Comments on: Basil Decimation http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2009/06/24/3344/ Hardy plants for hardy souls Sat, 11 Feb 2012 00:24:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: flowers http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2009/06/24/3344/comment-page-1/#comment-60774 flowers Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:16:34 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2009/06/24/3344/#comment-60774 not sure about the rabbits bit squirrels like it not sure about the rabbits bit squirrels like it

]]> By: Jim K http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2009/06/24/3344/comment-page-1/#comment-60713 Jim K Sun, 05 Jul 2009 15:21:36 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2009/06/24/3344/#comment-60713 We have watched starlings do that to our tomatoes and sunflowers. Somewhere I read that young seedlings have some mild anti-fungal properties and so certain birds will line their nests with the cuttings. Starlings are a non-native species and will throw other birds out of their nest to claim it as their own, so I've always figured the wanton destruction was just part of their nature. We use an owl decoy from the time the starts have their second set of leaves until the stem is thicker than a pencil, supplemented by doing our summer reading on the back deck while armed with a super-soaker. We have watched starlings do that to our tomatoes and sunflowers. Somewhere I read that young seedlings have some mild anti-fungal properties and so certain birds will line their nests with the cuttings. Starlings are a non-native species and will throw other birds out of their nest to claim it as their own, so I’ve always figured the wanton destruction was just part of their nature. We use an owl decoy from the time the starts have their second set of leaves until the stem is thicker than a pencil, supplemented by doing our summer reading on the back deck while armed with a super-soaker.

]]> By: Sue http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2009/06/24/3344/comment-page-1/#comment-60338 Sue Mon, 29 Jun 2009 01:36:05 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2009/06/24/3344/#comment-60338 I like how your blog is set up! I'm sorry for her basil loss. I have something eating my mints that I grow in pots. I don't think rabbits would do that, because they go for the leaves, not stems that I am aware of. I'm thinking squirrels or cutworms. It's just weird that it's so many. I think you said it was all of them. What a deal! .-= Sue´s last blog ..<a href="http://acornergarden.blogspot.com/2009/06/lemon-balm-tea.html" rel="nofollow">Lemon Balm Tea</a> =-. I like how your blog is set up!

I’m sorry for her basil loss. I have something eating my mints that I grow in pots. I don’t think rabbits would do that, because they go for the leaves, not stems that I am aware of. I’m thinking squirrels or cutworms. It’s just weird that it’s so many. I think you said it was all of them. What a deal!
.-= Sue´s last blog ..Lemon Balm Tea =-.

]]> By: Rurality http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2009/06/24/3344/comment-page-1/#comment-60303 Rurality Sun, 28 Jun 2009 14:22:02 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2009/06/24/3344/#comment-60303 Well, obviously the rabbits were gathering it to make some spaghetti, but got interrupted! ;) Well, obviously the rabbits were gathering it to make some spaghetti, but got interrupted! ;)

]]> By: Jenn http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2009/06/24/3344/comment-page-1/#comment-60128 Jenn Thu, 25 Jun 2009 19:48:34 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2009/06/24/3344/#comment-60128 Cutworm? Bird damage? I had a bird uprooting all my potted succulents last year. Gah! Wretched beast. Out here we have lots of baby rabbits and fledgeling birds around. Takes the little ones some time to figure things out, and in the meantime, we reap their frustration that the world isn't handing them an easy feeding... Cutworm? Bird damage?

I had a bird uprooting all my potted succulents last year. Gah! Wretched beast.

Out here we have lots of baby rabbits and fledgeling birds around. Takes the little ones some time to figure things out, and in the meantime, we reap their frustration that the world isn’t handing them an easy feeding…

]]> By: Caroline http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2009/06/24/3344/comment-page-1/#comment-60112 Caroline Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:41:20 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2009/06/24/3344/#comment-60112 We have been having problems with squirrels and chipmunks stripping my Chammomile plants, and of all things... the Dill! So far they have left the basil and such alone... But can climb the thin steel pole we have our bird feeder on. *grrr* this means war.... Good thing Basil is easy to buy replacement sedlings and replant. Lots of time for it to grow! We have been having problems with squirrels and chipmunks stripping my Chammomile plants, and of all things… the Dill! So far they have left the basil and such alone… But can climb the thin steel pole we have our bird feeder on. *grrr* this means war….

Good thing Basil is easy to buy replacement sedlings and replant. Lots of time for it to grow!

]]> By: marci http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2009/06/24/3344/comment-page-1/#comment-60111 marci Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:20:31 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2009/06/24/3344/#comment-60111 Armadillos LOVE basil Armadillos LOVE basil

]]> By: Kate Babbitt http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2009/06/24/3344/comment-page-1/#comment-60082 Kate Babbitt Wed, 24 Jun 2009 23:49:26 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2009/06/24/3344/#comment-60082 Something has been snipping off my stuff too. Things you wouldn't expect, like my pink yarrow. And a tomato plant. Why? Why? I ask. They can't eat them! Is the criminal bored? Frustrated? Vindictive? Losing all the basil is a tragedy. She has time to replant, though. Something has been snipping off my stuff too. Things you wouldn’t expect, like my pink yarrow. And a tomato plant. Why? Why? I ask. They can’t eat them! Is the criminal bored? Frustrated? Vindictive?

Losing all the basil is a tragedy. She has time to replant, though.

]]> By: Helen at Toronto Gardens http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2009/06/24/3344/comment-page-1/#comment-60080 Helen at Toronto Gardens Wed, 24 Jun 2009 20:17:17 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2009/06/24/3344/#comment-60080 How very curious. Let us know if you catch the little "nipper." .-= Helen at Toronto Gardens´s last blog ..<a href="http://torontogardens.blogspot.com/2009/06/urban-hikes-with-toronto-bruce-trail.html" rel="nofollow">Urban Hikes with Toronto Bruce Trail Club</a> =-. How very curious. Let us know if you catch the little “nipper.”
.-= Helen at Toronto Gardens´s last blog ..Urban Hikes with Toronto Bruce Trail Club =-.

]]> By: Jane http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2009/06/24/3344/comment-page-1/#comment-60076 Jane Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:30:06 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2009/06/24/3344/#comment-60076 Rabbits (or white-tailed hares, to be specific) eat my veg. I noticed the other night that the lettuces closest to the edge of the raised beds were all nibbled. Not cut off and wasted though. That's more like cutworms, which we also have in abundance this year because it is so dry. Rabbits (or white-tailed hares, to be specific) eat my veg. I noticed the other night that the lettuces closest to the edge of the raised beds were all nibbled. Not cut off and wasted though. That’s more like cutworms, which we also have in abundance this year because it is so dry.

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