New Pet?

bcallaha · Wed Jul 13, 2011 2:30 pm

I have another first for me. Last night when I was doing my after-work stroll around my gardens, I ran across an ear of corn in the yard with the husk pulled back, and the kernels mostly eaten. This was halfway from my house to the corn patch. About another 25 ft, the same thing. I was starting to get nervous. I checked all around, and that appears to be the only two ears eaten so far.

I suspect a coon. Any other ideas? We have deer, skunk and opossom around, too.

The corn is almost ready....probably be picking this weekend.

Brad

Moley · Thu Jul 14, 2011 6:43 am

Nothing like a repeat listening of Iron Maiden's "run to the hills" to scare of the little creatures.

sastpierre · Thu Jul 14, 2011 7:23 am

You have likely received a visit from a Raccoon or Skunk. Guess what? He will likely be back with friends. Once they find something good to eat, they won't stop til its all gone.

bcallaha · Thu Jul 14, 2011 8:07 am

The critter did come back. I left the two mostly eaten ears several feet from the garden, and like a good fella, he finished off the leftovers of the two ears, and didn't go after any more fresh from the garden. Now that those two ears are gone, he probably will go back for more fresh ones. I try to plant enough to share.

It's funny, I don't mind it so much when a critter eats something, but I get all flustered when a critter takes one bite out of something, and then goes and gets another for a second bite. I had a squirrel once wipe out my tomato crop when he would pick a pink tomato, take one bite, and then go get another. I found 5 or 6 tomatoes like that each day until they were all gone.

We started picking the corn last night. We picked and put up three rows, which was a large laundry basket full of corn. Hopefully, by this weekend, we will have the other 6 rows in the freezer.

Brad

Kisal · Thu Jul 14, 2011 3:21 pm

bcallaha wrote:I had a squirrel once wipe out my tomato crop when he would pick a pink tomato, take one bite, and then go get another. I found 5 or 6 tomatoes like that each day until they were all gone.

The squirrel was just testing them, looking for one that was fully ripe.

bcallaha · Mon Jul 18, 2011 9:33 am

Well, I picked about 4 bushel of corn this weekend, and it's all in the freezer. There are a few late ears left for the coon and I, and then I have my second planting coming along in about 2 weeks. If the coon stays civil, there is pleanty left for both of us.

Brad

rainbowgardener · Mon Jul 18, 2011 10:12 am

Well, good luck with that civilizing the raccoons thing

. In my experience, raccoons will eat any available amount and never stop until it is all gone.

I gave up on growing corn. I used to live on a five acre property, half woods. I had a big garden, but it wasn't fenced. With the woods, we had every creature in the world there from mouse sized ones to deer (despite the fact that this was four miles from downtown), including lots of birds. All the creatures LOVE corn and they don't wait for the corn to be ripe!

bcallaha · Tue Jul 19, 2011 9:50 am

Speaking of birds, they now have discovered the few remaining ears yet to pick. They are shredding the husks down from the top and eating the kernals as they go. I'm going to pick what's left (not a whole lot) tonight and try to salvage what I can. Good thing I planted enough to share!! I did get 5 bushel of corn in the freezer.

Brad

pickupguy07 · Tue Jul 19, 2011 9:38 pm

I was REAl lucky this year.. I live in the country... lots of trees around.
Anyway when my corn got about a foot high I had one plant get eaten (looked like they chomped it all in one bite (so I suspected a deer)
Surprised they left ANy (and only ate one).
Anyway I went to the barber and got some hair and spread it around.. haven't saw any varments of any kind since.

As an added bonus, the corn plant the deer eat, resprouted off of the remaining inch or so that it left, and made a nice stalk.

pickupguy07 · Tue Jul 19, 2011 9:39 pm

bcallaha wrote:Well, I picked about 4 bushel of corn this weekend, and it's all in the freezer. There are a few late ears left for the coon and I, and then I have my second planting coming along in about 2 weeks. If the coon stays civil, there is pleanty left for both of us.

Brad

HOW big is your corn patch to get 5 or 6 bushels... Just curious.

bcallaha · Wed Jul 20, 2011 8:22 am

I had 9 rows about 25' long. I planted Mirai corn this year for the 1st time. It germinated well and was a good producer. I got two very good ears from each plant. I think I'll stick with this variety for a while.

I've got 3 more rows coming in about 2-3 weeks. I hope it does as well as the 1st patch.

Brad