Thieving tree rats
By derekm
15 comments
For the last couple of years, the number of flowers on my Camellia’s has declined, from over 300 2 years ago, to round about 60 last year, today I found out why, I happened to look through my kitchen window, just as a squirrel was reaching for a bud, and eating a very small part of it, discarding the rest, it’s taken quite a while for these shrubs to grow large enough to be above the height of the fence around the top patio, which from where they’re planted, is about 10ft, and it was just sat on the fence helping itself, the squirrell population has exploded in recent years, it used to be rare to see any in the garden, now I see 3 or 4 almost every day, so when the weather improves I shall have to put up some type of protection for them, {the Camellia’s, not the tree rats}, Derek.
24 Feb, 2020
0 likes
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Comments
How awful for you Derekm a few years back I bought a large pot of crocus before I could get some one to put in my garden the squirrel ate all the flowers . Since I put a coconut shell fat ball out for the birds it has that instead and all my other garden crocus are left alone I to have lots of Camelias also Helkebores which it has never touched.
24 Feb, 2020
That was my thought..perhaps if you feed the squirrels, they won’t eat your plants!? Just an idea....
25 Feb, 2020
they are faddy feeders though, we always have food out for the birds and they eat that as well as some flowers. perhaps they have days when they just fancy something different like us. haha
25 Feb, 2020
Lol Seaburngirl that's a thought or they have a sweet tooth and have the flowers for their puddings .
25 Feb, 2020
Hi, thank you all for your comments, I tend to agree with Sbg, it was fine when I had an oak tree, it had loads of acorns, which they devoured, unfortunately I had to cut it down, so I think they might just be getting their revenge for their loss of acorns, Derek.
26 Feb, 2020
Can't put a like on this one Derek, but I do commiserate with you. the thought of waiting for Camelias to reach a decent size, then having them dis-budded is awful. Best of luck with your deterrent.
26 Feb, 2020
Oh Derek, that’s a very large number of flowers to lose to them. Hopefully you’ll come up with some time of protection against the squirrels. Sounds like they’d feast on anything. Be interested to see what you decide to try.
Best of luck.
27 Feb, 2020
Oh what a shame Derek, I'd be spitting feathers, many years back I kept losing the bulbs that I was planting in my raised bed at the bottom of the garden, also the ones I'd put in pots, I was blaming my own pets, never occurred to me that it was a squirrel until the cheeky little beggar appeared at our patio windows, he disappeared a few years later when the houses were built at the back of us, we never see any in the garden now, never see any foxes now either.....
27 Feb, 2020
Hi, thanks Honeysuckle, Kate and Sue, they were very small when my late wife got them in a floral basket, for mothers day, I can't remember just how many years ago that was, but quite a few,there's a photo of 1 of them taken a few years ago, so quite a bit bigger now, page 3 of my photo's, I had to take the photo before all the buds had opened, because the wind ALWAYS starts up when they're in flower, and blows them off, but nice while they last, Derek.
27 Feb, 2020
Hello everyone, I'm Dereks daughter, and just joined to say that my Dad passed away in April (covid 19). I know he spent many happy hours with his laptop on this site. When he wasn't gardening! Thank you
13 Dec, 2020
I am so very sorry to hear of your Dads passing, Kathy. How very sad, he was a lovely man to chat to on this site. I’ll miss his contribution and great advice - and his photos too.
Thank you for letting us know, sending my condolences to you and your family.
The very best of wishes to you,
Kate x
13 Dec, 2020
Hello Kathy,
I am so sorry to hear your sad news. I'd noticed your dad hadn't posted for a while. He will be sadly missed by me and many others. He always wrote with humour and sound knowledge.
I hope you and the rest of the family are coming to terms with his loss and will accept my sincere condolences.
Best wishes
Eileen
x
14 Dec, 2020
Hello Kathy,
I am so sorry to hear you have lost your Dad,to such a vicious illness.He was such a help to many of us,and one of the long time respected members of Goy.He will be sadly missed,and my condolences go to you and your family.
Thank you for letting us know,best wishes ,
Sandra .x
14 Dec, 2020
Kathym, I am so very sorry to read of your Dad's passing, I had noticed he had not posted in a while , he will be missed by many of us, we have been friends on Goy for a very long time, he was such a lovely person, always ready to advise and encourage, not only with his gardening knowledge but also there if ever one needed a boost when things weren't right, he also enjoyed a joke along the way... My sincerest condolences to you and your family..xx
RIP Derek....Bless you Sue xx
18 Dec, 2020
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Oh no, we also have tree rats who enjoyed debudding one of my hellebores, they didnt even eat them. So far they have left my camellia alone. We regularly have 4 or 5 in the garden and there are 2 that have managed to work out how to raid the bird feeders.
24 Feb, 2020