First squash harvest at Ground Squirrel Gardens!

@TheHorse (205771)
Walnut Creek, California
August 28, 2016 9:49am CST
One of my kid clients and I actually harvested a squash at Ground Squirrel Gardens last week. The vicious herbivores had gnawed at parts of our biggest squash plant, but it survived, and is now yielding some little squashes. I sent the first one home with my Tuesday client, who helped me water that day. The red stuff is cayenne pepper, which is supposed to discourage ground squirrels from eating your plants.
13 people like this
12 responses
Scott Ganschow
@teamfreak16 (43421)
• Denver, Colorado
28 Aug 16
Huh. Didn't know that about Cayenne pepper. Interesting.
2 people like this
koopharper
@koopharper (7477)
• Canada
28 Aug 16
Mammals are sensitive to hot peppers. Birds on the other hand will likely not even notice. Don'.t know how amphibians and reptiles respond.
2 people like this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205771)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Aug 16
I may have learned it here on MyLot!
1 person likes this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205771)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Aug 16
@koopharper I see Western Fence Lizards out there, but I'm not sure if they're after my plants.
1 person likes this
Your Highness Emperor Albert Whisker
@CaptAlbertWhisker (32507)
• Calgary, Alberta
28 Aug 16
What kind of squash is that? it looks like a yellow courgette. Squashes in my area looks like this.
2 people like this
Your Highness Emperor Albert Whisker
@CaptAlbertWhisker (32507)
• Calgary, Alberta
29 Aug 16
@TheHorse I actually want to try those skinny squashes if I will get to find them. I plan to buy spaghetti squash seeds too but there are many scam seed sellers online.
1 person likes this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205771)
• Walnut Creek, California
29 Aug 16
@CaptAlbertWhisker I just go to Home Depot or Lowes, usually.
The Horse
@TheHorse (205771)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Aug 16
That looks pretty yummy! I call mine...um...you know...the yellow squash that's kid of fat at one end and skinny at the other. I think there's a better name for it.
koopharper
@koopharper (7477)
• Canada
28 Aug 16
It is frustrating when the wildlife helps themselves to your hard work. My younger sister has lost her sympathy for the white tailed deer population.
1 person likes this
koopharper
@koopharper (7477)
• Canada
28 Aug 16
The Horse
@TheHorse (205771)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Aug 16
If it were my only source of food, I'd be out there plinking the little blighters. But I try to view it all with a sense of humor.
1 person likes this
Anna
@LadyDuck (458212)
• Switzerland
29 Aug 16
I hope the cayenne pepper helps. I am so frustrated when my veggies are eaten before I can taste them. The past month of July the slugs ate all my green salads.
1 person likes this
Anna
@LadyDuck (458212)
• Switzerland
30 Aug 16
@TheHorse Not many snails, but many slugs, they are ugly and disgusting.
The Horse
@TheHorse (205771)
• Walnut Creek, California
29 Aug 16
Ah, you have slugs. Snails too? We have more of them down in Berkeley and Oakland than here in the dry suburbs.
1 person likes this
Jekca
@Jessicalynnt (50525)
• Centralia, Missouri
29 Aug 16
so now you know what to grow there i guess lol!
1 person likes this
Jekca
@Jessicalynnt (50525)
• Centralia, Missouri
29 Aug 16
@TheHorse there might be, surely some plants just taste bad, so they might be ways to block off or hide better tasting ones
1 person likes this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205771)
• Walnut Creek, California
29 Aug 16
Yep, squash it is. I wonder if there are other veggies that ground squirrels don't care for.
1 person likes this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205771)
• Walnut Creek, California
29 Aug 16
@Jessicalynnt I nibbled on a squash plant. It tastes kind of hot and peppery. I wonder if I could grow a dense "grove" of squash and sneak some corn and sunflower in the middle!
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (325809)
• Rockingham, Australia
29 Aug 16
I used to spray our young trees with a mix of white oil and chilli powder to try to discourage the kangaroos from eating them. Good that you've harvested something.
1 person likes this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205771)
• Walnut Creek, California
30 Aug 16
I hadn't thought (much) about how that kangaroos there could be like our deer as far as munching gardens. Did the mix work? Do you have to re-apply after it rains?
1 person likes this
Judy Evans
@JudyEv (325809)
• Rockingham, Australia
31 Aug 16
@TheHorse It was a bit unworkable really. I used to do it every 2 or 3 days but if you went away, the trees were at the mercy of the 'roos again. In the end we put netting round them all till they grew big enough to cope with an occasional nibble.
Steve West
@zebra2222 (5269)
• United States
29 Aug 16
Hope you enjoy the squash.
1 person likes this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205771)
• Walnut Creek, California
29 Aug 16
Thanks! We should have a bunch at the preschool in Berkeley.
Sue H.
@CinnamonGrl (7083)
• Santa Fe, New Mexico
28 Aug 16
That's a nice thing you're doing, Horsie. I'm so glad that big squash plant made it!
1 person likes this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205771)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Aug 16
Thanks! I think it's good for the kids. The younger ones are especially excited about "farming."
Jabo
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
28 Aug 16
How lovely that the kids can see some results from their efforts, and hopefully enjoy eating them.
1 person likes this
James Higgins
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
30 Aug 16
My favorite kind of squash there. I know squirrels don't like hot pepper. There is a hot pepper suet and a seed cylinder too sold for bird feeding.
1 person likes this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205771)
• Walnut Creek, California
30 Aug 16
Is it made that way so the squirrels won't steal from the birds?
John Roberts
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
28 Aug 16
Looks like a side of squash for dinner.
1 person likes this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205771)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Aug 16
IfI keep one, I'll cook it up with garlic, onion and olive oil.
RasmaSandra
@RasmaSandra (73444)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
28 Aug 16
@TheHorse Looks like hearty squash. We have five pumpkins growing by leaps and bounds.
Manisha
@ms1864 (6886)
• Bangalore, India
28 Aug 16
Do you find gardening easy?
1 person likes this
The Horse
@TheHorse (205771)
• Walnut Creek, California
28 Aug 16
Once I got the hang of it. But I used to be able to kill even house pants.
1 person likes this