Awww, they are so cute. We don't have chipmunks here. We do have some kind of desert chipmunk looking animal out in the deserts, but I do not know what they are called. I do know they loved my popcorn though. Stole it while I was sitting under a shade tree reading a good book yes they did! I caught them just as the popcorn big disappeared over a desert hill.
--
Chat with you later,
Alan
--
Chandler, Arizona Sunset Zone: 13
http://www.GardenersCorner.com
-----
Alan Zelhart
gizmoaz@cox.net
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"Neither rain, nor snow, nor l?ne n*oi*se"""
Re: cornmeal under roses: I hope that they are also studying these in real
life situations. I would worry about encouraging my chipmunk friends. Of
course then maybe they would stop eating my dahlia roots and ripe tomatos.
I did lose roses to burrowing animals in MI; I think it was moles but I
don't have moles here. Just cheeky chipmunks.
Esther
> This I'd never heard -- more info, please, Barb?
The inspiration was buried in this report about peanut diseases:
http://stephenville.tamu.edu/~clee/pdncr/index.html#podpeg
(Look in the section labeled 'Biological Control of Soilborne Fungi', just
above 'Nematode Control'.)
The important part in that techspeak is:
"When yellow corn meal is applied to fields in the
presence of moist surface soil, Trichoderma builds
up very rapidly over a 5 to 10 day period. The
resulting high Trichoderma population can destroy
vast amounts of Sclerotinia, Sclerotium and Rhizoctonia."
In other words, a fungus affecting grain crops grows so rapidly that it
crowds out and destroys funguses that might harm peanut production.
(Destruction accomplished because moisture and heat requirements are right,
but the fungus emerging from spore hibernation are caught by the lack of
available food...and perish because that food isn't quite within reach.)
People picked up on that item, started experimenting...and discovered that
corn meal does seem to work in other situations as well...
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/lab/msg0420300313017.html?66
"Our local (San Antonio) organic gardeners are reporting that
corn meal is working for many more fungi (including toenail
fungus). A few (very few) ranchers and vets are reporting
on the use of corn meal spilled into horse and cattle bedding
to reduce the time leg wounds take to heal."
I remember seeing several rosarian webpages that suggested using cornmeal,
but I can't find them right now. :(
The evidence for cornmeal's effectiveness on anything other than peanut
plants is anecdotal, but I think I've read that Cornell is doing a study to
verify the effectiveness of cornmeal as a fungicide for problems like black
spot on roses.
Barb in Southern Indiana Zone 5/6 dorsettb@kiva.net
Nature is always hinting at us. ~ Robert Frost
> Re: cornmeal under roses: I hope that they are also studying these =
in
> real
> life situations. I would worry about encouraging my chipmunk friends. =
Of
> course then maybe they would stop eating my dahlia roots and ripe =
tomatos.
Would be nice, wouldn't it, if they stopped eating dahlias and tomatoes =
and
didn't start in on roses.
> I did lose roses to burrowing animals in MI; I think it was moles but =
I
> don't have moles here. Just cheeky chipmunks.
> Esther
Probably voles, which do like to travel in mole tunnels. Now, if you =
were
missing worms and various beetle larvae, I'd join you in blaming moles.
Barb in Southern Indiana Zone 5/6 dorsettb@kiva.net
Nature is always hinting at us. ~ Robert Frost
Ann, that's why we have squirrels. They destroyed over 3/4 of my peach crop
by selecting the biggest, juiciest, most luscious peach on the entire tree
and taking one or two big bites. The ones they didn't like they pulled off
the tree. I caught one of the munchkins eyeing my brand new pecan trees
trying to find any nuts. They seem to like them the best just before
they're ripe enough for us. In the early spring, your bulbs are their
pantry and I have 3 hyacinths that survived long enough to bloom out of 30.
Good thing they're so darn cute.
Much love and laughter...
Brandy.
Re: cornmeal under roses: I hope that they are also studying these in real
life situations. I would worry about encouraging my chipmunk friends. Of
course then maybe they would stop eating my dahlia roots and ripe tomatos.
I did lose roses to burrowing animals in MI; I think it was moles but I
don't have moles here. Just cheeky chipmunks.
Esther
Barb, thanks -- and if you hear any more as to cornmeal relating to
blackspot, please, let us know. (I don't think the dogs would bother with
the cornmeal -- it's not as enticing as the milk. Our girls -love- milk.)
Hey, between the cornmeal and the milk, all you need to add is eggs -- corn
muffins, anyone?
Kathy Agel
kathy.agel@verizon.net
NJ, USDA Zone 7
> Re: cornmeal under roses: I hope that they are also studying these in
> real life situations. I would worry about encouraging my chipmunk
> friends. Of course then maybe they would stop eating my dahlia roots and
> ripe tomatos.
No chipmunks here -- squirrels, and lots of feral cats, plus the occasional
opossum, but I've never seen a chipmunk.
Kathy Agel
kathy.agel@verizon.net
NJ, USDA Zone 7
Alan, it has been my observation that folk who don't have chipmunks and
therefore don't experience their
mischief like them more than folk who have them running around everywhere
digging things up, eating
tomatoes (just one big bite out of each one) etc. They even dig big holes
in the dirt in my half-barrels
and try to set up housekeeping there!!
ann
think@francomm.com
> Awww, they are so cute. We don't have chipmunks here. We do have some
kind of desert chipmunk looking animal out in the deserts, but I do not know
what they are called. I do know they loved my popcorn though. Stole it
while I was sitting under a shade tree reading a good book yes they did! I
caught them just as the popcorn big disappeared over a desert hill.
real
You can have some of my chippies. They like to sun and run on the top of
my walls. They play and chase each other. They even sometimes run along
the ledge outside the windows where the birds sometimes drop seeds. They
are cute little buggers.
Karen in Pittsburgh, PA (zone 5b/6)
On Wed, 27 Aug 2003 16:47:33 -0400 Kathy Agel
writes:
Ann, I have them and I still think they are cute - except for the time
one got in the house!!!!
I chased it all over the house. They can slide right under a closed
interior door. Finally caught the little bugger in the bathroom with an
upside down garbage can. I think I was as stressed as the chippie by the
time I got it outside. The chippie wasn't the one screeching.
Karen in Pittsburgh, PA (zone 5b/6)
> You can have some of my chippies. They like to sun and run on the top of
> my walls. They play and chase each other. They even sometimes run along
> the ledge outside the windows where the birds sometimes drop seeds. They
> are cute little buggers.
I don't think they'd be too happy here -- our Jack Russell is a Mighty
Hunter
Kathy Agel
kathy.agel@verizon.net
NJ, USDA Zone 7
Yes, I agree they are cute to look at. They come up on our deck,
come over to the sliding patio doors, stand up on hind legs, leaning
against the glass and peer` inside. Very pretty little critters complete
with racing stripes down their sides. They squeeze under the basement
door to get to my attached leanto greenhouse and wreck the place!!
How could such a small animal cause so much damage?
ann
think@francomm.com
