Squirrels and Akadama

This is the first year I have used Akadama. Earlier this Spring I potted up 15 trees or so mixing Akadama into which ever mix I chose for the specific tree. I then finished off several with a layer of the smaller sifted particles on the top and the squirrels have LOVED IT. Little bast*rds digging in at least 10 of the trees. It's like a magnet. One of my Ilexs' was gnawed at. And I just noticed this morning my new Acer P. has a little chunk taken out of the bottom of the trunk base with some roots dug up.
I placed some Organic potting soil on the top of the existing soil ,on a few of them, to see if it was just the Akadama drawing them but, there hasn't been enough time to test the idea.

I'm about to either wrap them in chicken wire, sharpen chop stick skewers and make a faux "Brave Heart" barrier, or try the pepper method.

Any other ideas?

A powerful air rifle works wonders and apparently they are good eatin' too!

Time for Fiona to show us her Black Widow catt again. Well worth a second viewing

Unfortunatly, I don't kill many things. Only if I eat them. And, in the case of Philadelphian Squirrels, I'm not about to ingest the toxins they bring.

I do have an airsoft hand gun that shoots a plastic BB. I might set up camp at 6am and wait.

Joe Hatfield wrote:Unfortunatly, I don't kill many things. Only if I eat them. And, in the case of Philadelphian Squirrels, I'm not about to ingest the toxins they bring.

I do have an airsoft hand gun that shoots a plastic BB. I might set up camp at 6am and wait.

What do you mean by Toxins? Surely A roasting at 230 degrees, for an hour should sort that out

My neighbour shoots and eats squirrels (He's Italian, reckons it's good with bolognese sauce). He explained to me that they're territorial; if you kill one another will be along very shortly to take it's place.

I found that if there's any moss in the pot, birds dig it all up at this time of year to line their nests. Don't know if squirrels would do the same.

Don't know about you plans for a chop-stick palisade...it only works against cavlery charges doesn't it? Your chicken wire idea sounds good.

Richard

Rich, I had some family come over last year from Milan and when one saw a squirrel he phoned his father who instructed him on how to kill and eat it. I don't know any one else in my family who has this "habit" and, I come from a large Italian family. Just funny you mentioned that.

I also forgot to mention that the atomic-squirrels have mutated into hoofed horse like abominations that might require a chop stick palisade.

All jokes aside... they are stressing me out. This has relieved some of my frustrations though.

Surely if you come from a"large" Italian Family, You must know someone who could "persuade" the squirrels to leave your property?

Give the squirrels something else to do. Hang one of those tubular bird feeders on the OTHER side of your yard, and fill it with the cheap millet birdseed that no self-respecting bird other than sparrows eats, and the squirrels -- who have even more indiscriminate taste than English sparrows -- will love it.

Oh, and please won't some of you English folks come over and get all those black-bibbed sparrows you've misplaced and take them back? They're pests!

Back on squirrels: I wouldn't eat a city squirrel, either. They both eat and breathe pretty disgusting stuff, and I don't think cooking would do anything to it.

If hungry enough I'd probably eat those we have here in the back country -- fat as they are on bird seed. But I'm not wild about game -- venison, duck, or squirrel -- so I'd have to be fairly hungry.

Jim. It would be my great pleasure to swap back our Sparrows for your Grey Squirrels. Don't think Joe's going to like it much though

Fine with me, Will. A few more squirrels won't make a difference.

Howdy folks, now here's the crew, in a very rare Jack Russel terrier moment. Never any fur bearing, warm blooded critters in my garden. Nor bird or other flying insect. All's fair game for these eager beavers. So, of course, my question is, who's been digging in my pots? (Eveyone hangs their head and hides their tail, refusing to make eye contact).

FOUR Jack Russels? Our single Jack keeps us busy enough. I'm just back from her taking me on our daily 3 mile walk.

JRT's are pretty fun. Most energetic dogs I have ever seen. I'm sure the 4 of them keep each other busy.

The squirrels do not like the soil I put on top as much, at least yesterday they didn't. I have to check the trees out back.

Jim, The bird feeder idea is a good one. I'll give it a shot. Might make them hang out more though.

Next step bird feeder and battle MACE


JOE

Had a friend with a JR. The little sucker wore me out just watching him.

Now I have a yorkie and a yorkie hawaiian mix... you know, one of those Chi hua hua ( pronounced Che-who-a-who-a I'm sure!).

About 6 PM every night the circle around the coffee table becomes an indoor dog track. One chases the other, and then they switch! Good thing my previous dog (a Great Dane/Rotweiller cross) wasn't as active.

Nice thing about living in a small town... the tree rats are well fed, tender and tasty! (Taste like chicken!)

Jay

Jay, you had to go there!!

-Tim

Except for the bitch (red colar), who is a pure JR, the dad(brown) and the two boys are JR/Shih Tzu. We call 'em Jack Shits. They're a bit mellower than your normal JR, but still a handful none the less. About the wildlife, although we've laid claim to the territory, they don't necessarily agree. Have you considered trying preditor scent. Cougar and bear scent will deter most lower food chain critters. Of course, you might attract a bear or cougar, but the squirrels will be gone.

Hawaiian77 wrote:Jay, you had to go there!!

-Tim

Not had to go there,

Can't afford to go there!

But I really do want to go there!

Maybe I can bring my cha hooa hooa wth me!

O.K.... You win!!

-Tim

A powerful air rifle works wonders.

I agree. But they keep coming back

I use Liquid Fence™ Deer and rabbit repellant in the general area of where the bonsai are located.

Bushes, posts, underneath, grass. I don't spray the bonsai directly but maybe in between them.

The squirrels don't like it and it works. I have to spray about every 2 weeks at first and then as needed.

Squirrels evolved into an seed planting machine. Wherever it finds moist ground you can see them planting some kind of seed.

"Jack Shits" is the funniest thing I've heard in along time. Thanks for the laugh!!!

I have a walnut tree in the middle of the lawn and hazelnuts around the edge of the garden. squirrels from miles around head for my yard. the little bastards bury nuts all over - so i have nuts trees coming up all over the lawn and in all the beds. stupid rats seems to forget about 75% of the nuts they bury. I find over the last few years they havent bothered much the pots with hard soil - turface / biosorb / volcanic grit. maybe a layer of hard over the akadama would deter them.