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Garden Gate:  Hole-y Garden, Batman!  |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 20 2010 : 11:08:49 AM
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Hi girls! Okay - so, I knew something was eating up my squash and pumpkin flowers. We've had very few zucchini and yellow squash, and not even one pumpkin on the vines. (A neighbor has pumpkins growing in his yard that you can throw your arms around - waaah!) We had had a mole problem, but we were pretty sure the neighbor's poison took care of them. We also know there are cute little bunny rabbits because we've seen them out there a couple of times. Then two nights ago my husband was out staking wild tomatoes and came across a lame bird just sitting in a corner of our garden atop of some straw. It was alive, but didn't move. We left it alone, and within a few minutes it disappeared. Then yesterday, it was out in the yard, flopping around. Its wings move, but it can't fly. So sad. Again, we left it alone. Then last night I was out pickin' corn, and I don't know which one frightened the other more - me or the bird. It flopped and hopped around from one side of the garden to the other, squeaking and squawking as I jumped back letting out a bloodcurdling scream with corn cobs flying everywhere. I felt so bad for the poor thing, but I don't think there's anything we can do for it, is there? So we just decided to leave it be. THEN, this morning, I went out to see what was looking good for picking, and underneath the pumpkin leaves I found a hole. It's HUGE to me. About 4" around and you can look deep into it, as if it were a pipe! It's not the bird chomping on my pumpkins and squash flowers. And I'm honestly thinking it's not the rabbits, either. What the heck do you think it might be? And how should we handle it? I've never seen anything like this in my yard before! My guys want to throw little firecrackers in the hole when my hubby gets home from work. I don't like that idea at all. I was thinking maybe I should put the hose in there, but what if it's an angry animal and comes running out another yet undiscovered hole and heads right towards me on the attack! Eghads! Help! Any ideas or suggestions?
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
Farmgirl Sister #1974 |
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clothedinscarlet
True Blue Farmgirl
1333 Posts
Siobhan
Battle Creek
MI
USA
1333 Posts |
Posted - Aug 20 2010 : 11:53:18 AM
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Sounds like a groundhog hole to me. Stupid little buggers. I've got one as we speak that keeps popping up those big holes all over my yard and I catch him in the garden all the time. Some of the wholes are so wide I'm afraid my boys would fall into them. The really big ones we have filled in with ash out of the fireplace soot shoot thingy. One of them ran up into my oak tree yesterday and then stared out a hole at me with his beedie little eyes as I told him I was watching him LOL! I think my husband is going to get a friend' live trap again like we did last year.
Farmgirl Sister #1110
Siobhan - AKA Liza-Jane (my farmgirl name), wife to my best friend, Trent, and mommy to Camden (11/28/05) and Bennett (7/11/07). and Truman (7/28/09) |
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natesgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1735 Posts
angela
martinsville
indiana
USA
1735 Posts |
Posted - Aug 20 2010 : 12:41:34 PM
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Sounds right to me. We had one a few years ago, but we scared it off with some nasty smellin stuff from the feed store. Scared us off the area for a week or two as well! LOL!
Farmgirl Sister #1438
God - Gardening - Family - Is anything else important? |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Aug 20 2010 : 12:51:29 PM
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LOL! Oh, my... I have family in Punxsutawney - I hope Phil didn't hitch a ride with them just to come vacation in my yard! LOL! Oh, no, though - I just can't believe it - GROUNDHOGS? Wow... Thanks, girls. 'Can't wait for my husband to get home so I can tell him! He just won't believe it. ;)
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
Farmgirl Sister #1974 |
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Leilaht
True Blue Farmgirl
155 Posts
Elizabeth
Highland
MI
USA
155 Posts |
Posted - Aug 20 2010 : 2:44:00 PM
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my mom always grew crown imperials where she didn't want moles and groundhogs. They are really pretty flowers that smell like skunk. Being rodents, they should be repelled by mint and marigolds too. Plant some.
Liz
Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
Proverbs 31:25 |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Aug 20 2010 : 3:02:24 PM
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Thanks, Liz! I've got marigolds out there, and my front flower garden has a whole section of mint, but it's not in the back in the garden. But I'm afraid to put it where the veggies are - you know how it can take over! I'll look into crown imperials for next year, though - definitely!
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
Farmgirl Sister #1974 |
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minnie
Farmgirl in Training
28 Posts
minnie
USA
28 Posts |
Posted - Aug 20 2010 : 3:25:04 PM
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what will make them move out really fast is a bar of irish spring soap dropped in their holes, it will also ward off deer if you hang it in the bushes and trees, and the best part, no poisen.
Now as far as that bird goes, I would hope you would call your local game warden, and have them come out and catch that injured bird, and either fix it if possible, or put it down. |
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Ninibini
True Blue Farmgirl
7577 Posts
Nini
Pennsylvania
USA
7577 Posts |
Posted - Aug 20 2010 : 4:22:56 PM
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Hi Minnie! I will do that! I've got Irish Spring in the cupboard right now! Thank you! The bird is gone today - no sign of it whatsoever. Thanks for the advice, though - I'll call if it comes back! :)
God gave us two hands... one to help ourselves, and one to help others!
Farmgirl Sister #1974 |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Aug 20 2010 : 4:26:58 PM
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Yep, sounds like a groundhog to me, too. And those things are UGLY! And they love any kind of melon. When we first moved here the houses had been abandoned for several years. There was a whole family of them under the little house. They didn't like the idea of new people moving in! They ate every one of my cantaloupe and watermelons the first year. I caught one in a live trap once in the middle of the garden. It was on a Sunday and I didn't know it was there til after Church. It was dead, poor little thing. It must of got stressed out and the heat and all. I did not want to do that. Anyway, this year I have not seen any. I have seen rabbits though. And LOTS of stinkin' chickens!
Good luck getting rid of yours,Nini.
Kris
Happiness is simple. |
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Leilaht
True Blue Farmgirl
155 Posts
Elizabeth
Highland
MI
USA
155 Posts |
Posted - Aug 21 2010 : 06:37:34 AM
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mint and marigolds are supposed to keep rabbits away too!
Liz
Strength and honor are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.
Proverbs 31:25 |
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Garden Gate: Hole-y Garden, Batman! |
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Hole-y Garden, Batman!
