Squirrels

[tempur_tempur]

The p.vivax that I planted sent up one shoot about 3 weeks ago. It was my pride and joy; about 18 to 20 inches tall as of yesterday morning. When I got home from work I noticed it had 'blown over'. I ran down the slope to look and notice that a squirrel had eaten it. I am devastated. For some reason, the p.vivax just is having a rough go of it

Comments

[pizzuti]

I was initially confused by your entry. P. Vivax is the name of the organism that causes malaria.

I'm surprised bamboo grows in North Carolina. Anyway, if it sent up a 20-inch shoot in 3 weeks, it has plenty of energy with which to create new shoots. The plant doesn't start paying off on its energy investment until the shoot opens up with leaves and they harden. You could try spraying the next stems with cayenne pepper or something, but I think that as spring comes the squirrels will have better things to eat and leave the plants alone. Or you could actually give them better things to eat so they leave your plants alone. If any of the food in your refrigerator gets moldy, you could just throw it out in the yard.

Squirrels like to taunt dogs by dropping things on them from where they know they're safe, so don't be so sure that letting your pet out in the yard is the way to conquer them. It might keep them off the plants, at least, though.

[pizzuti]

Bamboo grows really well in N. Carolina, and throughout the Southeast. The wet summers and constant sunshine provide it ample opportunity to thrive. In fact when we started our search for bamboo once we moved out here, employees at the nurseries looked at us like we were crazy, they said "bamboo will take over your yard".

We're going to try the cayenne pepper thing, plus I'm going to try putting empty toilet paper rolls over the new shoots as they come up. I think this will prevent the little guys from even getting a chance to get their teeth on the tender new shoots.

And yes, these squirrels love to torment my dog. But he does chase them out of the yard when he sees them.

I know the squirrels are just doing what comes naturally to them and don't begrudge them anymore. I've made peace. I'll just have to work hard at preventing this in the future.