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Does anyone have a recommendation for chipmunk control?

undertheoaksgardener7b

4 years ago

My camellias have been heavily damaged or killed by chipmunks over this past year. Definitely chipmunks, doing root and crown damage like voles do but only to shrubs and trees with woody root systems. I do love the generosity of camellias with their luscious blooms in the cold months.

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Comments (5)

luis_pr
4 years ago
Not too many persons have complained about this problem with camellias (but several have complained about voles causing damage to camellias).

Have you already tried sprays, traps, bird netting or 1/4-inch mesh hardware cloth around gardens and flowers (must be 6" or more deep and very tall)? I was told that mulching new plants helps some but I have not tried it.
undertheoaksgardener7b thanked luis_pr
undertheoaksgardener7b
Original Author
4 years ago
I have dug up the remaining small camellias, trimmed back the roots, and planted in metal mesh baskets. The smallest camellias have survived this, but the more trimming I have to do to get the camellia in the basket, the less likely the plant will survive. I have lost a beautiful 3 ft by 4 ft Kanjiro. The 2-3 year old Star above Star and Sarah Catherine have survived a minor munching and the treatment so far, but don't look great. The 2-3 year olds Gay Baby, Imura, Autumn Moon, and Mine no Yuki that I dug up and treated (dig up, trim roots, etc above) 3 weeks ago seem OK, but too soon to know for sure. The 3 year-old Satsuma Kurenai looks like the prophylactic treatment may have killed it. I have not tried the treatment on the remaining camellias because they are bigger and because Satsuma did so poorly.

And definitely chipmunks, with visual confirmation of the culprit. They are like voles that eat wood instead of herbaceous roots. I have done some trapping. I feel like mulch invites the voles to the feast in other parts of my garden, otherwise I would try that.
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Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
TomCat rat traps work great for chipmunks, if in fact chipmunks are the culprit. Chipmunks don't get active until late spring, summer I don't think. They hibernate don't they?. In summer when chipmunks are active put an unsalted peanut in the trap. Cover over with a large pot and leave a small space for chipmunk to enter. I have killed over 20 in one summer. They will destroy small tree seedlings in pots, especially oaks and cherries, looking for the pit or acorn. They will dig the seed, then chomp the seedling into two pieces just for spite.
undertheoaksgardener7b thanked Dave in NoVA • N. Virginia • zone 7A
jeff_al
3 years ago
housecats find them tasty and fairly easy to catch. other than that, I have had few successes even when trying to use the hav-a-hart live traps with no success. they love to dig in my many container plantings, throwing out newly planted annuals.

dave, they are pretty much active here all year with our mild winters, coming out of their holes to bother me on warm winter days.
undertheoaksgardener7b thanked jeff_al
undertheoaksgardener7b
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks! I lost my Tama No Ura camellia on Mother's Day, again to chipmunks. I have moles (fine), voles (total pest), chipmunks (cute camellia and woody-rooted plant-eating pests), squirrels (pot digging pests), and rabbits (foliage-eating pests), as well as the usual invertebrate pests.

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Save my camellia

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