primitive wonders if cats eat strawberries

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=246x14848

Oh my.

quakerboy  (1000+ posts)      Fri Aug-26-11 09:27 PM
Original message
 
do cats eat strawberries?

I have a couple potted strawberries plants. Some toothed critter is eating them. I am in dense city, so I figured maybe squirrel. But whatever it is had enough force trying to pull one off the plant to pull the pot completely over. Cat?

In addition... how do I prevent urban critters from snacking so that I can get at least a few for myself?

amerikat  (1000+ posts)        Sat Aug-27-11 02:41 AM
Response to Original message
 
1. Skunks like sweet things.

I have a skunk that lives under my barn. Doesn't seem to go for the strawberries though.

But down at the community garden they go after water mellon and cantaloupe.

Hmmmmm.

A new nadism, in bold, above.

Retrograde  (1000+ posts)      Mon Sep-12-11 10:09 PM
Response to Original message
 
2. Squirrels can be quite strong

I've known them to knock pots over, and they'll defintely uproot plants. I've seen ones sitting in bushes, tearing off the flowers and stuffing them into their little squirrel maws. I wouldn't rule out raccoons, who are happy in urban areas and are very good at hiding during the day. You can try making cages for the plants out of wire cloth or something else with a small mesh: determined raccoons may be able to move them but they will deter squirrels.

My cat doesn't eat strawberries, but he does sit on them.

[JohnnyReb]

Damn birds kept pecking my tomatoes this summer. They would peck them just before they were ripe enough to pick...one maybe two good pecks, just enough to ruin them. Several other people had the same problem.

I did learn that when the tomato has a pinkish star on the blossom side of the tomato, it no longer needs the vine to ripen. You can pick them then with affect to the taste or ripining

[BlueStateSaint]

Damn birds kept pecking my tomatoes this summer. They would peck them just before they were ripe enough to pick...one maybe two good pecks, just enough to ruin them. Several other people had the same problem.

Damned crows ruined about a bushel of tomatoes for me, at my garden.  I kept telling people that I could take care of the problem--all it required was a silenced .22 LR.  I didn't think that the pastor would go for it, however.

[longview]

Rats, racoons, squirrels... most rodents aren't picky and all live in cities.

[franksolich]

Damn birds kept pecking my tomatoes this summer. They would peck them just before they were ripe enough to pick...one maybe two good pecks, just enough to ruin them. Several other people had the same problem.

I did learn that when the tomato has a pinkish star on the blossom side of the tomato, it no longer needs the vine to ripen. You can pick them then without affecting the taste or ripening.

You know, sir, I have the opposite problem, and so as to do the maximum social good, I'd be happy to take your problem, if I could.  It after all saddens me that so much goes to waste, on your end and my end.

Out here in the Sandhills of Nebraska, there's three antique vegetable gardens here, and of course the William Rivers Pitt.  I get all sorts of good vegetables, and alas they go to waste.  I buy my food at the grocery store, not pluck it from the ground.

And the cats keep both land and air creatures from messing with the growing harvest; all comes to full fruit free of molestation.

And because it's w-a-a-a-a-y too much for me to use, if I chose to use it, after the first frost it all turns black and rots into the soil, providing both seed and fertilizer for next year.

[vesta111]

You know, sir, I have the opposite problem, and so as to do the maximum social good, I'd be happy to take your problem, if I could.  It after all saddens me that so much goes to waste, on your end and my end.

Out here in the Sandhills of Nebraska, there's three antique vegetable gardens here, and of course the William Rivers Pitt.  I get all sorts of good vegetables, and alas they go to waste.  I buy my food at the grocery store, not pluck it from the ground.

And the cats keep both land and air creatures from messing with the growing harvest; all comes to full fruit free of molestation.

And because it's w-a-a-a-a-y too much for me to use, if I chose to use it, after the first frost it all turns black and rots into the soil, providing both seed and fertilizer for next year.

Frank, I have been told that cats do not eat sweet stuff.   They do not taste sweet as we and dogs, horses and what ever do.

My Strawberry patch this year gave us exactly 2 berry's the resident rabbits and one so far woodchuck forgot to  gobbled up.

These fellas live under he deck and I cannot yet bring myself to evict them.  The patch is growing bigger each year as in the one big patch of black raspberry's, that also took a big hit. 

As both patches I do not tend or sweat over, this is to me like bird seed, feed gods creatures, long as they do not get under my home and chew on the wires.

BTW with winter coming on should I start saving bacon fat in the freezer now to make bird balls this winter??? 
Never done that but why pour Bacon fat into the garbage when there may be a use for it????

[Freeper]

Hey DUmmies, when a critter gets into your garden and eats your strawberries, flowers, or pot plants, that is socialism in action. You do all the work to prep the soil, plant the seeds, and so forth, then some creature comes along and just takes the fruit of your labor.

So quit being so damn greedy, in order for your plants to grow it takes the work of creatures like worms to enrich the soil, the sun to keep the air temperature warm enough for growth, and the water that either comes from the sky, or from the water plant that feeds your tap. So when the critters get in your veggies, you are just paying it forward. No one has ever grown a plant on their own. So quit your bitching and live up to your socialist values.

[delilahmused]

Damned crows ruined about a bushel of tomatoes for me, at my garden.  I kept telling people that I could take care of the problem--all it required was a silenced .22 LR.  I didn't think that the pastor would go for it, however.

I love crows and deliberately feed them. I buy whole corn for my geese & ducks and leave some around for the crows. Very cheap! I get a 50lbs bag for $10. And they love peanuts so I have feeders with squirrel mix around for them, the jays, squirrels & chipmunks. Never had them get into my garden though all the wildlife eat the apples. We have way more than we can use so I don't really care.

Cindie

[BlueStateSaint]

I love crows and deliberately feed them. I buy whole corn for my geese & ducks and leave some around for the crows. Very cheap! I get a 50lbs bag for $10. And they love peanuts so I have feeders with squirrel mix around for them, the jays, squirrels & chipmunks. Never had them get into my garden though all the wildlife eat the apples. We have way more than we can use so I don't really care.

Cindie

So, then . . . bribery seems to work?