Those squirrels might become the bane of your existence as they begin to dig up all of your hard work 
1 Like
I havent found anything to stop chipmunksā¦ except owls and hawks. They dont really bother much of mine except stealing and burying sunflower seeds.
Deer- Eggs work. Milorganite works. (until you forget after a good rain). This coming year i am trying chewing tobacco spray. An old timer that i know has the finest orchard i have seen and its immaculate. He only sprays chewing tobacco and sometimes cigarette butt tea.
I gotta think in nature that foxes and coyotes pee everywhereā¦ I am surrounded by forestā¦ so im gonna think that my deer are used to that scent.
Irish Spring worked for about 3 weeksā¦then it didnt.
I think Liquid Fence is basically rotten egg scent. I make my own from eggshells that i put in a coffee can outside and let them get rancid.
I have heard that Anise oil tea worksā¦ i have some country farmer buddies that use it for Catfishing and said that it works in the garden tooā¦ but i havent tried it. Smells like licoraceā¦really strong.
1 Like
rat traps baited with peanuts works fine, although you may need to cover the traps with plastic trays to avoid killing birds.
2 Likes
I think Iāve read recently that tobacco carries toxicity for helpful pollinators (neonicotinoids maybe?) so be sure to do your research on spray schedules and side effects.
2 Likes
He uses it as an invisible fenceā¦ and on the base of some of his trees from what i rememberā¦
2 Likes
Someone was asking about containers for a certain liquid waste product. A few years ago, I took a bad fall that broke my femur in several places. It took a five hour operation and a titanium rod to put Humpty Dumpty together again. That was followed by 3 weeks in long term care and physical therapy. They sent me home with a plastic urinal that started to leak. My wife priced one at a medical supply store and got sticker shock. However, while grocery shopping she noticed that salsa came in a similarly shaped container. It was like getting a urinal for 5 bucks and 4 lbs of free salsa. I discovered that I liked salsa (medium), and I now have a large collection of āurinalsā.
6 Likes
Speaking of recycling and returning nutrients to the soil, a lot of people pay good money for ground up feather meal. It is high nitrogen, but keep in mind that feathers are formed from keratin; same material as fish scales and hair. I donāt know of a good source for fish scales, but a trip to your local Super Cuts will get you all the hair you will ever need (Come to think about it; I would like to get some of mine back). It breaks down when composted.
While there, you might check with the local Starbucks for coffee grounds. It is supposed to be company policy to promote recycling.
3 Likes
If keratin is a good fertilizer, imagine how much you would get from an animal groomer. I suppose allergies might be an issue for some until it breaks down a bit.
3 Likes
Animal hair would probably be a good repellent ā¦at least temporarily
3 Likes
It can be. Iāve had problems with my sheep eating the bark off of certain trees if I donāt cage them, and then they use the cages as ladders to reach branches if I do cage them. Last year I tried something new. I took cages away from a few fruit trees and wrapped their trunks in wool. It worked perfectly until my dog found it and started ripping the wool off the trees. Grazing animals donāt like eating stuff that smells like them. I think itās an evolutionary precaution to avoid re-ingesting parasites that they have passed.
2 Likes
Since deer are my main offenders, you gave me an ideaā¦ canāt sheer the deerā¦ hey that rhymesā¦ but I wonder if you collect their droppings, witch are all over on my farm and make a compost tea and use that as a spray that would probably be more of a deterrent than human urine because of what you had stated aboveā¦has anyone tried this?
3 Likes
Iāve been mixing eggs, garlic, Carolina reapers, cinnamon oil, and mint oil as a deer deterent. Not sure if it actually works but I havenāt had any browsing since I started using it. Doesnāt seem to phase squirrels or rabbits though. Thought about adding some chewing tobacco to the mix as well in the future. I just spray it around the border of my property and then circle any trees or shrubs with it as well. I tried coyote urine and it didnāt seem to do anything. As for saving pee for fertilizer Iād be all about it but my FiancĆ©e would kill me. Iād love to pee on my plants but prying eyes of neighbors would most likely get me in trouble.
2 Likes
I keep the dear out of my garden with a 3.5 foot tall fence. No urine necessary at my place
1 Like
Fishers also go after another arboreal species -porcupines.
1 Like
I distribute the urine evenly, especially during the wet season and on mature trees, who can handle it. I will dilute it during our dry hot summers.
I especially give it to trees that look yellowish and I keep going until they green up-a sign of nitrogen.
I use bones in my biochar-it has been recommended by researchers in that area.
China has been able to keep their topsoil productive for thousands of years by using ānight soilā. A big part of the movement westward has been because we are extracting the fertility of the soil and not replenishing it. Our soils are becoming less fertile and we arentā using them as a carbon sink, which would help offset climate change and improve fertility. We are desertifying many lands in our country. This is also happening around the world.
John S
PDX OR
3 Likes
I use a gallon+ plastic gasoline container so no one accidently drinks it or has to look at it. They are built strong and the one I use has been in use for a quarter century. So far, no one has accidentally tried to use it for fuel.
I grow a lot of hot peppers and make my own salsa.
3 Likes
When I first moved here a short fence was all you needed. Now at least 6ā is required and during drought they may jump that- they can do it quite easily. During drought I make a kind of secondary fence with high test deep sea fishing line tied to rebar posts just outside the fence. They have difficulty seeing the fishing line ( two strands are used). Once a large doe was trying to jump the fence and I heard a loud twang as she got caught up in the fishing line and she fled, never to attempt such a leap again.
1 Like
Do you have an inconspicuous basement closet or garage that is not often used by your fiance? Thatās where you could keep your bucket. Or just keep a bottle handy and distribute it daily after dilution.
I just got an owl house, and a plastic owl with a jiggly head. Weāll see if they work.
I also made a strong peppermint spray.
I appreciate the rundown of what youāve found helpful vs not.
Iād be hoist on my own amusement petard then.
@Yarg I really hope you test out this theory and report back to us.
1 Like