Today, I had to return something to Lowe's and got a store credit. Red onions were reduced 75% to $1, so I purchased one bag, 120 of those. Garlic was reduced also, so I have a bag of those. Plus, I will have tulips again this spring since they were reduced, too. .
I really need to find someone and sell about half these 240 onions I now have. Maybe a trade? Or, maybe I will share just a few and try to plant all the rest.
While I was at Lowe's I was talking about the hosta that just disappeared and wondered if the chipmunk ate them. The person told me everything loves hosta. I had about a half dozen hosta that were almost three feet across. Some were smaller. That bed was very bare in the end! I only have one hosta left, and it is in a pot. However, two others in pots just disappeared as the roots were eaten. The person assured me only daffodils were safe from everything.
From now on, all citrus peels go around my potatoes, garlic, onions, and flower bulbs. I may have to bury/plant all these in deep pots and cover the tops with hardware cloth. There is orange spray for the yard that will drive them out! Moles and voles hate orange, so maybe chipmunks do, too.
If anyone knows of a way you have used to fend off these chipmunks or kill them, let me know. If you just read it on the internet, I probably have read that, too.
Keep your fingers crossed that I will have onions, potatoes, and garlic for spring. I would hope for tulips, but that will not kill me to have those eaten.
Your turn
Do you have things eaten by chipmunks? What do you do to deter them or how do you kill them?
Fill a bucket with water. Sprinkle sunflower seeds all over the top (they'll float). Make sure the whole surface is covered. Make a "ladder" by placing a small piece of wood on the ground leaning against the bucket.
ReplyDeleteThe chipmunks smell the seeds, climb the ladder, look down and thinking it's solid ground, jump in and drown. I only did this once, because I decided it was too mean (and I realized someone has to then empty the bucket!).
Bobbie, I am mean! But, I really hate to waste sunflower seeds...lol. I will do that. I have a five gallon bucket. That is similar to a rat trap. My nice neighbor will empty it for me. Will chipmunks do this even if one has drowned? thanks.
DeleteWe had major problems with chipmunks at our other home and used this approach. While it felt mean, it was necessary to alleviate the damage they were doing to not only my flower beds, but also our garage and barns. At one point, my son removed 8 of these critters from the bucket.
Deletedime,
DeleteWhat size bucket did you use? I start to NOT feel mean when they are destructive. thanks
No chipmunks in the UK!
ReplyDeleteWe do have grey squirrels, foxes and badgers where we live in Yorkshire though and they do like to eat anything fresh, green and tasty.
Anne, Well, we do have raccoons and squirrels that like to dig things up.
DeleteI have squirrels that like to eat my plants..but dexter keeps them away most of the time.
ReplyDeletejackiesue, I need a Dexter. You would think all the cats in the neighborhood would help with this extermination. But, they are well fed.
DeleteCheap birdseed will work well too. AND will old grass seed I bet too.. mice and chipmunks got into mine in the garage.. it does not take much, it has to be light to float. I agree, I like sunflower shelled nuts for me to eat! I want to sign this as SusanKB but I can not.. will work on that!
ReplyDeleteLook up Bucket Trap on Youtube. I use it for mice trap in the house.. I live in a big house, alone on a wooded lot. No matter how well I check for tiny cracks or holes, I often have mice.. I built one from a 5 gallon bucket, like from Home Depot, a coat hanger wire, and a nut can that I covered in foil.. that I smeared peanut butter on.. the can is the spinner on the coat hanger. I put a piece of wood as a ramp up the bucket. They climb up that, walk or jump on the wire to the can, spin in and FALL in the bucket that you fill part way with water.. and DEAD. Dead is good. First week I did this, I caught six and then not any ever again. I set this last year in Nov, I marked my calendar.. I could see mice poop on my K counters and I dropped some popcorn on my floors, GONE! They are very destructive and I am not spending money on traps. WHO the mice no matter how you set them they often lick the bait off.. and go off to ruin things in the house. I am a strong independent woman, but truly I draw the line at reusing wood traps. AND icky to pick up at squished mouse in any trap, let alone clean it off for reuse! I have spent way too much on traps, poison, etc. AND not want dead mice in the walls either to stink up and dry! THIS works.. AND please any do good I love all animals types who often chastise me for KILLING the mice.. catch and release not work either. NO way am I driving 25 miles to drop off some mice. That is the distance, to not come back to my house!
A local radio host many years ago, faced an outrage on the air, because he made a chipmunk trap with the birdseed on the water surface bucket and ramp.. put on his patio. Oh those cute chipmunks people were outraged. WELL I have them in the woods, and trust me, when they chew up your cable wires or under your car hood, chew a cable or poke a hole in a hose.. Bucket trap works.
There is also a "walk the plank" device you can put on the bucket, Google that, people started making them for sale and sell on line. I am thrifty, and handy, and own all that I used to make my trap! Drill and I have wood.. old yardstick work for a ramp too. I believe last year none for sale that were under 25 dollars and this year I see the walk the plank for about 15. BUT DIY is cheap!
Sorry this got so long. I am new to your blog, and read past posts to catch up.. I Enjoy. Us women on our own, with our own houses, stick together! I need to ask dear Linda. Do you have hot water? Did you get the water heater replaced? I could not tell, but I did jump about a bit on your blog. AND I hope you are well soon. IT is amazing how much a thumb hurt can hinder a person.
SusnaKB,
DeleteI, too, have made the spinning trap above the bucket. And, I have more to put outside for these chipmunks. People can rise up and complain. And, they can come replace all my beautiful hosta! I made a heater for my chicken's water that sat outside in the weather. Not once did my chicken water freeze. And it was not even cold, which I am sure my hens appreciated on a freezing day. DIY is not only cheap, it is freeeeeee!
I did buy one package of whole sunflower seeds. Then, I thought about alternatives to use with the sunflower seeds to make a solid surface...acorns and such with sunflower seeds just for the smell.
The thumb is so much better. Now, my index finger is throbbing because it is infected for the first time in years, all around the cuticle.
No, I don't have a water heater yet! strong and independent, but cannot afford the water heater. So, I heat water on the stove, so difficult!
Write again. It sounds like we have a lot in common.
Sprinkle pepper or red cayenne pepper on the plants.
ReplyDeleteI used to bury bulbs surrounded by a good dash of either.
urspo,
DeleteI have done that on tomato plants for bugs, but did not think of putting it on bulbs. I will do that. Thanks for reminding me.