What did you do in the garden today?

[Smokerbill]

That's a crying shame @WthrLady

But I guess that's how they maintain their reputation for selling only quality plants, even if it is at an exhorbitant price.

That's why I start all I can from seed.

 

[gtaus]

The truce is over, and I am now at war with the squirrels on my property!

I planted some bean beds a few days ago, and the squirrels got into the raised bed and dug up lots of the seeds. I don't think they were looking for bean seeds to eat because I found a number of been seeds dug up and on top of the dirt. But the seeds will not germinate if they are sitting on top of the soil and not in it.

I had to make a few squirrel proof screens to lay on top of my planters to protect the bean seeds until they have a chance to grow. Much like the screens in the Google picture above. So, I am basically reseeding those bean beds and starting over.

The squirrels are also getting into my raised beds with tomato and pepper plants, but they don't seem to bother the plants already growing. But they dig small holes in the dirt all around the plants and I wonder what they find in the dirt that is so interesting to them?

Dear Wife was upset and wanted to kill the squirrels, but I assured her that was a losing proposition as we live on 3 acres of wood property and there is no end to squirrels ready to move into the territory if we managed to trap and kill the squirrels currently living here.

 

[Smokerbill]

I always check the cull wood at Home Depot when I go to town. I have found some really good deals on usable cull lumber that I normally would not pay full price for at the store. I got some really good deals on plywood that had been used for shelving but did not have any retail stickers on the sheets. I picked up 2 full sheets of 3/4 inch shelving plywood for about $2.00 each. They were like new. Fantastic deal.

When I went to HD today I checked the cull pile. I had no plans for building anything, but I ended up getting 6 boards, $38.83 retail for $11.96. It's not free pallet wood, but it's clean dimensional lumber, even if it's cracked or crooked. And it's inspiration for new projects.

 

[Smokerbill]

View attachment 3545041

The truce is over, and I am now at war with the squirrels on my property!

I planted some bean beds a few days ago, and the squirrels got into the raised bed and dug up lots of the seeds. I don't think they were looking for bean seeds to eat because I found a number of been seeds dug up and on top of the dirt. But the seeds will not germinate if they are sitting on top of the soil and not in it.

I had to make a few squirrel proof screens to lay on top of my planters to protect the bean seeds until they have a chance to grow. Much like the screens in the Google picture above. So, I am basically reseeding those bean beds and starting over.

The squirrels are also getting into my raised beds with tomato and pepper plants, but they don't seem to bother the plants already growing. But they dig small holes in the dirt all around the plants and I wonder what they find in the dirt that is so interesting to them?

Dear Wife was upset and wanted to kill the squirrels, but I assured her that was a losing proposition as we live on 3 acres of wood property and there is no end to squirrels ready to move into the territory if we managed to trap and kill the squirrels currently living here.

Squirrels are good eating! Or you can cook them up for chicken treats.

 

[pennyJo1960]

I spent the first 8 years in Wisconsin ate many squirrels.
Does not taste like Grandmas chicken either.

 

[gtaus]

When I went to HD today I checked the cull pile. I had no plans for building anything, but I ended up getting 6 boards, $38.83 retail for $11.96. It's not free pallet wood, but it's clean dimensional lumber, even if it's cracked or crooked. And it's inspiration for new projects.

I can buy cull wood today thinking I will be inspired to use it in a future project. At 70% off for the cull wood, I don't like to pass up the opportunity to pick up something good.

I had to slow down on picking up more pallets until I use some of them up. Too many pallets stacked up in the backyard according to Dear Wife. The cull wood I bought from Home Depot is plywood that I typically cannot get from pallets. Hope to make some work bench shelves out of that plywood.

Squirrels are good eating! Or you can cook them up for chicken treats.

I spent the first 8 years in Wisconsin ate many squirrels.
Does not taste like Grandmas chicken either.

I've eaten a few squirrels back in my youth. I shot the squirrels, cleaned them, and ended up cooking them because my mother refused to cook squirrel. As I remember, it was not that good. But I had no idea how to cook anything at that time.

Grandpa used to hunt rabbits and squirrels when he was young, but by the time I was of age he was unable to hunt very much due to bad knees. Grandma said that she cooked up lots of small animals in her younger years when Grandpa brought home the small game.

When I was in college, my Grandpa suffered a heart attack and was in hospital. Someone broke into his house and stole all our firearms. All my rifles were in my Grandpa's house for safekeeping. My Grandpa never made it out of the hospital, and I never replaced my rifles. I only went hunting with Grandpa and that part of my life was over when he passed.

If I went after the squirrels today, I'd have to trap them and probably release them way down the road somewhere else. I guess it's just easier for me to build some squirrel screens to protect the plants and hope that works.

Truth be told, I rather like squirrels running around in the yard or climbing in the trees. I just don't like them eating my strawberries and digging in the raised beds. The squirrels ate Dear Wife's eggplants one year and I had to make chicken wire cages for the eggplants to keep them out. So far, I have not seen them eating any tomatoes or peppers. Hope I don't have to make more cages to protect those plants.

 

[fuzzi]

View attachment 3545041

The truce is over, and I am now at war with the squirrels on my property!

I planted some bean beds a few days ago, and the squirrels got into the raised bed and dug up lots of the seeds. I don't think they were looking for bean seeds to eat because I found a number of been seeds dug up and on top of the dirt. But the seeds will not germinate if they are sitting on top of the soil and not in it.

I had to make a few squirrel proof screens to lay on top of my planters to protect the bean seeds until they have a chance to grow. Much like the screens in the Google picture above. So, I am basically reseeding those bean beds and starting over.

The squirrels are also getting into my raised beds with tomato and pepper plants, but they don't seem to bother the plants already growing. But they dig small holes in the dirt all around the plants and I wonder what they find in the dirt that is so interesting to them?

Dear Wife was upset and wanted to kill the squirrels, but I assured her that was a losing proposition as we live on 3 acres of wood property and there is no end to squirrels ready to move into the territory if we managed to trap and kill the squirrels currently living here.

I have read that squirrels don't like hot peppers. There are suet cakes sold for wildbird consumption that contain hot peppers. The birds can't taste the heat but squirrels can, and leave the suet alone.

 

[Sally PB]

That's why I start all I can from seed.

Me too, or at least I try to.

I bought some tomato and pepper starts after the late frost on May 26th, when I had the tender stuff planted. Some of the things I was sure were goners pulled through. I have about 10 more 'mater plants than I planned to have. Oh woe is me, huh?

They're not heirlooms, unfortunately. That's ok; I have plenty of tried-and-true heirloom seeds, and some new-to-me varieties to save seed from this year.

 

[fuzzi]

That's a crying shame @WthrLady

But I guess that's how they maintain their reputation for selling only quality plants, even if it is at an exhorbitant price.

That's why I start all I can from seed.

I buy plants from a local nursery that sells 6 packs of vegetables and annuals for about $2. I rarely buy plants from the big box stores, as they're lesser quality and higher priced than that nursery. And they NEVER have red vinca or pentas, only white or pale pink. I want the red to attract butterflies and hummingbirds!

 

[jerryse]

Rain coming by noon. Keeping myself busy. My grandson moved up near my cabin. He wants to garden here. He got 20 pallets at $1 each. Not sure what his plans are for them. My lone tomato plant is doing good. Germinating some cucumber seed. Just something for the table,