marksctm 2013 Grow Blog

[skychaser]

Your Little Dutch and Dutch (Ohio) appear to be the same plant. Do you think they are?

No, they are not the same plant. I still haven't gotten around to smoking any of the Ohio Dutch. But Ill be sorting and packing up leaf today and I will did out a string and give it a try, and let you know how it compares to Little Dutch.


Nice looking plants Chris.

 

[marksctm]

Man these sparrows are shredding my leaf all to hell.
Their going for aphids I think.

I'v knocked down the aphid population by about half to three quarters, (never ending) but their still on the hunt.

My Florida Sumatra hurts the most, my,(what was to be) wrapper leaf is looking like swiss cheese.

I have a pellet rifle, but it blows through 3/4 inch plywood with ease and haven't used since moving here, just to many houses and kids.

I'm trying foil pie pan on a string tied to a stick in the ground to make some noise, but I think that will just give them a place to perch.

I'm open for any ideas.

 

[DGBAMA]

Place feeders for the birds in spots away from the baccy. Or use it for an excuse to get a new airgun. A multi pump crossman you can get just enough power to get the job done.

 

[workhorse_01]

A can of cat food in the middle of the patch.

 

[marksctm]

A can of cat food in the middle of the patch.

Got them crapping in my flower bed out front.
Since my dog died, their taking over my yard, and the coons, skunks, possums.
Time for a pup.

Place feeders for the birds in spots away from the baccy. Or use it for an excuse to get a new airgun. A multi pump crossman you can get just enough power to get the job done.

Think I'm getting their pistol.
________________________


The other day I was working on the down spout, and happen to look down and spotted this, between the steps and house.

Sure looks like tobacco, but have no idea how it would of started there.
I never messed with tobacco, or seeds out in front.

Kind of surprised to see it.

 

[BigMikeChevy]

use flashers colored foil on line like they do the grapes out here. works real good for keeping birds away.

 

[workhorse_01]

If you get a big one like one of my mastiffs they don't care where they step! So you cant let them in the patch until the bacca is as tall as they are. That is tobacco in the pic. I have two mystery plants also.

Got them crapping in my flower bed out front.
Since my dog died, their taking over my yard, and the coons, skunks, possums.
Time for a pup.

Think I'm getting their pistol.
________________________


The other day I was working on the down spout, and happen to look down and spotted this, between the steps and house.
View attachment 6180
Sure looks like tobacco, but have no idea how it would of started there.
I never messed with tobacco, or seeds out in front.

Kind of surprised to see it.

 

[Chicken]

build a scarecrow,

 

[chillardbee]

Chickens idea is pretty good. I probably even dangle those tin foil pie pans from the hands of the scarecrow, I think that would work swell.

 

[marksctm]

build a scarecrow,

I'll try a scarecrow next.
I bought some rubber snakes in the toy department at Walmart today, and put on the fence and a couple on some plants, we'll see what happens.
If I go the scarecrow route, I'm thinking this works for me.
http://images.halloweencostumes.com/products/6667/1-2/sexy-scarecrow-costume.jpg

 

[Webby]

Hey Mark, was doin some gardening for this old dear the other day and she has a couple of magpie decoys on her back lawn, she had found them and liked them as decorations but there purpose I think is to keep the sparras off newly sown lawn an beds. Dont know if you got maggies up there but maybe another type of bird of prey or larger bully bird decoy to scare em a bit. Or I've seen these used in holland and they are damned effective too. Some other ideas in there to.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird_scarer#Propane_cannons_.28propane_gas_guns.29

 

[Knucklehead]

I see plastic Owls used in some gardens. I haven't spoken with anyone about their effectiveness though.

 

[workhorse_01]

My parents use the owls to keep the squirrel out the yard, and the birds from nesting in, and squirting on their truck under the canopy. They work for that.

I see plastic Owls used in some gardens. I haven't spoken with anyone about their effectiveness though.

 

[johnlee1933]

I see plastic Owls used in some gardens. I haven't spoken with anyone about their effectiveness though.

Years back I had two of them. They never have any effect I could observe.

 

[ChuckP]

The other day I was working on the down spout, and happen to look down and spotted this, between the steps and house.
View attachment 6180
Sure looks like tobacco, but have no idea how it would of started there.
I never messed with tobacco, or seeds out in front.

Kind of surprised to see it.

Howdy Chris,

Sure looks like a tobacco plant to me. Did you let any flowers openly blossom last year? I would transplant it and let it grow out and see if you can tell what variety it is.

My .02 cents worth.

 

[deluxestogie]

Years back I had two of them. They never have any effect I could observe.

A number of species of birds have been shown to be capable of recognizing specific humans, reacting differently to different people. Would they really be fooled by an immobile likeness of an owl? I have seen some plastic owls designed as bobble-head statues. I don't know if that makes a difference.

Some organic gardeners have reported that decoys are more effective if you relocate them daily. I would agree with John. I suspect that scarecrows and decoys, like cough medicine, simply give us the warm fuzzy feeling that we're doing something, regardless of their efficacy.

Bob

 

[workhorse_01]

There aint no bird squirt on my dads Dodge Hemi! It doesn't move for weeks at the time some months. but if you park a vehicle in the drive way where they cant see the owl, splat.

 

[marksctm]

Thanks for all your ideas everyone.
Been gone a few days and I'v got everything munching on tobacco.
Just saw Larry's crop he posted, and that just breaks my heart.
My heart goes out to ya man.

Sparrows, Aphids, and now hornworms.
Just said something to Bob in a post a few days ago about not seeing any last year or this year, even said I was probably screwing the pooch by saying that, and I did.
Got a new camera so I don't know how these will post, but I'll give'er a try.


Giving the hornworm a 2 stroke gas mix bath.

 

[workhorse_01]

Get Cyonara! It's the only food safe chemical in my price range, I've found that will kill red aphids. If you let them get too far ahead of you, you probably wont be able to catch back up.

 

[marksctm]

Get Cyonara! It's the only food safe chemical in my price range, I've found that will kill red aphids. If you let them get too far ahead of you, you probably wont be able to catch back up.

Can't keep anything on'em longer than a few hours.
Last day I treated them, 2 hours later, (They weren't calling for rain till the next afternoon,) I got 2 1/2 inches of rain in one wave.
I was on the edge of that wave, 9 miles north of me they got over 5 inches with that same cell.
I'm going to try tomorrow with 2 table spoons of Dawn dish soap in a gallon of water.
I had it to where you really had to look for them, the soap did a good job.
Just need a day or 2 rain free days and I hope I can knock back down again.
I got a big bottle of Dawn and a new sprayer, I'll spray till my face is as blue as the Dawn I'm using.