Second Year Pest Problems

Last year was my first year gardening. I had some usual problems, like cabbage moths eating all my cabbages and broccolis ( I know that I couldn't eat an entire head of cabbage, how do worms do it??). The nightly slug hunt on my sunflower sprouts. An unidentified caterpillar eating my radishes. Occassional squirrel digs.

I just planted my second year SFG yesterday, and this morning found some raised tracks all through my ground bed. Most of my garden is on tables, and they are fine. The one on the ground, however... it looks like something came through and methodically ate every seed I put in yesterday!

Before I put the bed on the ground, I covered the bottom of the box with weed fabric AND 1/2" hardware cloth. I can't imagine they've chewed a hole in the bottom, so they must be climbing in over the side.

I was picking up some Neem oil and DE today at Lowe's, and decided to get a small cage trap, intending to thin the neighborhood squirrel population. After finding the tunnels in my ground bed, the trap is now aimed at voles, loaded with a blob of peanut butter. My two year old daughter asked if I was going to put some jelly in, too.

Does anyone have a "sure-fire" bait for voles? I'm kind of thinking that it may be a losing battle, trying to trap them. A TT SFG seems to be the way to go to avoid this kind of varmint.

I wonder what other unexpected problems we'll encounter in our second year?

Well everybody says the first year is the worst with insects, but the second year the beneficial bugs start to come around so hopefully that helps. I don't have voles but you could build a critter cage to keep them out? Look in the book for instructions! Good luck!

Do a search (top left column) for voles. Lots of info there.

Turns out it was chipmunks. I didn't realize they burrowed so much. I've been using a little critter cage from Lowe's right next to the ground box. I've experimented with different kinds of bait, but they seem to prefer an old grape.

I'm up to two squirrels and ten chipmunks, and the distructive activity in the garden is slowing down. Hurray!

Birds are a pain too they ate all the sprouts in four of my squares .Great job catching those critters! It gets frustrating watching all your hard work and care disappear .

What are you doing with the animals? Humane Society?

jazzycat wrote:What are you doing with the animals? Humane Society?

I'm afraid not.

On the upside, some of them are frozen and donated to some elementary school science teachers who use them to feed their snakes.

Oh well. At least some of them are going to a good cause...

Good job catching the little critters! Luckily the only problem I have with squirrels is when they plant acorns in my beds in the fall. Come spring, I get all kinds of oak trees sprouting, despite the fact that we only have maples in my neighborhood!

littlesapphire wrote:Good job catching the little critters! Luckily the only problem I have with squirrels is when they plant acorns in my beds in the fall. Come spring, I get all kinds of oak trees sprouting, despite the fact that we only have maples in my neighborhood!

Well that's a real trick! Those squirrels must have some kind of alchemical mojo powers going on!

littlesapphire wrote:Good job catching the little critters! Luckily the only problem I have with squirrels is when they plant acorns in my beds in the fall. Come spring, I get all kinds of oak trees sprouting, despite the fact that we only have maples in my neighborhood!

Sounds like those squirrels are telling you they like oak better, so they are importing their own because you just aren't getting the message!