This time of the year, we are busily cleaning up flower beds and garden plots and our plants start shooting up, we need to think about keeping the plants safe from "predators". Deer, rabbits and rodents like to eat them and dogs and cats like to sit on the tender developing plants or dig them up. There are quite a variety of animal repellents on the market. Some are based on an unpleasant taste and some on an unpleasant or feared smell.
Skoot is one type of animal deterrent product you will see on garden section shelves. Read the label carefully! Unlike the Green Earth Animal Repellent, that I mentioned in my last blog post, this one is poisonous! In my haste to get something, anything, to use to deter the porcupines that were regular visitors to our yard this past winter, I missed the skull and cross bones logo on it.
It wouldn't have worked this winter anyway, as I also missed the part about only using it if the temperature was NOT below 4C. Have you seen very many prairie winter days where that's a realistic temperature? There's so much fine print on the container, some of it in bold letters, but no where does it say anything about "not using it on a windy day" nor does it recommend wearing gloves or long sleeves. This morning I was considering applying Skoot to my nibbled daffodils, but carefully read the whole long label (this time!)
"Because of unpleasant side effects, alcoholic beverages should be avoided for 24 hours before or after using Skoot". That's a direct quote from the label! What??!!? That got my attention! I had that glass of wine last night... what would happen?
I called the 1-800 number on the label and I was taken aback by the company's out going phone message: "If this is a medical emergency for either a human or a pet, press 1. For any other concerns press 2." ( I'm dead serious! OMG! ) I left a message along with my phone number.
A few hours later I got a call back and was given some interesting information by a very pleasant woman: inhaling the fumes of the chemicals in Skoot could enhance the effects of alcohol in the users system! Wow!
Not only that, although it is on store shelves right now along with all the other spring gardening products, it should NOT be used on growing plants at all! (Dormant only!)
I have decided that Skoot is not for me! Sounds far too dangerous!
What is also strange, the harmless "Green Earth Animal Deterrent" made from black pepper oil is made by the same company as Skoot! Go figure!
Maybe I will stick to the messy mixing of "Plantskydd". Plantskydd is a blood based product that people can't smell but animals do so they stay away from the plants. ( But after you mix the powder with water, don't keep it any longer than the label recommends or it DOES start to smell bad to humans, too!) Plantskydd works for up to 6 months and doesn't wash away with the rain or heavy watering as many other products do... It worked well last year to deter the wild animal munchers wandering through our acreage, so why mess with success?!
Showing posts with label Green Earth Animal Repellent. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Green Earth Animal Repellent. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Beautiful May Day
This is such an exciting anticipatory time of year! But so much work as well.
Thus far we still have NO leaves on the trees here in central Alberta. Last year by the end of April we could already see a faint greenish hue as the leaves were getting ready to emerge from their buds.... Not so this year.
The lawn is quickly turning green now, though, especially after the 2 days of rain that we had on the weekend. There are big buds on many of the trees and shrubs especially my huge honeysuckle shrub, so it shouldn't be long now before the trees green up! The sun is shining warmly today, although we have a bit of a wind which is, strangely enough, coming from the south rather than the usual west or northwest.... A beautiful day to be outside gardening, golfing or whatever you choose to do! :)
The tulips at the side of the house are tall and have fat buds on them so they will be popping out any time now! :) (Last year the first red tulips started blooming here on May 2.)
My clematises are showing signs of life, at least 2 out of 3 are. The General Sikorska was the first, as usual, but only has a couple of small leaves coming out of the ground at this time. My newest addition the white Alba Luxuriana was not far behind and it has a tiny shoot with tiny leaves also coming out of the ground. So far nothing from my Jackimanii.
I had left the clematis stems on the trellises over winter just like the "Lois Hole perennials" book says. Last year some of the stems were still alive in spring and they sprouted new leaves on them. Then I trimmed back just the dead stem parts. I'm hoping the same will be the case again this year so that, along with some new growth out of the ground, my clematises will get bushier each year. :)
The daffodils in my stack stone bed by the pond have leaves, but no flowers yet. (Did I accidently plant the late blooming variety? LOL!) But the deer have been eating the daffodil leaves! All the books say that daffodils are deer resistant. So much for THAT theory!
On the other hand, maybe it can be attributed to the marmot! Yes, I have another marmot residing nearby. The dog chases it frequently but it always manages to escape. I sprayed all the tulips and daffodils today with "Green Earth Animal Repellent". Time will tell if that product works. I called the company that makes it (on their 1-800 number) and I was told that it's basis is pepper oil, a natural product, so it is harmless to humans and animals, but deters animals through the smell. (Good to know since we not only have a dog, but 5 cats wandering around freely on our acreage.) The down side is that it doesn't last that long. It needs to be reapplied after a good rain or a good watering. Hmmm.... back to mixing 'Plantskydd'?
Three out of 5 of my rose bushes are showing buds or some kind of sign of life now! Looking forward to seeing them bloom! I removed all the peat moss and mulch from around the rose bushes yesterday and began applying some bone meal in the soil around their roots to help them grow. :)
Today I spent several more hours toiling in the sun, (whew!) digging out shasta daisy seedlings and tons of quack grass from my stack stone bed. Those never ending grass wars have begun again in earnest !
I have to dig up my Winnipeg Parks rose bush and move it forward about 2 feet in the flower bed to put more distance between it and the large Baby's Breath perennial there. Last year the Baby's Breath got so big that it flopped over on top of the rose bush and prevented the poor thing from setting any buds. I had to stake the Baby's Breath up and even trim some of it off. I had already dug up half of the baby's breath a few weeks earlier.... Talk about vigorous growth!
My unassuming little pasque flowers are gorgeous! I am SO impressed with them.
Thus far we still have NO leaves on the trees here in central Alberta. Last year by the end of April we could already see a faint greenish hue as the leaves were getting ready to emerge from their buds.... Not so this year.
The lawn is quickly turning green now, though, especially after the 2 days of rain that we had on the weekend. There are big buds on many of the trees and shrubs especially my huge honeysuckle shrub, so it shouldn't be long now before the trees green up! The sun is shining warmly today, although we have a bit of a wind which is, strangely enough, coming from the south rather than the usual west or northwest.... A beautiful day to be outside gardening, golfing or whatever you choose to do! :)
The tulips at the side of the house are tall and have fat buds on them so they will be popping out any time now! :) (Last year the first red tulips started blooming here on May 2.)
My clematises are showing signs of life, at least 2 out of 3 are. The General Sikorska was the first, as usual, but only has a couple of small leaves coming out of the ground at this time. My newest addition the white Alba Luxuriana was not far behind and it has a tiny shoot with tiny leaves also coming out of the ground. So far nothing from my Jackimanii.
I had left the clematis stems on the trellises over winter just like the "Lois Hole perennials" book says. Last year some of the stems were still alive in spring and they sprouted new leaves on them. Then I trimmed back just the dead stem parts. I'm hoping the same will be the case again this year so that, along with some new growth out of the ground, my clematises will get bushier each year. :)
 |
| General Sikorska clematis on right, with rudbeckia in front of it. Small alba luxuriana clematis in centre back with oriental poppy leaves in front of it. It's a start! |
The daffodils in my stack stone bed by the pond have leaves, but no flowers yet. (Did I accidently plant the late blooming variety? LOL!) But the deer have been eating the daffodil leaves! All the books say that daffodils are deer resistant. So much for THAT theory!
On the other hand, maybe it can be attributed to the marmot! Yes, I have another marmot residing nearby. The dog chases it frequently but it always manages to escape. I sprayed all the tulips and daffodils today with "Green Earth Animal Repellent". Time will tell if that product works. I called the company that makes it (on their 1-800 number) and I was told that it's basis is pepper oil, a natural product, so it is harmless to humans and animals, but deters animals through the smell. (Good to know since we not only have a dog, but 5 cats wandering around freely on our acreage.) The down side is that it doesn't last that long. It needs to be reapplied after a good rain or a good watering. Hmmm.... back to mixing 'Plantskydd'?
 |
| Nibbled daffodils... |
Today I spent several more hours toiling in the sun, (whew!) digging out shasta daisy seedlings and tons of quack grass from my stack stone bed. Those never ending grass wars have begun again in earnest !
 |
| Holly hock back left, close to house, with a number of bearded irises growing well. |
I have to dig up my Winnipeg Parks rose bush and move it forward about 2 feet in the flower bed to put more distance between it and the large Baby's Breath perennial there. Last year the Baby's Breath got so big that it flopped over on top of the rose bush and prevented the poor thing from setting any buds. I had to stake the Baby's Breath up and even trim some of it off. I had already dug up half of the baby's breath a few weeks earlier.... Talk about vigorous growth!
My unassuming little pasque flowers are gorgeous! I am SO impressed with them.
 |
| These little beauties are pasque flowers. They look quite similar to wild crocuses, but they grow well in a flower bed |
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| Angel bed |
Next gardening project.... clean quack grass out of the angel bed... tomorrow. :)
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