Milorganite and voles?
NHBabs z4b-5a NH
9 years ago
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karin_mt
9 years agoI would be curious to know the answer to that question as well. In the fall I have to wrap all the fruit tree trunks (and extend the wrap down into the mulch) if I don't want them to suffer a similar fate as your dogwood, Babs.
I delegate vole control though, to my super efficient assistant, Inga.
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Comments (20)Terrene, The photo of your vole patrolcat is too cute-- fluffy little face stuffed full of critter.... I *love* it. My own (indoor) kitty friend is sitting on my lap as I (try to) type this. He's giving me a look that says "don't get any big ideas, woman.". I make my critter cages in all sizes. It just depends on the plant. I've found that an 8" diameter, 10" deep cage is sufficient for a lot of plants. I could make them bigger, but my soil is crazy compacted clay and full of tree roots, and I just don't have time to spend 30 minutes digging each hole. The roots grow through the hardware cloth eventually, but even if the critters mess with those, you've still protected the main tap and lateral roots. I would suggest starting out with 1/4" hardware cloth-- it's much easier to cut than 1/2". A good pair of tin-snips will also make your life easier, as will some nitrile coated knit gardening gloves. They are thin enough to give you good dexterity but still thick enough to keep your hands from being torn to shreds. As for installation, there really isn't that much to it. Dig a hole larger than the cage, put it in the hole and fill with plant and dirt. At first I planted them with about 1" of the cage above the soil, but I got tired of stumbling on them so now I place them at soil level. Thus far, no difference in critter "activity" between the two planting depths. If you need to plant something very shallow rooted, like crocus, and are worried about digging from the top down in, then get some crushed oyster shell (aka crushed poultry shell) and work it into the top 1" of the soil. It will keep the critters from digging down into the cage...... until all the birds have eaten it. Plan on reapplying it once or twice a season. Daylilies and iris were two plant types my neighbor and I couldn't agree on. I thought daylilies were critter-proof, but not iris. She thought the opposite....See Moresoil borne diseases??
Comments (7)You are so right!! Picture a daylily with a few stubs, maybe one an inch long. I am feeling really bad about this bed, I bought a lot of new ones 3 years ago, and the experts say I got something bad in that order. I don't know what to do with that whole bed now,I'm afraid of infecting another part of my yard. I guess I'll dig the rest, throw them, and put down clear plastic to sterilize the soil. Will that kill all the daff bulbs in there too?? Probably....See MoreWho uses Milorganite?
Comments (13)I've used class A biosolids in granular that you load yourself for free at the waste treatment plant. Yes, hostas and grass sure grew great & it kep deer & rabbits away, so no nibbling of hosta though nibbling of raspberry plants 25' away. No, family didn't because of the lingering odor night & day. Tried putting it in mulch then spreading & was better, but it's dusty & that dust gets around when mixing up. Wearing a mask, gloves, & change clothes when done helped the person working with it. In our rainy spring & fall climate at the worst smelling time for a few weeks, but that constant smell was too much for them, so after using it 2x a year stopped. Neighbors asked about it also. Found one bag I stashed, so going to use lightly at surface at our new place today when we plant out the hostas we dug yesterday. Some of those were in place only 5 years from 2 gallon size pots and rootballs were heavy for 2 men to lift out. Grew as well as the ones in our riches manure based compost enriched soil with a lot less work than hauling & turning large piles of manure & sawdust bedding. If it were up to me I'd keep using it ... about a handful per medium & 2 handfuls per large sprinkled around the base of the plant then covered with mulch. If I can get convince them of the ease of it might get more....See MoreWhat is happening to my Hosta (rhino hide)?
Comments (26)Well the best thing that has come from the Rhino Hide deteriorating situation is how much I have learned! Thank you everyone for contributing and thanks for the link. Juliaarugula, thankfully it is not Voles leaving my hostas without roots or crown... but who knows my garden is still young, there may be a year when I get a hungry vole. That will probably happen once I get the snails and slugs under control. hahah ;) NewHostaLady- I'm suddenly aware of green roots, and noticed a few hostas with green roots in my yard, these hostas are from the same place I got Rhino Hide. I never covered those green roots with soil because...I don't know?... I guess I just left it exposed as it was in the container (following the theory of planting at the same level it was planted in nursery pot and keeping crown high). I have to circle back and follow NewHostaLady, Babka, and Bruce's recommended procedure tomorrow for TC overgrown in pots .... and I mostly likely will have to dig up quite a few formerly potted TC hostas later that are probably lagging or stunted! I thought it was lack of "this or that hosta care" that I was supposed to be doing for it. After Rhino Hide's photo shoot the other day, I had sprayed the root and crown with 10% bleach and left it for about 2 minutes before rinsing the bleach off and potting into a container with potting mix and called it a day. But with today's posts and the details of what to do- I realize what I had did wouldn't be effective enough to help the hosta. Pretty Birds, you are right I have pampered them too much. I read all about the mature hostas and wanted my young pipsqueaks to grow lush and beautiful. I also tried so hard not to damage the roots. I hand water very little, so far, this year as rain has been good. Ken-Adrian I agree, gizmo's can help or delay the help by obscuring the obvious to ID the cause by digging it up (look and see). I have learned through your posts on other threads that hostas are not babies. It's a learning curve for a newbie hosta parent to trust that a plant with lush beautiful leaves doesn't need helicopter parenting. I consider this as my lesson learned. Babka- Email is now enabled. I hope that your appendectomy recovery is a speedy one. No worries I understood what you meant before you edited it. :) Bruce- along with sharing your lovely hostas garden thanks for the slug killer metaldehyde product tip. I read the link above about your 250 Sagae divisions (wow)- thanks again for a great visual instructional. All of my "delicate touch and TLC" that I have given since last year.... and now the hosta will get chopped from top to bottom, and take a long cool soak in 10% bleach, ha! HA! Ironic. I am nervous to "harm" the hosta ... but then again, Rhino Hide already has one foot in the grave, so I might as well cure it or speed up its slow demise. Old Dirt, your example with Sweet Sunshine just gave the confidence to be bold with my failing hosta. I still have the eyes/shoots so I will soak in water- it couldn't hurt. If it roots, then that would be a happy twist. Thanks! Now I have a better understanding of what's happening to Rhino Hide. Many thanks again to everyone who commented. I hope it has helped others who may have a dying falling apart hosta situation, too! If Rhino Hide survives I will post an update in the future for closure. :)...See More
gardenfanatic2003
9 years ago
lindaw_cincy
9 years agoNHBabs z4b-5a NH
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9 years agoprairiemoon2 z6b MA
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9 years ago
KittyNYz6
3 years agolast modified: 3 years agoHi, Sheila,
Try Kaput and sprinkle the granules in gopher holes or in all places they are rise roots. It is used by exterminators. it works!
One review said he had 100 gophers and got rid of them all! It’s made for you Sheila!
Another person bought Kaput for voles and she got rid of them all!
(Sorry I even mentioned to do all new landscaping of your whole property. Way too much work and not necessary! I think this simple remedy will work!) Woohoo! )
gardenfanatic2003