#$@&%*!!! Raccoons ate my corn...

[lspencer534]

Went to the garden to check on things, and once again raccoons had eaten every ear of corn I have. Last year I thought it was deer that got them, so I put up fruit tree netting this year. My growing beds are elevated and 4'W x' 8L', 24" tall. I put 7' of netting above that. Plenty tall for deer.

Well, it wasn't the feckin' deer, it was the feckin' raccoons. They climbed up and over the netting and had a party. I don't think wire fencing would make any difference since they can likely climb that, too. Putting netting/wire over the top is going to be hard to do because I'd have to secure the tops to the sides, which makes it awfully difficult to open the sides to till/fertilize the garden.

What now? Buy a $100 electric fence just to protect two 4' x 8' planters? Damn raccons could probably figure out how to turn it off, then come inside, raid my refrigerator for dessert, and enjoy a movie. Help!

[DAB]

ahem. as atty for the cute and cuddly raccoons, i must object. you have no evidence, aside from your missing corn, which could have been consumed by one or more of your cats, including Annie or Fred or Tank and any of their associates. the mere fact that my clients attire lends itself to them appearing to be 'bandits' is not relevant.

please cease and desist from any further raccoon defamation.

Dewey, Cheatham, and Howe.

[99 pewtercoupe]

Originally Posted by DAB

ahem. as atty for the cute and cuddly raccoons, i must object. you have no evidence, aside from your missing corn, which could have been consumed by one or more of your cats, including Annie or Fred or Tank and any of their associates. the mere fact that my clients attire lends itself to them appearing to be 'bandits' is not relevant.

please cease and desist from any further raccoon defamation.

Dewey, Cheatham, and Howe.

Ok, time for you two shysters to go at it!

[DAB]

Originally Posted by 99 pewtercoupe

Ok, time for you two shysters to go at it!

the back of my law license says 'Cracker Jack'

[MrPeabody]

Originally Posted by lspencer534

Went to the garden to check on things, and once again raccoons had eaten every ear of corn I have. Last year I thought it was deer that got them, so I put up fruit tree netting this year. My growing beds are elevated and 4'W x' 8L', 24" tall. I put 7' of netting above that. Plenty tall for deer.

Well, it wasn't the feckin' deer, it was the feckin' raccoons. They climbed up and over the netting and had a party. I don't think wire fencing would make any difference since they can likely climb that, too. Putting netting/wire over the top is going to be hard to do because I'd have to secure the tops to the sides, which makes it awfully difficult to open the sides to till/fertilize the garden.

What now? Buy a $100 electric fence just to protect two 4' x 8' planters? Damn raccons could probably figure out how to turn it off, then come inside, raid my refrigerator for dessert, and enjoy a movie. Help!

And even if you put a password on your PPV, they'll figure it out. Sorry to hear about your corn. I've never grown corn, and even though I've never seen them do it, I think Racoons got all my Fuji apples the last few years. I wrapped the apple tree trunk in aluminum foil, and so far so good this year.

General update on our garden: We got an early start this year, and I've already picked a few tomatoes and a cucumber. I think we are going to have a great year. Lots of pepper plants and they are starting to produce already. I think I have about four varieties. Eggplant and Okra are looking very healthy, as are the sweet peas. We've already eaten a few of those also. Rhubarb has been harvested many times already, and my wife invented a rhubarb/strawberry canned preserve that is very popular.

[lspencer534]

Originally Posted by MrPeabody

And even if you put a password on your PPV, they'll figure it out. Sorry to hear about your corn. I've never grown corn, and even though I've never seen them do it, I think Racoons got all my Fuji apples the last few years. I wrapped the apple tree trunk in aluminum foil, and so far so good this year.

General update on our garden: We got an early start this year, and I've already picked a few tomatoes and a cucumber. I think we are going to have a great year. Lots of pepper plants and they are starting to produce already. I think I have about four varieties. Eggplant and Okra are looking very healthy, as are the sweet peas. We've already eaten a few of those also. Rhubarb has been harvested many times already, and my wife invented a rhubarb/strawberry canned preserve that is very popular.

You're much further along with you garden than I am. I have very small green tomatoes, no okra yet, one zucchini, and immature soy beans. How much is a jar of rhubarb/strawberry preserves? I love rhubarb, and it's just never available here.

Amost forgot: I have a Fuji apple tree that is too young to produce. I hear they're quite tasty; are they?

[lspencer534]

Originally Posted by DAB

the back of my law license says 'Cracker Jack'

No, that's where you found your license--in a box of Cracker Jacks....

[MrPeabody]

Originally Posted by lspencer534

You're much further along with you garden than I am. I have very small green tomatoes, no okra yet, one zucchini, and immature soy beans. How much is a jar of rhubarb/strawberry preserves? I love rhubarb, and it's just never available here.

Amost forgot: I have a Fuji apple tree that is too young to produce. I hear they're quite tasty; are they?

Fuji apples are my favorite raw apples. Hopefully I'll get to eat some from my own tree this year. They are a little tart, and very flavorful. Check your PMs.

[LisaJohn]

I bet it was them wimmez raccoons!

[lspencer534]

Originally Posted by LisaJohn

I bet it was them wimmez raccoons!

Okay, okay...VB women don't thrive on turmoil... You happy now?

[Ol Timer]

Years ago I used to put out a large garden. Three years in a row, the #%}}^*+ raccoons would wait till the corn was ripe and then strip every stalk. Between the coons, rabbits, deer and insects, I usually ended up with a great harvest of cucumbers and zucchini. I like neither.

I found the perfect solution: Farmer's Market.

[LisaJohn]

Originally Posted by lspencer534

Okay, okay...VB women don't thrive on turmoil... You happy now?

Yep!!!







I am sorry about the corn. Raccoons have dined in our corn too.

[Torqaholic]

D O G

My corn is still less than a foot tall. Only put it in the ground about 2 weeks ago. Growing popcorn and sweetcorn.

[lspencer534]

Originally Posted by Torqaholic

D O G

My corn is still less than a foot tall. Only put it in the ground about 2 weeks ago. Growing popcorn and sweetcorn.

What kind of sweet corn?

[JRD77VET]

My friend Roger had a raccoon problem with his corn. He ran single upright stranding electric fencing but the little bastards still got in.

So he added extra wires that stuck out on both of the sides.

End of problem

[lspencer534]

Originally Posted by JRD77VET

My friend Roger had a raccoon problem with his corn. He ran single upright stranding electric fencing but the little bastards still got in.

So he added extra wires that stuck out on both of the sides.

End of problem

Please explain a little more about the extra wires that stuck out on both of the sides. I'm not picturing this.

[JRD77VET]

Originally Posted by lspencer534

Please explain a little more about the extra wires that stuck out on both of the sides. I'm not picturing this.

see crude paint drawing

Upright framing to hold red electric wires. He ran small copper wires , not the 1/8" thick normal fencing wires.

No way to get in without getting zapped

[lspencer534]

Originally Posted by JRD77VET

see crude paint drawing

Upright framing to hold red electric wires. He ran small copper wires , not the 1/8" thick normal fencing wires.

No way to get in without getting zapped

Got it! Thanks!

[OddBall]

maybe that sprinkler thingy that shoots water at them?

[99 pewtercoupe]

Time for Tank and Fred to do guard duty