What did you do in the garden today?

[deepbluesea]

This cheeky guy climbed up, plucked a ripe blackberry and proceeded to eat it sitting about four feet from my head--the nerve!

 

[dunnmom]

I'm weird, but I actually like squirrels. I know they can be a pain in the ass, but they are also really fun to watch.

My Grandpa (may he rest in peace), loved squirrels, too. They would eat right out of his hand. My severely autistic son, I call him Red Squirrel sometimes, because he has squirrel-like behaviors.

 

[oregonkat]

This cheeky guy climbed up, plucked a ripe blackberry and proceeded to eat it sitting about four feet from my head--the nerve!

Yes, now we get into difficult territory. I have a colony of ground squirrels, and I mean a colony, living underneath my chicken enclosure. Not the sweet grey with the fluffy tails like your little thief there but the ones that are the next step up from a rat kind.. These buggers are quick, smart and a solid pain in my A@@. I have tried the complex traps and those little rotters figured out how to burrow underneath the trap, steal the bait and run away, laughing!! I am contemplating shelling out for the last resort of carbon monoxide poisoning which makes me very, very sad. I hate killing things.......

I plant dill, mostly for black swallowtail butterfly caterpillars. And man do they mow it down! I planted four plants and I had nine total caterpillars on them at once last week. Works for me; hopefully I'll have enough for a bit of pickling.Czech I plant bronze fennel for a similar reason.

Thank you for this. It is always a pleasure for me to help a fellow creature and the butterflies are high on the list. We grow milkweed here for the monarchs and although we dont get many high up in the hills here, we get a few that stop by and enjoy!

 

[dunnmom]

My husband shoots squirrels with his air rifle, and occasionally his slingshot. Boys!

 

[deepbluesea]

I'm weird, but I actually like squirrels. I know they can be a pain in the ass, but they are also really fun to watch.

My Grandpa (may he rest in peace), loved squirrels, too. They would eat right out of his hand. My severely autistic son, I call him Red Squirrel sometimes, because he has squirrel-like behaviors.

I mostly don't mind them, because yeah, they are the fluffy-tailed gray ones. Did I ever post the video of a squirrel trying to haul my 40' frost blanket out of the raised bed and up the pine tree? Hilarious!

oregonkat, that's great! I have milkweed pods but so far I haven't been able to get it to germinate--lame! I can grow butterflyweed, coneflowers, tithonia, etc., but the milkweed eludes me so far.

 

[dunnmom]

Butterflies love our place! We have trouble growing proper milkweed, too, though. We have honeyvine milkweed, which they like just as well, and that really does grow like a weed here. I thought it was bindweed/morning glory at first, but then I saw the flowers and pods. Smells really good, but likes to climb and strangle other plants, so I've pulled out quite a bit this year.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Have not seen one squirrel at all I had pet ones in Grapeview had a 14 year old cat Joey mostly ferrel had a squirrel family they would mom and dad come in the yard to be fed
then surprise next year the whole family 2 babies in tow Joey thought dinner, I slowly quietly stomped my feet behind him no squirrel food of my squirrels

 

[deepbluesea]

Yeah, I've got that damn confederate jasmine, which smells great, the bees seem to like it, the butterflies a bit, but it is crazy invasive and I have to fight it all year. Including with my weed dragon aka little flamethrower.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Hey we have a weed dragon to hot for it just now everything already brown

 

[lazy gardener]

Picked first Fortex pole beans. Popped first cherry tomato in my mouth. Sweeter than candy. Still pulling garlic.