Edible crops galore - Harringay online2024-03-29T02:31:15Zhttps://harringayonline.com/forum/topics/edible-crops-galore?commentId=844301%3AComment%3A1494938&feed=yes&xn_auth=noI have known squirrels to tak…tag:harringayonline.com,2022-06-23:844301:Comment:14950382022-06-23T10:30:01.337ZDick Harrishttps://harringayonline.com/profile/DickHarris
<p>I have known squirrels to take strawberries (which I don't now grow) but I think the main predators on my other soft fruit (eg gooseberries and plums) have been pigeons at both the budding stage and when the fruit is ripening. Most of my previous generation of bushes expired of old age or worse and I have planted new ones in a wire fruit cage which keeps out birds, foxes and squirrels but not bees. As the bushes are still smallish, I have a few tomato plants in there this year.</p>
<p>As…</p>
<p>I have known squirrels to take strawberries (which I don't now grow) but I think the main predators on my other soft fruit (eg gooseberries and plums) have been pigeons at both the budding stage and when the fruit is ripening. Most of my previous generation of bushes expired of old age or worse and I have planted new ones in a wire fruit cage which keeps out birds, foxes and squirrels but not bees. As the bushes are still smallish, I have a few tomato plants in there this year.</p>
<p>As for bigger trees, I know of no way of keeping squirrels out. They can be discouraged a bit by having to move around at ground level where the foxes can get them. Also, they can be distracted by having a different food source nearby that they prefer. This is my present situation because there is a huge walnut tree for them to steal from and when that's done there's a huge pear tree loaded with rock hard pears that squirrels prefer to attacking my apples. Country lore says that encouraging rooks to nest in their trees can repel squirrels but that is hardly likely to be useful in an urban garden. Neither is the idea of cladding the trunks of trees with sheet metal that squirrels can't climb up. This solution depends on the trees being big enough and spaced out enough so that they can't jump across. Also hardly relevant in an urban garden.</p>
<p>Frankly, birds, butterflies and foxes are a bigger problem for me than squirrels but this is partly because of what I grow and those competing food sources. In other circumstances I would trap the little blighters.</p>
<p></p> Looking good, hopefully I'll…tag:harringayonline.com,2022-06-23:844301:Comment:14949382022-06-23T06:43:07.768ZMavic Starfishhttps://harringayonline.com/profile/WestGreen
<p>Looking good, hopefully I'll be able ramp up the fruit and veg over the next few years. Any tips for protecting soft fruit trees from squirrels.</p>
<p>Looking good, hopefully I'll be able ramp up the fruit and veg over the next few years. Any tips for protecting soft fruit trees from squirrels.</p>