Worldwide Beekeeping
Sustainable Living => Gardening => Topic started by: tbonekel on June 01, 2014, 07:39:10 pm
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I have a couple of peach trees that have just started producing well. As they get more ripe, I think it is squirrels that are getting the fruit. If it were birds, I would think there would still be the fruit but places where they have pecked. In this case, one day the fruit is there, the next day, gone completely. Anybody have a good way to keep them from getting in the tree? I have placed a few plastic snakes in the tree to see if that might help. I would shoot them, but right now I don't own a rifle and besides, I can't be there all day to guard the trees.
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Chain a dog to the tree? I have seen an aluminum "CONE" stapled and taped to a tree, and I have seen electric fence and aluminum foil wrapped around trees... squirrels can be some persistent and painful critters to deal with... If they are the larger variety like we have here in Iowa... they taste wonderful, baked fried or grilled.
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I do know of big tree nets that can fit over the entire foliage of the tree. I've seen them in certain orchards along the highway. However, I don't know how much they cost. But if you really cherish your peaches it might be worth the investment.
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http://parkseed.com/parks-anti-bird-net/p/v1553/ they have a few different sizes and im sure amazon sells them to also you could check with lowes if there's one near by.
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If they are the larger variety like we have here in Iowa... they taste wonderful, baked fried or grilled.
..."Where is Eddie, he usually eats these G____ things?"
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ok, before this thread goes south on squirrels.....this is what t-bone said......
"I would shoot them, but right now I don't own a rifle and besides, I can't be there all day to guard the trees."
i don't have any suggestions t bone, i don't have peach trees.
edit and add: t bone, not sure how tall your tree is or how big the base of it is, you might try stove pipe around it, i use several sections around an 8 x 8 post for my bird feeder, the surface is too smooth for them to climb, and they can't jump high enough to get past it.
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OK... talked to a friend that lives outside of town.. he wraps a piece of flashing around the tree just before the fruit becomes ripe. Putting a flashing cone above that. uses duct tape to hold it in place.
says it is hilarious to watch them try to scramble on the metal and fall to the ground.
Squirrels can launch themselves quite a ways so he uses the 24" flashing with the cone above it. The cone doesnt have to be huge, just large enough the squirrel doesnt reach OVER it when it jumps to clear the lower flashing and get a claw into the tree bark. He says its a royal pain to do 5 peach trees and a dozen apple trees every year but it saves his harvest.
Wrapped flashing has to be high enough a squirrel cant jump from the ground and clear the whole mess... If done right he says they are almost in a PANIC to figure out how to get around the issue...
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My Dad ties mouse traps to the trees. If I remember it, I'll take a picture when I get home.
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A rottie, a dobie and a shar pei do a fair job of deterring squirrels. Besides the silly thing only aims for the walnut tree *(which I've yet to see a decent sized nut from) and the bird feeder