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Fruit & Orchards

Critters took all my peaches!

14 years ago

Hello:

I just planted two 2/3 years old peaches this April. They were doing great and produced bunches of small fruits that were about the size of avocado seed. Now it is early June, they were all gone and I saw leaves on the ground and couple broken branches. I see quite a lot of squirrels and chipmunks in my yard during the day, and pretty sure we have some rabbits in the yards. I am sure we don't have any deers. Any idea what might like unripe little peaches?

I know there is no hope for this year, but for next year, are there any method of keeping those critters out besides netting the whole tree?

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Comments (9)

theaceofspades
14 years ago
bon bons
alan haigh
14 years ago
It was squirrels and if they've already removed your peaches you are in big trouble- without a serious reduction in this pest you probably will harvest nothing but disappointment.

Do you have a bird feeder? Vermin get more of the seed than birds and rodent population soars. In suburban neighborhoods there are multiple unnatural sources of foods that can keep squirrels at epidemic population levels.

Bon bons made of 50-50 plaster of paris-peanut butter are the poison of choice for squirres on this site. An electric fence about 4' high can also work if squirres can't get over it from a tree or overhanging structure.

In a high pressure area like yours I doubt tangle trap would be affective.
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mudflapper
14 years ago
You just planted these in April? and had peaches the size of Avocado pits, Wow! I am very surprised the tree did not abort the fruit; because the tree has not had enough time to establish a good root system, yet. Only one good thing about this is now you know what you are up against with the Squirrels.
calistoga_al ca 15 usda 9
14 years ago
For us the problem has been rats. If I don't work to keep the population of rats down, I will get no fruit at all. They steal the fruit before any are ripe enough to pick. Al
franktank232
14 years ago
Just a suggestion, but i wonder if this would work on squirrels?

possible squirrel deterrent
somedudeinthegarden
14 years ago
Thank God I don't have squirrels at massive levels where I live. Aside from a few OFM damaged peaches I am doing fine. Now if I could only do something about those Chip Munks...... >:>0
alan haigh
14 years ago
Chipmonks are easy. You can trap them in live traps or do the right thing (in my book) and kill them with spring rat traps baited with almonds and raisons. Just cover the traps up so you don't kill some poor innocent bird- use a box or something.
myra-nc
14 years ago
I have the same problem. I did NOT get one peach off my 2 trees. NOT one! I just learned this. Take 1 part peanut butter, 1 part Plaster of Paris and some olive oil or salad oil should work. Mix up good and roll in little balls. DO NOT, I say, DO NOT add water as that will make the balls hard and you want them to eat them before they get hard. After they drink water they will harden and can't go to the bathroom and will die. It will work on rats, mice, squirrels. Just have some water near so they can get a drink and hopefully put an end to my misery!

Home Depot has Plaster of Paris, someone said walmart has it (maybe in craft dept) Getting some in 2 days and can't wait to try it. I guess anything that likes peanut butter would eat it so keep away from pets and farm animals as it will construct their bowels too.

.
radovan
14 years ago
I am so sad too. this morning everything is gone, all 91 fruits from my peach tree. and, the culprit is raccoon so destructive and drives me nuts.

i traped one of them and released it because it was making to much noise in cage, my mistake.

is there some Bon-Bon for racoons?

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