Right now I am excited because my apricot tree looks like this:
And in a few weeks, I hope to have a lot of these:
But while I wait for those beauties to ripen fully, this has been hampering my plans:
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On Saturday I saw him sitting in the crook of the tree, fat and happy, after pillaging at least, from the looks of the ground beneath the tree, forty of my apricots. He was making contented noises and looked like he was considering a nap after the difficult work of plunder. First I threw some fallen apricots his direction, then I pulled up some gardening forums and found some helpful and some amusing anecdotes and advice. Some fell along the "get out your BB gun" lines, while others pleaded for their furry friends the squirrels. "You can get your apricots at the store - they can't!" they claimed. No way; nowhere else will I get free organic produce. That fruit is mine.
After being cautioned that hot pepper spray can get in beady little rodent eyes, prompting them scratch themselves to their own detriment, I opted for a kinder measure - the toy snakes method. I placed about six (florescent colored, not very realistic looking) toy snakes around the tree, and they seem to have done the trick. Apparently I'll have to move them every couple days to keep up the ruse. So for now, squirrel, you keep your eyes and I keep my apricots. May the best-adapted species win.
HA! I need to come visit to see this for myself.
ReplyDeleteI hope it works!! Keep us updated!!
ReplyDeletebrilliant plan!
ReplyDeleteHi Linds! Thanks for stopping by my blog. I'm sorry about your apricots, but intrigued by your toy snakes - I'm glad they're working!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your advice. I think I'm going with a middle ground, since some of what the nutritionist said made sense and helped me feel better, and some didn't. So I'm cutting way back on dairy and looking at soya and rice milk for calcium.
Anyway, please feel free to come back, it's always nice to make a new friend!