Save the unripe strawberries
I think something’s been getting at my strawberries. I’m pretty sure cats don’t eat them, so that leaves raccoons and squirrels. Raccoons eat everything, and the infallible internet says that urban squirrels prety much do, too. Well, that sucks. I have no idea how to protect them. (So far the raspberries and tomatoes are untouched.)
One strawberry is nearly ripe. I really, really, really hope it tastes good, after all that.
June 13th, 2006 at 11:13 am
You could sit outside with a long stick and swat the small mammals whenever they attempt to eat your fruit.
June 13th, 2006 at 11:22 am
I had something intelligent to say, but in the face of the mental image of Jesse’s comment, I got nothing to add.
June 13th, 2006 at 12:43 pm
Wow, Jesse, thanks. Not only is that advice impractical, but now you scared the sheep-dude away from giving possibly useful advice. I’m not sharing any of my remaining strawberries with you, mister.
June 13th, 2006 at 1:59 pm
I know you can use netting to keep away birds, but would that have any use against mammals? Maybe you could build a wire-mesh cage for them.
June 13th, 2006 at 2:14 pm
Or use bigger mammals to keep away the small mammals.
June 13th, 2006 at 3:17 pm
Eh, my intial comment was toned down as it was…
We have roughly 100 million squirels in our backyard. Along with 50 million chipmunks (who came in my window last summer and use my room as safe passage to the kitchen) and maybe 20 million rabbits… Along with this there is an attempt being made to grow tomatoes by the upstairs neighbors. They put up a chicken wire fence maybe 18 inches tall around the tomatoes. It is to early to determine if it will be effective. I suspect the rabbits will be kept at bay. I don’t know if chipmunks eat tomatoes. The squirels are the big question at the moment.
June 13th, 2006 at 10:44 pm
A friend of mine uses netting to keep her cats off the strawberries (yes, some cats do eat them). Close mesh, and it has to be propped up so it isn’t actually touching the berries, otherwise the cats just suck them through the mesh.
You might want to check your cats for berry-coloured drool, too.