WHAT JOBS ARE WE DOING IN THE GARDEN TODAY 2018

There must be a way to deal with them Shiney, surely!
You mentioned wild life experts but a pest control firm should control them. I understand and respect peoples' views about poisons etc but if they are doing so much damage and causing so much distress something drastic needs to be done. The rat population will only increase if not.

Clean bill of health at the dentist earlier. If tooth be told, I was a tad nervous!

Prepared site for planting clematis montana at my niece's new build. Expected rubble etc but looks like a straightforward job. I was picked up on her mobile....an app linked to simple security cameras. Isn't technology wonderful? Daphne Perfume Princess (a new, bigger version of odora aureomarginata reputedly with a stronger perfume) I planted last autumn there has flowers and loads of buds....the scent is fantastic

 

Rats will only live where theirs a food source bird feeders are one of the main culprits in gardens, i went to a lot of trouble making sure any spillages are collected in a tub, if you put a camera under your feeders as i did you will be surprised how many rats visit each night,

Very rarely i see any rats now odd one has called for a look then move on,

Killing them will only slow them down for a short while, what you need to do is stop there food source.

 

Agree with Martin, I've heard bird feeder left overs on the floor were to blame in lots of cases, although often hoovered up by other wildlife too.. hogs, foxes etc.

@Verdun off topic but were the low growing Delphiniums you used last year called grandiflorum Delfix Blue?

 

No Mark, they are Clivedon Beauty

 

Today I decimated my snowdrop display. I wanted to borrow some to underplant my mum’s rose bush so I dug them up and separated them. I discovered that the soil is so shallow there that it was impossible to put them back in. I took the ones I wanted and left the rest. They look a mess at the moment but they will have to stay that way. When they die down they will sort themselves out. I expect I will be increasing the level of topsoil at some point in the future.

I also sacrificed a clump of my daffodils.

I’ve been shopping today all ready to complete my rose bush project. It’s ended up costing me an arm and a leg. Hopefully the weather will be decent enough tomorrow morning For me to get stuck in.

G.

 

Balls. Not going to mention the wall untill it's bloody done now! Jinxed myself..measurements were all wrong..back Weds with "boss man"..

Seperating chickens and being "mother hen" was on the agenda today.. Cruella is living up to her name and even the baby Helga is picking on the new girls.. poor dabs.

Niece (4) came over earlier this afternoon to see new chooks and she wanted to pick some flowers so we came up with this

 

I divide clumps when they are actually flowering......dont separate, just dig clumps and plant clumps. Then there is no decimation and they continue to flower without any hiccup. Shallow dry soil is fatal; you will lose them there.

 

I haven't seen your garden and the ratty activities but I can understand your frustration with them. The rats are not damaging things deliberately. They are rodents so they need to chew and dig and they are unable to make the distinction between what they should and shouldn't touch. Everything in your garden is just part of their natural environment. If you are not on friendly terms with your ' nasty ' neighbour he is unlikely to want to help.

Still believe poison is not the solution. You've already tried that and now the rats have returned. It is better to shoot or electrocute them so they die instantly.

Changing how you feed your birds as Martin has said will help. Also window box feeders and feeders on greased vertical metal poles will deter them. Last summer I sat in computer room watching one of the rats trying repeatedly to leap from the windowsill up to the feeder. She couldn't do it and fell off the sill each time. She eventually decided it wasn't worth any more effort and gave up. She didn't try it again. An increase in the cat population would work but unless you can borrow a cat or two for awhile that's probably not an option. A dog could encourage them to vacate too. Sonic devices could help - although i've read conflicting stuff about their effectiveness. The long term solution to rat populations in urban areas lies with humans not rats. We are responsible for destroying their natural habitats and food sources and for the disposable society we live in.

 

Would it be an option to take on a furry friend @shiney ? Bit of company for Sarafi (sorry, spelling?) too.

 

Back from the beach.....beautiful morning and day to come
No gardening here but will be planting and mowing at my niece's
Expecting a parcel of phlox today
Hope everyone has a healthy happy day

 

Unfortunately I don’t have an up to date photo of that area. The clump is huge and needs thinning out. It would have been done sooner or later whatever happened. They have been naturalising there for years (10ish) so there is no reason why they shouldn’t t carry on doing so. All the other snowdrops around the garden originated from here.

G.