work4bike

This is an outstanding video that captures my sentiments perfectly. Take note to the very apt title: Lawn Aren't Green

KraneXL

It might interest the author to note that most of our main food staples including wheat, rye, barley, corn, rice, and yep, sugarcane too, are all grasses. And lets not forget that delicious grass-fed beef.

work4bike

He's very aware of that fact. Here's just one example where he mentions grasses in this video on the Ringless Honey Mushroom, just jump to 1:15 in the timeline of the video.

This guy knows plants, but he focuses on foraging.

KraneXL

Something's been mowing through my greens. Can't seem to catch the culprit. Can anybody identify this damage. I have a few caterpillars but they didn't do this. Any ideas what would leave these chomp marks?

Anyway, I sprayed them heavily with insecticidal soap, so whatever's eating them will be having a terrible tummy ache for his troubles.





Chomping along the tender edges




Cabbage farm




Mowed down greens




Marigolds




Total devastation

KraneXL

Rats! Well one fat one anyway. I've been getting up all times of the night trying to catch whatever the varmint was and I finally saw it. Figures, what other creature could survive in the middle of a city? I saw it just as it bit off a leaf and toted it away.

I have to admit I never suspected a rodent could climb 5 stories to my balcony just to munch on my greens. He devastated my entire little crop, night by night and there wasn't anything I could do but view the results the next day.

Well that's not entirely true. I figured if I wasn't going to win this battle, I may as well go down fighting. I sprayed the leave with enough liquid detergent (as I wasn't worrying about damaging the plant at that point) to put a foul taste in its mouth. I figured if hes' going to dine on my green anyway, I would at least make his victory bitter sweet.

I still kept wondering how he was able to scale up 5 floors without any nearby trees or branches. Then I noticed the building's roof drainage pipe runs in a corner right next to my balcony. Worst part is, my complex is surrounded by foliage of all types but he knew to pick my tender greens instead. Diabolically clever creatures. No wonder we can't eradicate them.

. Cranky .

I bet you could catch the rat with flypaper, or at least give him one heck of a wax job.

KraneXL

I considered getting a trap, but I'll report it to the landlord instead and let him deal with it. Since it carried the leaf away, I suspect it may have a nest close-by.

Now I'm afraid to leave my sliding glass door open. The smells of when I'm cooking or fruit bowls would attract them; and I know they'd have no trouble chewing through the screen.

When I started this little balcony garden I didn't think I'd have trouble with any pests 50 feet off the ground. Who knew? If it gets into my apartment I'm moving.

chewybrian 

I can tell you from experience that this works, but you will have to see some ugly suffering or kill the poor beast, and that's kinda rough. Glue traps are hard core. I used one once and that's it for me.

work4bike

We have a few rats in my neighborhood, but between the cats, hawks and the owls, they're an endangered species that always need to be checking their six. I actually saw hawks, on three separate occasions, carry off a rat over the years and I actually almost ran into a hawk during one of my runs, because he flew directly past me with a rat in his talons -- he had a difficult time gaining altitude with the extra weight.

Zinger

An important tip for watering potted plants to avoid root rot.

First of all just don't water too often. Water when you see the leaves droop just a little. Don't just dump water in the same center of the pot every time. Because roots will seek the water so when you do that the roots will just go straight down where they're more likely to get waterlogged.

Instead always go all the way around the edges of the pot so your root network will seek the outside of the pot and likely stay comparatively dryer after drinking and will use any added nitrogen or other nutrients in the soil more thoroughly..

If you live in an area where it's advisable to PH your water because of chlorine and additives, always PH after adding any nutrients to the water as nutes can change your PH pretty drastically.


I pass them on as I learn 'em . . . a never ending education.

Zinger

I got these cool little sheet metal cage traps from a friend (don't know where he got them) where they can get in but can't get back out . . . like a quail trap. Just bait those with some bacon or hamburger and take the critters down the road a bit and kick them to the curb. No blood, no muss, no fuss.

KraneXL

Rats carry the plague, they will consume without limits and provide nothing in return. They replicate faster than you can blink and devour every food source they can find. They destroy crops and wreak havoc in homes. They are the scourge of the earth, and I have no compunctions with eradicating them wherever they appear.

BTW, thanks for the useful gardening tip. I've been doing it wrong, and learned something of value here today. 😊

Hondo Gravel

skijor

Ever read James Clavell's King Rat?

Zinger

Yeah my problem was with field mice and they're pretty much out of the house now. I'd probably just take the .22 to any rat that I saw so, luckily, I haven't seen any.

You and me both.

KraneXL

After last season, I now have an idea of what I can an cannot grow on my balcony with the limited amount of sunlight. I know I can get tomatoes, but only at 1/3 normal size. To compensate, I've begun to investigate light supplementation using grow lights, but not sure if the cost and expense would be worth it.

Anyone ever use grow lights or know someone that has? From what research I've gathered so far the LED type appear to be the most efficient but of course have the greatest initial cost.

I guess I should have taken that eastern facing apartment when I had the chance. I didn't know my growing bug was going to blossom again after all these dormant years. What have I gotten myself into?