bought this year, seems to not be doing well. And I have not bought any from the big boxes. I'm wondering if that in the haste to get plants out to consumers and make money, they are growing them too hurriedly and when they reach my yard, they are in for a big let-down and sulk for a little longer than they used to. Wife wanted some celosia this year. Bought 20 plants from a big mail order house with some seeds. Idea was to get the plants for earlier yield to be followed up with more I grew from seed. The tops of 3 plants got eaten off, and 3 died just after planting, 3 died a little after, and 3 don't look so good now. Out of the 8 growing well, only 3 are robust. However, they are quick to wilt. Now, the seed grown are just puffing away, don't wilt, or whatever - yet. Did have to reseed them once though.
Pears - all eaten by squirrels
Figs - cold killed to roots, all resprouted and a couple have figs, but not sure enough time remains for them to ripen.
PawPaw - No fruit.
Japanese Persimmon - Something is currently eating them off the tree.
Currants - 1st year and got a few.
Gooseberries - 2 plants died - think moles/voles got to roots.
Something is going on with our squirrel population this year. On my walks around the lake - there is a number of pawpaws and persimmon. This year most of the pawpaws bloomed, but did not set any fruit. I think they must have bloomed during an early warm spell when there were no pollinators. Same thing happened to my trees. Native persimmons something unusual. I've been walking the lake for 40 years. This year, the last couple of weeks something (squirrels undoubtedly) have been taking the persimmon, take one bite and throwing them down. The ground is covered in green unripe persimmons. In fact, you will likely get hit by falling pieces of persimmon, walking under the trees.
One night's rabbit damage on a pot of asiatic lilies. Who knew rabbits ate lilies! I've grown lilies for 15 years and this is a first!!
Trying to out think the tree rats, and decided to put a few tomato plants in pots on the deck. Was doing great until Saturday morning about 11:00. Got back from KY and looked out on the deck and the tomato plants were about 1/2 the height of when we left early that morning. Every tomato gone, and many branches broken or eaten off. Well, got on amazon and bought some traps. Gotta find out what baits rabbits and squirrels will come to. Within an hour I had caught 2 chipmunks and relocated them. All good and dandy, but they are not the ones causing the damage. And NO, I can't use what you call Aggie Quarters (I can not decide whether to take offense to that or not) as right in the middle of the city!
Another thing I seem to have bad this year is earwigs. My daughter wanted some basil plants this year, so told her I'd grow some for her from seed as the plants were exceedingly expensive. Had to replant 4 times. First 3 times something got all of them. After the first time, put wire mesh over the trays, but still lost them. 4th time I moved again, off the ground and onto a deck table and mesh. Doing ok for now. Had to do the same from some okra - appears my rabbits really, really, really like okra! So grow in pots until 8 inches tall or so, then plant in place with Full Metal Jacket. But had top reseed 3 times, because something ate them like the basil. I think with all the new construction (bah humbug) up and down the street, it has affected and driven the squirrels and rabbits to other places like my yard. Have not had it this bad in 43 years of living here.
It is not just tomato plants that seem to be bogged down. Just about any plants that I've bought this year, seems to not be doing well. And I have not bought any from the big boxes. I'm wondering if that in the haste to get plants out to consumers and make money, they are growing them too hurriedly and when they reach my yard, they are in for a big let-down and sulk for a little longer than they used to. Wife wanted some celosia this year. Bought 20 plants from a big mail order house with some seeds. Idea was to get the plants for earlier yield to be followed up with more I grew from seed. The tops of 3 plants got eaten off, and 3 died just after planting, 3 died a little after, and 3 don't look so good now. Out of the 8 growing well, only 3 are robust. However, they are quick to wilt. Now, the seed grown are just puffing away, don't wilt, or whatever - yet. Did have to reseed them once though.
Pears - all eaten by squirrels
Figs - cold killed to roots, all resprouted and a couple have figs, but not sure enough time remains for them to ripen.
PawPaw - No fruit.
Japanese Persimmon - Something is currently eating them off the tree.
Currants - 1st year and got a few.
Gooseberries - 2 plants died - think moles/voles got to roots.
Something is going on with our squirrel population this year. On my walks around the lake - there is a number of pawpaws and persimmon. This year most of the pawpaws bloomed, but did not set any fruit. I think they must have bloomed during an early warm spell when there were no pollinators. Same thing happened to my trees. Native persimmons something unusual. I've been walking the lake for 40 years. This year, the last couple of weeks something (squirrels undoubtedly) have been taking the persimmon, take one bite and throwing them down. The ground is covered in green unripe persimmons. In fact, you will likely get hit by falling pieces of persimmon, walking under the trees.
One night's rabbit damage on a pot of asiatic lilies. Who knew rabbits ate lilies! I've grown lilies for 15 years and this is a first!!
Trying to outthink tree rats? Pffffftt! Don’t be silly… Unless we keep their populations in check by pure, raw, unadulterated attrition, they will take over the world…. Evidently you should bait your traps with Asiatic lilies and tomato plants…. There are also any number of air rifles that will work wonders… My old Benjamin 22 pump knocks the heck out of a tree rat better than a 22… It’s only 60 years old but still packs a whollop with five pumps. An ear of dried corn is a squirrel magnet…. The hawks, owls and foxes keep the gophers and moles in check, but just barely...
Alan
Alan
Lead poisoning @Mike Hill. Not the kind you're thinking but pellet gun. Take care of the tree rats and bugs bunny!
Daffodils interplant with the lilies may save em from the rabbits.
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- #1,940
Alium day. Started pulling onions, will let them dry in the sun for a few days before they go into the shed to cure. Also digging the last variety of garlic today.
