Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Voles and Giant Pumpkins

I noticed some bite marks on my pumpkin this morning.  The voles always seem to like to take some nibbles around this time of year.  I sprayed a 10% dilution of bleach on the bite marks to help keep it from rotting out and to discourage future bites.  Usually I put a ring of moth balls around the pumpkin and that works very well but I've run out of moth balls.  There is a snake that lives on the edge of the patch I'm hoping does his job soon.  I saw him with a nice bump in his mid section a month ago so he is the vole/mouse eating variety.

The pumpkin has grown very consistently for the last three weeks now.  I thought with the cooler nights that we would slow down some but that hasn't been the case so far.  If the pumpkin can maintain that for another two weeks we will be in descent position come vine cutting time.

I gave the plant some calcium this evening.

6 comments:

serf 'rett said...

Be sparing with the moth balls. It is believed they will act not only as a vole repellent but will drive away the snake too.

Jamie said...

Good to know.

Andy said...

Well, I would recommend a cat, but that hasn't worked out too well for me this year. Hope you don't have the problem Wiz did.

Jamie said...

I've got a cat. We call him 'Fat Kitty.' Lazy, worthless animal. lol

serf 'rett said...

I've seen the photos of your cat.

He does not strike me as being useful in rodent control.

In fact, I've wondered if he can move under his own control or ya'll have to haul him from place to place?

"It's 8 am, somebody put the cat at his food bowl."

"It's 8:30, somebody lug the cat to the back door."....

Jamie said...

Lol. The only time I've ever seen that cat move quickly is when it thinks its life is in danger.