sunflowers and squirrels

[Xoobee]

I am...was...so very proud of my dwarf sunflowers this year. I grew them from seed, and they ALL came up! All 40 of them! :D Happy little sunflower faces...sigh.... Now there are none. :( I found 'evidence' along the top of the wooden fence that surrounds the yard, leading me to believe it was a nasty SQRL! We have rabbits too but they can't climb the fence. There are a few sunflower plants that don't yet have flowers. Any ideas on keeping the evil beasts from eating the next ones to come up? Thanx!

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Ask everyone you know (including yourself) to save those mesh bags that onions come in. Put them over the developing flowers and tie with any non-plastic string. Ugly, but they work.

[Sheldon]

Evidence? What evidence do squirrels leave on a fence; paw prints, DNA? I seriously doubt squirrels got your sunflowers, not if the entire flower head is gone. And btw, because of their configuration and how they grow sunflower seeds are essentially bird and squirrel proof. I've watched squirrels and blue jays have conniptions trying to find a way to get to my sunflowers, can't be done. I'd suggest thinking about raccoons, they can easily scale most any fence and they'd have no problem ripping off the entire flower heads and carrying them off.

[rachael simpson]

well your blue jays may have problems with it, but the turtle doves here love the sunflowers...........they scatter quite a few seeds, but they get the job done!

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Same with the cardinals here.

[Sheldon]

I don't believe yoose... unless what yoose call sunflowers ain't. No bird on the planet can scavange a real sunflower while it's still on the plant... just not a possibility. The sunflower head grows upside down, and has a natural barrior all around the circumference that no bird or squirrel can penetrate. I've been growing sunflowers for nigh on 50 years, no bird or squirrel has ever gotten to my sunflower seeds until I whack off the flower and allow them access.

I don't know what kind of wussy pansies yoose grow but these are sunflowers:

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Whatever you say, Sheldon. My 7 foot tall sunflowers, grown from a packet of seeds labeled "sunflowers", are not really sunflowers. And, the birds which look look just like all other cardinals are actually cockatiels.

[Charlie]

And if he had a dog, he wouldn't need that butt-ugly welded wire crap encircling his home, protecting his stuff.

Charlie

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Most of us are happy when diaper-changing days are over, and prefer not to be cleaning up crap for other creatures. It's nice to be able to wander out in the yard at night, without having to watch where you're stepping.

[Ann]

"JoeSpareBedroom" expounded:

Yea, but most of us don't hate dogs with a passion that will never die. At least here in wreck.gardens I'm afraid it's only you who lets such hatred cloud his heart (and mind!).

[Leon Fisk]

The birds empty/eat all of my sunflower heads before the end of September. The finches (House and Gold), Nuthatch, Woodpeckers can all eat from upside down just fine. I wonder where Sheldon lives that he doesn't have any of these birds around...

Some old picts of my sunflowers can be found here:

[JoeSpareBedroom]

He has these birds. He's just being contrary and claiming everyone else is wrong.

[raeannsimpson]

isn't that the norm?

[Ann]

Billy Rose expounded:

Oh, it's true, he's rabid about his hatred of all things canine. Relentlessly rabid. I'm done playing with him.

[ctlady]

Squirrels will eat right through those mesh bags; they know how to destroy just about anything. I found old nylon stocking stretched over the sunflowers will deter the birds but as far as squirrels I use a Havahart trap regularly and make regular "deposits" on the other side of town.

[JoeSpareBedroom]

That hasn't been my experience, but things can happen somewhere else that don't happen here. I read that somewhere.

[JoeSpareBedroom]

I'll bet you're not.

[Charlie]

Yeah, you are kinda of a loveable old grouch. ;-)

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Did one of them steal my line?

[JoeSpareBedroom]

I am. Sometimes, I paint a big red dot on dogs so when they're running, it's easier for me to sight in on the heart shot. I ***always*** use non-toxic paint for this, for the dog's benefit.