What Did You Do In The Garden?

[Ridgerunner]

rats! (expletive) and rats? (question)

I've had rats and mice set up housekeeping and raising litters under some "tin" roofing I was using next to the garden to inhibit (not stop) Bermuda grass from running into my garden. It was covered with wood chips so it would not have done any good as far as solarizing. Since it was covered it did not get hot and cook them. I would not be a bit surprised if mice were active under your black plastic.

 

[Rhodie Ranch]

roof rats. All over everywhere in the milder climates. I used to try to poison them until I learned that the raptors and stray cats would eat the carcasses and then die.

 

[ducks4you]

Most likely, it's hard to tell. We have racoons, opossums, squirrels, rats, and of course birds but it seems to be happening at night so my guess is rats. My husband has been making these "biscuits" that are being devoured so we'll see. Hopefully if nothing else they will move on elsewhere.

The weird thing is that they have never bothered my fall garden until this year. Maybe they've discovered it or food sources elsewhere are scarce.

Mary

Please reconsider using rat poison of any kind. It is Warfarin, also prescribed to thin blood (which you should know about) and ANY cat or dog that eats those rats will probably bleed out.

 

[Ridgerunner]

roof rats. All over everywhere in the milder climates. I used to try to poison them until I learned that the raptors and stray cats would eat the carcasses and then die.

It actually depends on the poison. Some are a lot more potent than others. Some states have banned certain ones because of this, they are a real danger to wildlife. California is one I'm aware of, I'm sure there are others. While I think all poisons need to be treated with respect and avoided where possible, some aren't that dangerous to wildlife.

 

[ninnymary]

Please reconsider using rat poison of any kind. It is Warfarin, also prescribed to thin blood (which you should know about) and ANY cat or dog that eats those rats will probably bleed out.

I don't have any stray dogs or cats in my fenced backyard neither do any of my neighbors. All of our backyards are fenced here in the city and most people have only house cats.

Mary

 

[ducks4you]

Tell the mice not to leave your yard. Seriously, there are alternatives.

 

[flowerbug]

Most likely, it's hard to tell. We have racoons, opossums, squirrels, rats, and of course birds but it seems to be happening at night so my guess is rats. My husband has been making these "biscuits" that are being devoured so we'll see. Hopefully if nothing else they will move on elsewhere.

The weird thing is that they have never bothered my fall garden until this year. Maybe they've discovered it or food sources elsewhere are scarce.

Mary

raccoons are very opportunistic and so are possums, but if you've had rat problems before you know what they're like too.

we have a lot of raccoons here, but they usually do not bother the plants or vegetables we grow, they don't really even seem to go after the strawberries. they like the frogs, worms, slugs, crayfish and hornet nests more than anything.

 

[SprigOfTheLivingDead]

We cut down an old wasp nest. Giving it to one of my friends at the NPS who knows a teacher that could use it.

 

[flowerbug]

We cut down an old wasp nest. Giving it to one of my friends at the NPS who knows a teacher that could use it.
View attachment 33719

that's impressive!

 

[flowerbug]

i was able to get outside for a while today and do something useful for a change. cleaned up a garden mess (until spring when i can get back to it again) and moved some rocks. nothing too major with either of those but it was good to be outside and getting some fresh air and it wasn't too cold.