I Raise the white flag.
UNCLE!
Your Win, you dirty little rat.
$H!T
There's only one strawberry plant that the rat(s) didn't eat last night.
Look at this ridiculous mess. Gnawed strawberry plants in a sea of cat deterring detritus. I already lost one plant because one of boys peed directly on it and fried it to a crisp. Then the rats started in on them and I started cover the plants with my handy water bottle cloches. They were starting to grow back and then last night I was out having a nice evening in town, came home late, forgot to cover the plants, and this is what I found this morning.
.
This was not meant to be a strawberry patch . . .
I'm going to try to move the plants to the other strawberry bed where I just cleared out some more space yesterday. I hope they have enough life left in them to survive the move.
Wish me better luck there.
In the mean time, more rat traps.
How terrible. Perhaps you should line the bed with electrified ground cover that's on a timer.
ReplyDeleteOh, no! Terrible! And rats just have no endearing features, unlike birds and some other pests. Good luck with the new strawberry patch.
ReplyDeleteThere's nothing worse then rats! I once had a rat problem when I lived on the farm! They are a horrible and very smart creature to control. Do you know where there are coming from?
ReplyDeleteYikes! Boo to those stinkin' rats! Hope your strawberries make it, strawberries are so worth the effort!
ReplyDeleteYuk! At least mice look cute, even though they're not, but rats don't. Hope the plants survive the move with some TLC.
ReplyDeleteMichele,
ReplyDeleteMaybe the little varmints were just trying to tell you it is too late to plant strawberries?
Man, that just sucks ! How frustrating ! :(
ReplyDeleteGood luck in the other spot.
Sorry about your strawberries. Dang rats! Have you tried hanging baskets? I know that doesn't take care of the root of the problem but may keep your strawberries for human consumption!
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear about your strawberry plants. Durn critters. This is how I feel about gophers, except I think these rats are worse.
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain. The chipmunks got to everyone of my strawberries.
ReplyDeleteBut don't give up!
Frustrating! Well, eventually, you will win. I'm sure of it.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry! Isn't it ironic that as we attempt to become more natural by growing our own food we end up battling nature as well. I guess sometimes all we can do is accept that it's part of our primal experience & try to laugh it off as we go to great lengths to tell other creatures, "Back off buddy, that's MY food!" I can't believe some of the crazy things that I've done attempting to ward off moles, raccoons, deer, gophers, cats, insects, &, yes, rats!
ReplyDeleteI am sorry about your strawberries. I hate the idea of a rat walking though the garden.
ReplyDeleteI thought cats should scare them off. You could get a hunting dog...
Hope your strawberries survive the move.
Turling, Wouldn't that be something! It would keep the cats out also . . . But no, that spot is just not meant to be a strawberry patch, time to move on.
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chaiselongue, Absolutely nothing endearing at all. Thanks for the lucky wishes!
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Robin, they are coming from the wild acres of hillside above the house, there seems to be an endless supply of them this year. They seem to be particularly attracted to this part of the garden, perhaps because there is an enticing woodpile that would make a perfect rat condo if I didn't keep traps set in there at all times.
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Megan, Strawberries are definitely worth the effort. I moved all the plants yesterday and I've got my fingers and toes crossed in hopes that they will survive.
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Jan, Mice are the only rodent that I haven't seen around here. There's rats (at least 2 kinds, maybe 3), gophers, moles, and voles, but I've not spotted any mice . . . yet.
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Randy, Ah shucks, gardening advice from rats?! Darn them, they could be right, but I refuse to listen. :)
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miss m, Totally frustrating, not a great way to start the day. But I got them all the plants moved yesterday and this morning I found another rat had bit the dust. They just keep coming . . . and I keep resetting the traps . . .
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Holly, I haven't tried hanging baskets, but I suspect that I would have a really hard time keeping them watered, it's so dry here all summer. I'll take my chances on my other strawberry patch, it doesn't seem to be as attractive to rats as this spot.
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Jackie, Gophers :( I don't know which is worse. At least the rats ate only the leaves and left enough of the plants to perhaps give them a chance to come back.
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Thomas, Oh no! Your strawberries too. :( Dang those chipmunks. I'm not giving up and I hope you don't either!
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Town Mouse, I'm not sure I'll win, but perhaps I can stay just a little ahead of the boogers.
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ShimmeringShack, I think it's a battle that humankind has been waging from the time we started storing and raising our food. It is easier for me to shrug off my losses than it would have been for my ancestors, I have a farmer's market and grocery store to fall back on. It does help to keep things in perspective, I'm not going to starve, even if I lose my entire garden. But that doesn't mean that I'm willing to let the critters have their way, the crazy battle continues . . .
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vrtlarica, Unfortunately the pampered cats are sound asleep in the comfort of my bedroom when the rats are out and about having their way in my garden. :) My husband would love to get a dog, but I'm not much of a dog person. Some day, when he has the time to look after a dog, we'll get one. But I suppose that any dog we get would be just as pampered as our cats and wouldn't be much more help at keeping the wildlife at bay!
Rats, how very frustrating...and I thought voles were bad. There are dogs specifically breed to deal with such issues, and some of them make teriffic pets. I know someone who has a Rat Terrier that is a very well behaved dog and extremely efficient at dispatching all sorts of vermin.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rat_Terrier
Rats OMG!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely, more rat traps. I am so sorry that your strawberry plants didn't survive. I have a hard time keeping strawberries plants alive and productive because of rats, squirrels, voles and mice. Every rodent around loves them.
ReplyDeleteGood luck relocating them!
GGGGRRRRRRRRRR! Rucking fats! Er, you know what I mean.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry to hear about your strawberries. That is so frustrating!
It's hard to see hard work decimated in short order by pests. Very frustrating.
ReplyDeleteI know you wanted me to look at the rate destruction in your photo - but I could not help myself in that I am just adoring your lovely lemon tree FULL of fruit. Lucky you!
What a pain! Is there nothing you can spray on them to make them less temptingly tasty?
ReplyDeletewhat's that garden kitty doing? Napping?
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