While out running errands last night with The Girl, we stopped by the Goodwill to see if we could find any treasures. Nada. Nothing. Zilch. We didn’t find anything good. But, we did notice a bunch of used flip flops for sale. Which made me wonder, who on earth would buy a pair of used flip flops? Aren’t they like a buck at Target and Old Navy?
I typically don’t wear foam flip flops {yes I am a sturdy sandal snob} so I’m not sure if I would have bought them. I’ve purchased used shoes and garden boots before, but flip flops? Hmmmm.
If you are looking for a last minute Father’s Day gift, Bartell’s drug store seems to think a Big Hunk candy bar would make an appropriate gift.
While we were out, we also stopped by Wilco. I had to resist not buying more potatoes. I mean, do you really think the 90 pounds of seed potatoes I purchased earlier this year will be enough?
Ricky the raccoon is back and he’s been eyeballing my hens again. If I bought a coon trap,
1. What would I bait it with?
2. How would I get the coon out?
3. What would I do with the coon?
And last but not least, Amber from Facebook sent in this picture of some juniper shrubs she dug up from her friends backyard 2 weeks ago. She carefully transplanted 10 of them in her back yard and fertilized them, but now a few of them are starting to wilt and change colors.
She has already fertilized them and is watering them daily. Amber want’s to know if the junipers are on their last leg, or if they are going to be okay. Since I have no experience with junipers, I thought I would ask YOU for your advise.
What do you think? Do you have any thoughts about the flip flops, potatoes or coop trap? Can you help Amber? Let us know in the comment section below.
~Mavis
Leah says
So I have been struggling with severe damage to my peas and my lettuce and I’m not sure what type of critter, although I’ve got a lot of theories. I am now the proud owner of 3 different sized box traps and have not caught a thing. I’ve gotten advice ranging from using the crop that is being eaten to bait the trap or to use apples for smaller critters like moles or groundhogs, and using marshmallows for raccoons. I have fed an entire bag of marshmallows to my local raccoon over the last week or so and the trap will be tripped, but nothing is inside. I’m considering a game camera so I could actually see what’s going on and learn from it.
As for what I plan to do if I do catch one, I plan to get on long sleeves and heavy gloves and put the whole trap in the bed of my truck and take it to a wooded area about 5 miles away and release it. I’ve heard stories from co-workers that you should bring something to protect yourself in case they attack you instead of run away when you open the cage.
Cecily says
If you can catch Ricky take him either to the vet to have him checked for disease and they will release him or just take him to a large wooded area or preserve at least a couple miles from your place and release him. As to more potatoes, you can expect to get at least 10/1 yield, thats 900 pounds. If you want more go for it. Whatever floats you boat, right? The juniper trees probably won’t make it. They do not transplant well, especially if they are large, as they have very long tap roots that are almost impossible to dig up. Hope any of this helps. Have a great day!
Crystal says
Watering them daily might be the problem! Junipers are a desert tree, and normally do better with one deep watering and then days of dry than they do with daily watering. She might be drowning them on accident. Also, since they are a desert tree, they like different soil, so there might be a soil pH or texture issue where she transplanted them. Alternatively, they might just be in shock from being moved.
Madam Chow says
Yes, and usually you should not fertilize transplants for at least 2 weeks. When you do, it should be half strength,
Madam Chow says
Havahart, the manufacturer of our trap, has instructions: http://www.havahart.com/advice/critter-library/raccoon-control/raccoon-baits
suzanne says
As Cecily stated, she probably lost a lot more root than realized. I would trim them back pretty hard but not into dead wood. That gives much less bush for the remaing roots to have to support. Since its only been a few weeks I wouldn’t think overwatering is really the culprit. Good luck, awesome score!
jenny says
We used a trap like that for possums. Tried cat food twice and trapped both of our cats (oops, they were fine after we released them). Someone told me peanut butter and marshmallows and viola! Didn’t have the heart to kill them, they were relocated far, far away…This was after 2 died under our house. Now that was disgusting….
Melissa W. says
We use wet cat food to catch raccoons … seems to work well. We live in the country and I let my husband deal with them once they are caught (I don’t ask and he doesn’t tell what he does with them – works for us!)
oregon mom says
We recently lost 5 beloved hens to a nasty raccoon. So we baited a trap with cat food, and after he was caught we chose to put a permanent end to his murderous reign with a 22 rifle. We felt the lives of our 5 hens was equal to one less raccoon in the world. We also fixed the fence were he was sneaking in at!!
Lana says
My hard and fast rule about anything transplanted is to just give them time. Many times a plant will appear dead above ground but the roots are still alive. You may see them putting on new growth this fall or even next spring. I agree that they should be pruned some but not too hard. Since it is summer i think that daily watering is still your best bet.
Kathleen says
Stinky cat food or tuna has always worked in my trap, but I would often find a tripped trap with no critter and no bait! Naughty Ricky learned not to walk through the door and would reach in from the sides to grab the food. Sometimes I would find the trap rolled around even! So I put trap (secured to ground) in a “dead end” with top and sides covered with straw bales or boards. The racoon then had to use the door to get the bait. This set up has worked very well many times.
In my area, racoons are permently removed from the local gene pool. Perhaps your town has a removal policy or program for pests? Wish you luck and safety for your chickens!
Amber Anderson says
Thank you all so much for your tips!! We actually used “plant starter” from Lowes. Have not used any fertilizer yet. I realize they are in desperate need of some pruning right now but I was afraid of adding salt to the wound after transplant! I guess I will go ahead and try that! Thanks! 🙂
Kris says
I sympathise with Amber and her Juniper issue. My husband and I planted 3 cedar trees and they are in Shhhhooockkk! I guess it just takes time and some research on how to take care of them properly until they become happy again! Good luck with yours Amber! 🙂
Sheryl Winter says
I’ve baited my have-a-hearts with dry dog food…..It works well….or canned….the last little stinker I caught OH I WISH I HAD MY CAMERA OUT…….He had his little paws up in the corner trying to lift the door…..looking back over his shoulder with his pleading eyes……I went to bed, got up the next morning and it turns out I must not have closed it properly! HE GOT OUT! 🙂 Anyway, in the past, we’ve just taken them down, cage and all, to a nearby park…..once you lift the door they will run like heck……no turning around waving goodbye or anything. Be careful though…..the boys are NASTY! Don’t get your fingers anywhere near the cage….they will try to get you… they can reach through with their little paws……the little girls are totally docile…..Good luck! 🙂
Lori says
This gardening question has nothing to do with the above topics, except that I wouldn’t buy flip flops from Goodwill. Well, maybe, if they still had the mfg tag attached.
What I really would like to know is if I can add dog fur (the undercoat I rake tons of from my malamute) in my compost. In the spring I just let it go for the birds, but now I’d like to do something constructive with it other than destroy another vacuum cleaner! No one I’ve talked to seems to know.
Becca says
Yes you can. You can also add hair from your hair brush.
Susan says
I’ve bought crocs from thrift stores and garage sales, which is a step a way from buying flip flops My favorite gardening shoes were scored for 25 cents at a garage sale! Personally my feet can’t handle flip flops but I wouldn’t hesitate to buy flip flops used if they were in good shape and cheap enough. I love keeping plasticy things out of landfills.
Nana says
Check to see if any of your local (city or county) agencies provide free trapping services. We have that service here. If a trapped animal is healthy (not rabid or such), the service includes relocating the animal to appropriate area. We used this service once, but alas the only animal captured was our own cat. We elected to keep our loved but not trap-savvy cat. Seems the varmint was trap-savvy. And considering Lucy’s wide range of things deemed edible…
Debbie says
Tell me how your Meyer’s Lemon Tree is faring please.
Mavis says
Ohhh I took a picture today and have not had a chance to post it. I will show you tomorrow morning in my Mornings with Mavis post.:)
Bill Dungan says
The junipers are in shock. They should have been trimmed back a little and only watered into their new homes. Then only watered every couple of weeks or just let nature take over. Also, never fertilize a transplant because that just adds to the “shock” value. Fee it later after you see new growth on the plants.
For baiting for raccoons, use fresh apples, oranges, or pears. Cut them into halves and the smell will call to the coons. Yep, they’ll go for cat and dog food, but they LOVE fresh fruits and veggies and cutting the items into halves helps the aroma build up quicker. As for what to do with the ‘catch”……….well, you don’t look like someone who would feel comfortable killing the coons, so just take the cage at least 5 miles away and release them to a wooded area. In MY situation, a mama coon got under my house and broke a drain pipe which warrants her a death sentence if I can catch her. A 22 caliber “night all” will do the trick.
Debbie says
Hi Mavis,
I have trapped raccoons – for bait use marshmallows – works every time.
Be careful raccoons can be very aggressive.
Good luck!
Mavis says
Marshmallows? Seriously?
Becca says
I’d lay off on watering the trees for about a week. Then do one deep watering every few days to a week. Trees need less water than we think they do.
Magic and Mayhem says
Heck yes, I’d buy flip flops from a thrift store. I have, as a matter of fact. I have 5 kids and often find better made items at thrift stores used than the cheap ones offered at places like Dollar Tree, Walmart and Target.
There’s a bigger reason to buy them that everybody seems to have completely missed, though. Every time we buy new cheap plastic crap from places like Target and Dollar Tree, we are supporting an industry that exploits workers overseas and our environment to do it. They cost a dollar because they were made at the expense of the people who made them for pennies who are literally dying by the thousands in factory collapses and fires these days, in 3 recent disasters alone, and who deal with beatings, overworking, sexual assaults and countless human rights violations in the thousands of factories that have sprung up to meet our insatiable need for more cheap merchandise to buy. I happily buy anything of good quality from thrift stores in order to keep stuff out of landfills, reduce the demand for goods that take advantage of workers, reduce the manufacturing of more cheap plastic crap at the expense of the environment, save money and teach my kids the values of frugality.
Off my soapbox. Love your blog. 🙂
~Alicia
kris says
For the racoons, moist cat food has always worked in our traps. We do not release them somewhere else; they will return. My husband takes them on the walk of no return.
Steve says
Under Washington State law you cannot trap a raccoon and move it to another location. You are taking a problem raccoon and dumping it on to someone else. With thousands of raccoons in the State another one will come along and find your chickens. I would spend my time a make a stronger double wall chicken compound. In Washington if you catch a raccoon you have to kill it. Checkout the Washington State Game and Wildlife website.
Mavis says
Thanks for letting me know Steve.
Katie says
Raccoons raid our bird feeders, and really like the grape jelly we put out for the orioles. We just put a gob of grape jelly on a paper plate and place it in the live trap, set it and in the morning, slam, gets em every time, Take them at least 2 miles away, or they will come back, Just put the trap on the ground, release them and away they run. Good luck!!
mary ann grohman says
sardines for the coon trap, always worked very well on ours. my thinking is no fertilizer on the junipers would have been better.
Becky says
When I worked at a camp a while back, I had the occasional raccoon that liked to “share” my cat’s food at the barn. I’d set a live trap near the cat dish and sprinkle some cat food inside. Worked like a charm every time (even caught the cat once or twice – she wasn’t amused). I didn’t have the heart to kill a raccoon, so I would drag it out to the nearby service drive and the camp maintenance guys would find it and it would “magically” disappear. I pretended not to know what their fate was. Good luck!