Have You Noticed More Critter Damage This Year?

Travis O enoster@hotmail.com
Sun, 26 Apr 2015 20:27:15 PDT
Mostly I've noticed the slug population explode this winter, being so mild on the West Coast (in Southwestern Oregon anyway). Slug pellets applied at intervals is the only good solution, along with hand picking at night when they're out dining.

 Voles or moles ate every single Crocus in one part of the garden, other areas however were ignored. Deer have been less of a problem, partly due to my acceptance that they are going to be in the garden no matter what I do (only a five foot fence) and perhaps because I chase them out when I see them. Wild turkeys generally aren't a problem, but they too ate all my grapes, as well as all the apples from one tree!

Moles are annoying, pushing up the soil in a few of the irrigated bulb beds, but they don't bother the bulbs. That's probably another way to tell moles from voles, moles don't eat plants, they eat earthworms. Still annoying, I have to fight the urge to push the soil down, it makes it worse when they go back through the tunnel. Natural repellents like castor oil/pellets or urine pellets are completely useless, or I just have no way of knowing if they've worked. Moles, often competitors, share tunnels. Prevention gets complicated. 

Travis Owen
Rogue River, OR

amateuranthecologist.blogspot.com



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