The corn saga

[Andrew McMichael]

So this year, for the first time, I planted corn. I planted about seven or eight rows of twenty stalks. Soon after planting we had about three days of torrential rain, which washed away alot of soil--my garden is on a slight slope. So, I replanted. They came up fine, got to about two feet tall and fell over during another storm. No problem--put them bag up, hill up around them, and keep going. Then another really bad storm and a few fell over. I left them for the next day to fix, but in the middle of the night something came and ate the ears that had fallen. At first I suspected squirrels, but those critters aren't usually active at night. Over the course of the past few weeks nearly

*all* my corn has been eaten. I've had out have-a-heart traps, I've sat and watched it during the day (from distance), nothing. Nothing in the traps, nothing visible. Lots of corn-filled-poop around the garden, though.

Finally, last night I caught sight of the creature doing it--my next-door-neighbor's very old, nearly broken-down dog. Lucky I spotted him, because I was on the verge of "painting" the remaining half-dozen or so ears with rat poison. This damn dog (which in the past has turned over our garbage, etc.) has systematically stripped almost every single ear of corn from my plot. I'm going over to talk to the owner of the dog today, but unfortunately the guy is the county/city judge, so I can't make alot of legal threats. But it is taking every ounce of self-control I have not to simply shoot the dog. I wasn't so mad when I thought it was a raccoon, I could kind of accept it--nature doing its thing and all. But and irresponsible neighbor ruining three to four months of hard work and all my corn is a bit more aggravating. Out of the 150 stalks of corn, I'm going to be lucky to get ten ears. That's not right.

Andrew

[zxcvbob]

It might help to take the Sheriff with you when you talk to him.

Good luck, Bob

[Andrew McMichael]

Ha. Despite this being a city of 50,000, we're pretty rural. Everyone in politics around here grew up together and are intermarried. The sheriff's family and the judge's family go *way* back. The judge's family has a school, a street, a youth center, and the Arts & Sciences part of our college named after them. The sheriff is a good ole boy. named "Peanuts" Gaines. In a big city that'd work, around here I'm not so sure.

Andrew

[Pat Meadows]

It seems to me that your best alternative is to fence your garden sufficiently to keep dogs out.

It's unfair that you have to pay the penalty for an irresponsible dog owner, but such is life, sometimes.

I have two large dogs, btw, they are most definitely NEVER allowed to run loose. They are confined (by fencing) to our own property or walked on a leash.

Pat

[Gary Woods]

In many locations you need that electric fence anyway, to keep out raccoons and "bubba" woodchuck, known to eat bean leaves three feet up the pole. Sounds like the dog won't be around too many more seasons anyway.

Gary Woods AKA K2AHC- PGP key on request, or at

Zone 5/6 in upstate New York, 1200' elevation. NY WO G

[simy1]

I encourage you to do that. Animals from deer to squirrels only need to touch it once and they stay away for a long time. You will re-use the fence, guaranteed. In fact, in my case it is permanently attached to the top of the fence surrounding my garden. I turn it on about once a year, when I see something eaten, for a couple of days. It only costs 19.99.

[Philip]

Check your local laws, I bet there's a law on the books about dogs wandering loose. Even here, out in the county as opposed to the local towns, where I live there is a law that says that dogs have to be confined to the property or on a leash. The very least that judge owes you is an apology, and probably there's some financial recompense owed as well.

unfortunately

aggravating.

[Aaron Baugher]

Did you actually see the dog pulling down ears and eating them? I suppose that's possible, but this sounds like classic coon damage. I'm wondering if the dog was after racoon spoor.

Either way, electric fence is probably the answer. As someone else said, if you have much wildlife in your area at all, sweet corn is a major target for many different critters, including some, like coons, that can climb just about anything.