apricots 0, nature 15

[movie zombie]

well, i always said i didn't move to the forest to be a farmer.....but i do insist on planting a few things eatable. one of those "few things" was a dwarf blenheim apricot tree that i bought bareroot from costco a few years back and then left out in the rain in its wrappings. the roots were slimey and rotting but i cleaned it up and planted it anyway in a 150 gallon galvanized metal livestock water tank. have had a few blossoms but no fruit for the last two years. this year i had lots of blossoms and about 15-20 small but lovely apricots. i've been checking them and watching them as they get bigger and get some color thinking that in a week or two they'd be ripe and ready to be picked.

apparently, i was not the only one watching them......this morning driving out to take the cat with cancer to the vet i took a look at my tree: zero, nada, zilch, all gone, nary one to be seen, absent without permission. got home and checked out the tree and its container. there is absolutely nothing laying beneath the tree or around it. there is one very small branch that is broken. otherwise, the dirt, area around it, and the tree are not showing evidence of what thief stole my apricots.

i'm blaming the squirrels! if it were raccoons the tree would be bent and broken [not a big tree at all]. if it were birds there would be dropped fruit. if it were rats they'd be bitten but not devoured. don't think a skunk and/or possum would have gone for them without causing damage to the tree. deer can't get to them because i've put wire around the tank....and they haven't eaten any of the leaves they could eat if they wanted.

memo to self: remember, you did not move to the forest to be a farmer......but dang i was looking forward to having my own apricots!

sigh.

perhaps this is revenge for the 5 citrus trees that bear fruit and they've found not to their liking?!

 

[Dee*Jay]

What a disappointment! Is it too late in the season for the tree to grow more? What if you constructed a ring around the tree with the wire fencing and also put it over the top (like a big can shaped enclosure)?

 

[movie zombie]

we'd have to "fortify" the fencing and give the overhead wire some structure as well. the squirrel's weight would allow them to dip low and still be able to grab the fruit otherwise. but it is possible although probably more expensive than just buying 15 apricots!

 

[Gypsy]

I loved squirrels until my first garden. Then I started understanding why my husband call them tree rats. I'm sorry about your apricots. On the plus side-- you will now know what to look out for next year. And yes, I do think that it is a bit of revenge for the citrus. If you ever want to tempt a squirrel though, try a cherry tree. They are like crack to squirrels.

 

[movie zombie]

thanks for the warning, Gypsy!
squirrel crack: i have to remember that one. no cherry trees for me.

its not like i wanted to plant an orchard. as i stated, i didn't move here to be a farmer. i like the idea of being somewhat sustainable re fresh food in the summer. perhaps its time to buy an air rifle. they won't here it coming! can't have an outside cat or dog because i'm too tender hearted and i want the birds to feel safe.

its not like they don't get enough of the bird seed and suet!

but they want it ALL!

ok, done with my rant. i really have a good life if this is all i can complain about.

 

[GemFever]

Oh man, i sympathize! My parents grow peaches in their front yard, and they had a similar thing happen. They were waiting till the peaches were ripe to pick them, and so were the squirrels. As my folks told me -- one evening they saw that the peaches were looking good and decided to pick them the next morning. Except in the morning, they were gone! I guess the squirrels came to a similar conclusion. I'm not sure what their plan is this year, maybe to pick them a little before they are perfectly ripe?

 

[aviastar]

This happened to me the first year I grew sweet corn; I put up a 7ft tall 'deer fence' and had zero issues all season. Everything was coming along wonderfully and I was watching the silk very carefully to know when to pick it. Decided to give it one more day and BAM! Overnight the whole 10X30 patch was destroyed, trampled, and completely devoid of corn. My 'deer fence' was worthless. I got about 7 stunty ears of corn that year out of the whole thing. But they tasted good!

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Thank you MZ for providing my morning smile. Glad "someone/thing" enjoyed your apricots!
(p.s I threw some organic kale and swiss chard under my big fir tree--and I see it is still there; so perhaps if you do not want "other creatures" enjoying the fruits of your labours, plant those! )

cheers--Sharon

 

[soocool]

The birds and animals don't bother with my strawberries or raspberries, but they go after the blueberries. We finally wised up a few years ago and put netting all around the blueberries. So far this year I have reaped about 12 pints and should get another 3 or so. Then I'll remove the netting and let them feast on any leftovers.

It is fun watching the birds trying to figure out how to get at them. One year a bird was smart and chewed/bit through the netting and made himself a door. It took me about an hour to find it and fix it. Then we got some heavy duty netting and we are enjoying our blueberries.

 

[movie zombie]

aviastar, i think our 7 foot fence [installed for the main garden which is not where the tree is located] is on top of a +3 foot retaining wall thus making it more like a 10 foot plus jump which has not yet been breached! we spent a lot of $ having a good fence built.....i'm afraid if the deer breach that fence we'll be having venison for dinner!

sharon, i'm so glad to have provided a good chuckle for the day! and perhaps your suggestion re kale isn't a bad one...organic or not. perhaps the taste is not to their liking. i may try it. however, i'm betting the pidgeons will devour it.

life in a forest is certainly not boring. and life must be good if this is my only complaint.

light bulb just went off in my head: perhaps i should tie some citrus fruit to that apricot tree to try and fool them next year! the squirrels certainly learned that lesson quickly.

 

[aviastar]

You can also tilt the last couple of feet at the top of the fence in or out at an angle and the deer will leave it alone. I can't grow sweet corn anymore- I moved in with DH and we have a field of feed corn right next door; it would cross-pollinate with whatever we planted and it would no longer be yummy sweet corn, but only fit for cows.

I almost lost my last little apple tree in the crazy storm here last Friday, but it looks like it will be ok!

 

[Gypsy]

Threads like this are why I love PS.