Any ideas how to keep chipmunks, squirrels, et al from enjoying the ripening fruit on my peach tree, before me? I tried some sticky stuff on trunk, no work. Tried covering lower trunk with sheet metal around, but they won again.
Some sort of sheet metal umbrella thingee which they can’t climb around? Someone must have answer. Leonardo da Vinci, where are you? Pls help!!
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Replies
Grow enough to share, thats what we do.
Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
You gonna play that thing?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32Ln-SpJsy0
I don't mind sharing. What I do mind is their share is 100% The b-----ds will clean a whole tree in less than a day, usually just before they ripen.I don't think there is anything to discourage them.
Edited 8/2/2008 7:39 pm ET by byhammerandhand
Well to be honest,,,I have 4 dogs , 2 cats and a heap of firearms..LOLSpheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
You gonna play that thing?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32Ln-SpJsy0
I think I'm looking forward to September 1.
Whyzat? The convention starts?Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks
Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations
You gonna play that thing?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32Ln-SpJsy0
This year is the first in the 6 I've been in this house that I'm able to harvest anything from this Montmoreci Cherry tree in my back yard. Usually, the birds & squirrels have it stripped before they're ripe. I've already picked about 30 #'s. No birds, or very few.
My black raspberries have fruited like never before - because I wasn't losing them to the birds & wee beasties.
I just realized why today while picking more cherries.
The new neighbors down the hill have set up a couple of bird feeders. I've left mine empty all summer.
The reason for this bs, Can you create some diversion or better choice for them?
deer spray?
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In Tahiti, you see all the palm trees with a strip of sheet metal around them near the top. Keeps the rats out.
Come to Peachfest next weekend in Wabash Indiana and David should be able to tell ya all about how.
Not kidding!!!! REALLY!!!!
During the time the fruit is growing ripening, how about trying those battery operated Owls you can buy at Lowes or in gardening magazines? They are heat/motion tripped, and when they come on the plastic bird's eyes light-up and it's wings flap....
I saw a product at our local Tractor Supply. It's a can of compressed air that has a motion detector sitting on top of it. When a cat jumps on the car, the battery operated detection parts emits a loud "Pssssssssst".... Might help with the skittishly squirrels ...
Bill
We have a dog and a cat, and it seems like we still keep a bunch of squirrels too. This year, one of the little peckers has developed a taste for ripe tomatoes. Finally, Mrs 'Snort hit on some 90,000 BTU ground peppers, dish soap, and water solution... we've found one toothmark... and the maters are seasoned<G>
Now you see this one-eyed midget
Shouting the word "NOW"
And you say, "For what reason?"
And he says, "How?"
And you say, "What does this mean?"
And he screams back, "You're a cow
Give me some milk
Or else go home"
Electric fence charger on your peaches.
Also doubles for entertainment.
People used to hang aluminum pie plates in their fruit trees, claimed the flash from sunlight would keep critters away. I've used old CD's, they seemed to work for a while. "Chinese Chili Oil" from the grocery store diluted & sprayed around helps a lot. A little bit of liquid dishwashing soap in the sprayer will make it sticky. Of course, a young, active tomcat works pretty good, along with his buddy, our Shetland Sheepdog. One barks & the other goes up the tree after 'em :-)
Edited 8/3/2008 8:23 am ET by Ray
RE. cone.
Do you know the cones they make for the bird feeders.
I made a bird feeder out of a 4x4 and there was no cone for them that I could purchase, so I got a piece of 10" diameter pipe, filet'ed it out and made a cone out of it.
You need to tack to the trunk about 4' up so they can not jump above it.
They tried for about 5 days to navigate around it before giving up.
If there are other ways onto the tree, they will use it.
Drop down off electric or cable wire, jump from another tree.
i have even heard that the ones that get thru NSA at the airport (the ones that were not eating the lead flashing from the neighbors roof) will even attempt to skydive onto the tree.
Human pee on the tree trunk all the way around and any trees near by they jump from . pee into a bottle if you don't want the neighbors seeing you pee on their trees. should take care of the critters.
I had squirrels and raccoons climbing my tree to get to the bird feeder.
So I made my own baffle/guard from sheet metal.
This one for a pole to give you an idea of how they look. http://www.backyardbirdsdiscoverycenter.com/WL-BAF18.htm
You should leave a gap between the tree and the metal so it doesn't strangle the tree. Check it every year or so to make sure there is clearance.
I also made mine out of several overlapping pieces so that when it came time to enlarge it I just unscrewed the overlapping piece to open up the hole for the tree.
Also, don't leave the sheet metal sharp or someone moving around the tree could get cut pletty badly.
There should be sheet metal shop around. If you make your own and get it the way you want it you could take it to a sheet metal shop and have the outside sharp edge rolled. I thought of doing that but never did.
I built it first with an overhang like the squirrel ones but the raccoons could reach around. I had to make it bigger and then the tree was free of them.
Edited 8/3/2008 11:19 pm ET by popawheelie
Squirrel baffle looks feasible but dimensions won't work on my tree. I like sheet metal baffle per popawheelie and JeffinPA ideas, if I can find source to buy materials.Mikeroops pee idea looks most easy and cost effective! I will try it, discreetly. Thanks for all ideas!
The animals don't seem to go after my peaches, but maybe WI animals don't know what they are...
I have also heard that human pee drives away raccoons, don't know about other animals. If human pee doesn't keep away the raccoons, my exterminator friend said that there is a product that will - donkey poop. It is actually a product exterminators buy.
I'll second the pets as wild animal control as well. Our JRT shorty eats all the mice, chipmunks and rabbits he can catch. Seems to help with the cherry theiving, but there is no stopping the birds and squirrels. Course, this year little/no cherries in WI, none for me. Bad winter.
russ
Edit - why doesn't the censor like the proper word for pee that begins with a "U"?
Edited 8/4/2008 12:50 pm ET by RussW
Edited 8/4/2008 12:56 pm ET by RussW
Hey , ket us know if it works huh?
I had squirrels climbing one of my trees and getting onto a bird feeder.
I found squirrel guards for poles but my tree was to large of dia so I made my own.
Here is a link to the guard for poles. http://www.duncraft.com/4-x-4-Inch-Post-Baffle--P406C6.aspx?UserID=5149096&SessionID=R8IygoICfDOIRvMJwzf3
For trees I made my own out of sheet metal. There should be a local shop that can fabricate sheet metal for you or just buy it and do it yourself.
I also made the sheetmetal in sections and used sheetmetal screws to hold them together. That way when the tree grows you can take out a few screws and loosen it up around the trunk.
I also didn't make the sheetmetal tight to the trunk. Leave about an inch. the squirrels can't get through and the tree won't get strangled by it.
I did put it on extending out as far as the squirrel guard but then the raccoons could reach around it. So I made it wider and no squirrels or raccoons could get in that tree.
Edited 8/4/2008 9:11 am ET by popawheelie
has the pee worked?
Nah... Even with help from some beer swillers on Labor Day party...I just hope the ole tree survives haha...Better yet, I jus hope this ol guy survives the old P tree, as I head into the 4th quarter...
We used to go to the zoo and get Lion and Tiger poop for the apple orchards to keep deer away - might work on tree rats too :-)