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Ontario

Well my first season is coming to a close and it sure has been a ride. Last week I noticed that a critter had burroughed under the sand and under my 400(est) pound of joy. I worried and worried that it had been feasting on my baby for the last week.

Today I put her up on a pallet to go off to Port Elgin this weekend and took a good look underneath...and it looks like the critter just needed some warmth. The sweat was running down my forehead even in the cold morning until I saw a nice healthy bottom to my pumpkin.

Good luck to all and I will see you Port Elgin goers on the weekend,
Graham

Has anyone else had many critter scares like this?

10/1/2003 12:48:10 PM

Knopp, Germany

you have just lived through my worst nightmare,,,,,though i haven't lifted mine yet. the mice are still at work.....i hope i am as lucky as you and that you go heavy!

10/1/2003 1:20:37 PM

Itzetown City

Don´t worry about, german mices as the most german people too don´t eat pumpkin.

10/1/2003 4:07:25 PM

Yes, They don't eat the pumpkin flesh but they love the seeds!
And in order to get the seeds they have to get through the flesh....

10/1/2003 4:09:47 PM

Utah

i know people who have had a bad ending to there mice stories....
.... that's why i use wood & sand underneath my fruit.

10/1/2003 4:46:58 PM

Bobcaygeon Ontario

I have bite marks around the bottom of my pumpkins. I think it's from voles. The pumpkins seem to heal up quickly, I just hope they don't chew write through. I'll be at Port Elgin this weekend too, as long as my pumpkins don't freeze first......man it's cold!!!

10/1/2003 5:11:06 PM

i have bite marks all over, set up the traps and caught 4 mice and 2 vole/shrew like animals so far.

10/1/2003 6:22:27 PM

Montoursville, PA

I have one neighbor who is OK and still alive. Without telling me he pealed some orange peal crumblies, about a half hand full and tossed them under the split stem. That sucker half scared me to death. The day befor he heard me saying that I kept it stuffed with cotton and captan because it looked to much like a mouse hole for my comfort. It's OK...he knows I don't get mad. I just lay back and wait for a chance to get even.

10/1/2003 7:02:55 PM

Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

I have caught only 1 vole, but the are holes under the pumpkin from other ones. It's been bugging me that they are eating at my pumpkin. Hopefully everythings alright. See you all at Port Elgin and good luck to everyone on saturday.

Phil

10/1/2003 7:30:03 PM

Indiana

I just lost a 400# or so pumpkin to mice or chipmunks. Any suggestions on keeping this from happening again next year??
Steve

10/1/2003 8:29:40 PM

Deer Park WA

moondog, get a cat, the only problem is they like to perch themselfs on the pumpkin and sometimes scratch it up...

10/2/2003 1:42:06 AM

porterville, calif.

Got mine out today was sound and we got it loaded. What a relief!!. I just used the styrofoam under it. Think i will do it again but add sand too.

10/2/2003 3:05:12 AM

Knopp, Germany

Thanks Martin, you have made me feel much better :-)
I put styrofoam underneath, not good enough, they tore it to pieces around the edges of the pumpkin, not sure what it looks like underneath.

10/2/2003 3:25:40 AM

Itzetown City

We´ve a lot of veggies beside the pumpkins but nothing shows mice damage.
Either we have here lazy mice or the eagle-pole on the edge between garden and meadow show effect.

10/2/2003 3:58:35 AM

Sorry, Owen.... :-)

10/2/2003 5:28:06 AM

Garden State Pumpkins

Get some of that mill wire...like a metal cloth they need tin snips to get through.

10/2/2003 7:35:22 AM

Erin,Ontario.

Hey Graham,obviously you didn't pay attention to the fine print in the guide in the Ontario AG growers guide...It is very important not to feed the barn cats at least two weeks prior to weigh-off,and 24 hour surveillance must be firmly established by this time.This includes, but is not restricted to,the local army reserve camping out in the patch on a two week live ammunition training mission,among other things.I think you are very lucky to have got this far unscathed and therefore believe your pumpkin is bound to weigh heavy at Port Elgin!!!Good luck..and see you there.

10/2/2003 8:53:23 AM

Ontario, Canada.

Graham: Good luck in Port Elgin see you there.

10/2/2003 7:26:35 PM

Spanish Ontario

will see you all at port elgin good luck to every one KEN

10/2/2003 8:33:45 PM

New Brunswick

Blasted mice! We have been redoing our bathroom...and we are putting stucco on the donna conna board ceiling(some sort of pressed wood stuff).... house is 150 years old and this stuff was in use 25 to 50 years ago. Anyhow, we totally replaced the fixtures and put gyprock on some of the walls. Well....I kept finding ceiling crummies in our new bathtub and on the shelves of the tubsurround...and then I looked up. There was a row of little mouse holes along the edge of the ceiling where hubby had removed the trim before redoing the ceiling....new holes at that! I was fretting how to catch him, and then...tonite...I noticed a little round something lying on the floor in the living room...a mouse head!!! My wonderful tonkinese cats had gotten the mouse, who must have come out of the ceiling to eat! Cats...get cats....the greatest rodent getters ever. Oh yes, my cats are overly fat and well fed. NO NEED TO STARVE THEM!! They work WELL on full tummies! (<:

10/3/2003 8:54:09 PM