Wildlife and Gardens Thread

[Greg2607]

20 hours ago, Milo said:

Squirrels in the loft, mice in the garage and foxes under the cabin 

 

 

 

that's a great title for an album that. 

[Zear0]

20 hours ago, Milo said:

Cheers, bud. 
 

The mice are probably the biggest ball ache and will need to be offed. I went in to get some grain on Sunday for a brew day and one popped out the grain box and made me scream  and nigh on soil myself 

Buggers ain't they.  Had them in my garage and they just shat everywhere.  Put traps down and disposed of 15 and counting.

[Countryfox]

Saw this young roe doe this morning ..  winter coat disappearing as it’s lovely summer red coat comes through ..  

[Parafox]

3 hours ago, Zear0 said:

Buggers ain't they.  Had them in my garage and they just shat everywhere.  Put traps down and disposed of 15 and counting.

We have 2 cats and a shed under which mice lived. 

 

We had numerous episodes of one or both of the cats catching a mouse, not killing it but leaving it as a gift for us. We then had to find the thing under various bits of furniture and cupboards. 

 

We laid humane traps baited with chocolate and separately got 3 in one 24hr period. They were alive and I took them down to the local green space and set them free. They would either survive or succumb, and be food for other creatures.

 

That seemed to be it until one ran across the living room as we were watching some film. Tried to get it but it seemed to have disappeared. We never found a body and there was no smell of decomposition. We can only assume it got out through the cat-flap somehow.

 

I'm not scared by them I just hate them. 

 

On a side point. I like spiders in our home. They do no damage and they keep the flying insect pests down. And no, our house doesn't look like some kind of Hammer Horror film set.

[Zear0]

41 minutes ago, Parafox said:

We have 2 cats and a shed under which mice lived. 

 

We had numerous episodes of one or both of the cats catching a mouse, not killing it but leaving it as a gift for us. We then had to find the thing under various bits of furniture and cupboards. 

 

We laid humane traps baited with chocolate and separately got 3 in one 24hr period. They were alive and I took them down to the local green space and set them free. They would either survive or succumb, and be food for other creatures.

 

That seemed to be it until one ran across the living room as we were watching some film. Tried to get it but it seemed to have disappeared. We never found a body and there was no smell of decomposition. We can only assume it got out through the cat-flap somehow.

 

I'm not scared by them I just hate them. 

 

On a side point. I like spiders in our home. They do no damage and they keep the flying insect pests down. And no, our house doesn't look like some kind of Hammer Horror film set.

Was a bit of a dilemma for me too in getting rid of them. I did look at the humane traps but I remember some RSPCA chap saying they'll sometimes gnaw a limb off to escape. Didn't feel too great when I claimed my first dog(mouse)tag, but a bit of a damned if I do, damned if I don't situation.

 

Fortunately it's a detached garage which they'd nested in so I didn't have the horrow of them scuttling around the house. The little sods had eaten through a few furniture cushions and I know they'll be back for more. Best not go for the cloth on the pool table. 

[HighPeakFox]

On 02/05/2023 at 19:33, Milo said:

Squirrels in the loft, mice in the garage and foxes under the cabin 

 

 

 

...rat in the kitchen?

[JonnyBoy]

I’m seeing different opinions on wether to cover grass seed with a bit of top soil or not? Some say they need light to germinate others say they need a quilt…

also, with overseeing - is that just literally throwing seed down on existing lawn? Surely I don’t have to scarify the whole lawn? 

 

[Greg2607]

1 minute ago, JonnyBoy said:

I’m seeing different opinions on wether to cover grass seed with a bit of top soil or not? Some say they need light to germinate others say they need a quilt…

also, with overseeing - is that just literally throwing seed down on existing lawn? Surely I don’t have to scarify the whole lawn? 

 

You don't HAVE to scarify... It just helps to get soil contact.  Depending on the size of your lawn or what you are doing, you could always mix soil and compost together and Then spread over the lawn.... Hides them from birds as well if they are in compost.  

 

You risk not having soil contact and therefore reduced germination if you sow direct onto the lawn..... 

 

But it shouldn't be a thick layer of compost. Brush it in to the lawn. 

[JonnyBoy]

5 minutes ago, Greg2607 said:

You don't HAVE to scarify... It just helps to get soil contact.  Depending on the size of your lawn or what you are doing, you could always mix soil and compost together and Then spread over the lawn.... Hides them from birds as well if they are in compost.  

 

You risk not having soil contact and therefore reduced germination if you sow direct onto the lawn..... 

 

But it shouldn't be a thick layer of compost. Brush it in to the lawn. 

ok cheers - I did watch a video on YouTube and he added top soil to the seed (not too much) and brushed it afterwards so will give that a go 

[Milo]

1 hour ago, HighPeakFox said:

...rat in the kitchen?

What am I gonna do? 
 

Thankfully not, but I wouldn’t rule anything out. 
 

Had a deer at the bottom of the garden last week, I’ve realised I don’t really like wildlife too much if truth be told. 
 

I used to like squirrels, but not so much now that they’ve moved in 

[Free Falling Foxes]

On 29/03/2023 at 22:27, Free Falling Foxes said:

Blue Tits in our bird box, regularly spending the night together.

Update:

Ten eggs were laid and eight hatched, beginning last Wednesday. One chick sadly died but the remaining seven are doing fine.

Here's a pic and short vid from a little earlier when the parents were dropping off some supper.

 

Edited 10 May 2023 by Free Falling Foxes

[Costock_Fox]

Up on the north east coast of Scotland and I saw a pod of Killer Whales, a dolphin and a seal yesterday.

 

Not my pics of the whales but it was these I saw…

[Spudulike]

I've got a very high privet hedge down one side of our garden. Not keen on privet but it's old and was there when we bought the house 25 years ago. I trim it twice a year (even when it had an undetected wasps nest in it!) and it always grows back strongly. However, this year it's dying back and parts of it are now just twigs. I would have it removed but it would then expose the garden to the pavement and road. It's very good security and I'm not sure what to replace it with (it won't be Laylandii!). 

 

Wondering if last year's hot summer did for it or something else like honey fungus. Anyone else having privet problems? 

[FoyleFox]

It might just be slow this year. Talking to a fellow at the garden centre yesterday and, he was saying a lot of thing are a good month behind this year due to the changeable weather we've had. 

[Milo]

On 25/04/2023 at 06:50, Greg2607 said:

It's bang on time that is mate. You'll be looking at lawn mowers with a rear roller before you know it!!

No rear roller mower yet. 
 

But…I have, this evening, managed a decent set of (faint) stripes for the first fvckn time EVER. 
 

A fair bit of grass seed and some tlc, Disproportionately pleased with myself 

[Greg2607]

On 25/04/2023 at 13:17, JonnyBoy said:

Anyone else grass seed growing? Laid mine two weeks ago across some bare patches after scarifying, covered with a bit of top soil. Seeing some green shoots but not much. 
 

 

also, overseeding - is that literally just spreading grass seed over existing lawn to thicken? Does this work? 
 

I used weed and feed last year and just ended up with small holes in the grass where the weeds were my own fault really 

how's this looking now @JonnyBoy??  mine has taken really well and thickened up nicely.......   I suspect the warmer weather and rain should have helped no end! 

[onekeithweller]

On 10/05/2023 at 18:55, Spudulike said:

I've got a very high privet hedge down one side of our garden. Not keen on privet but it's old and was there when we bought the house 25 years ago. I trim it twice a year (even when it had an undetected wasps nest in it!) and it always grows back strongly. However, this year it's dying back and parts of it are now just twigs. I would have it removed but it would then expose the garden to the pavement and road. It's very good security and I'm not sure what to replace it with (it won't be Laylandii!). 

 

Wondering if last year's hot summer did for it or something else like honey fungus. Anyone else having privet problems? 

It may benefit from a layer of mulch and now is optimal time for putting it down. Last summer really stressed a lot of plants and mulch helps keep moisture in the ground and protect the roots. Good luck. 

[Spudulike]

14 minutes ago, onekeithweller said:

It may benefit from a layer of mulch and now is optimal time for putting it down. Last summer really stressed a lot of plants and mulch helps keep moisture in the ground and protect the roots. Good luck. 

Not sure that I can get a layer of mulch below it as its got the pavement on one side. Possibly on the garden side but it's almost inaccessible. Had a long walk around yesterday inspecting other privet hedges in the locality and most are suffering the same sort of die-back to various degrees. I think it's just a thing this year most likely caused by weather. 

 

Looking closely at mine, it does seem to be having tiny new growth amongst the what looks like dead twigs. I've not given up on it yet. 

[JonnyBoy]

11 hours ago, Greg2607 said:

how's this looking now @JonnyBoy??  mine has taken really well and thickened up nicely.......   I suspect the warmer weather and rain should have helped no end! 

first lot doing really well, very thick after three weeks. Laid some more at the bottom of the lawn where it was patchy 10 days ago.. some coming through slowly… but need to give it more time, although thought it may grow a bit quicker as better weather recently (maybe I’m being greedy!) 

[blue blood]

The garden, the lawn, the stripes. Got me an allett mower last year.

[blue blood]

On 29/04/2023 at 19:37, Parafox said:

Has anyone tried to grow Bonsai? 

 

I had a kit given to me which contained seeds for a number of varieties on Bonsai. I followed the instructions and I now have 3 tiny sprouting seedlings. All the same variety. Unfortunately the most potentially attractive ones haven't come through.

 

I'm not sure what to do next. Currently they're in the greenhouse but advice seems to be to put them outside to allow them to acclimatise. 

 

Do I pot them on into the containers they will remain in or do I pot them on into a temporary pot to then transplant them again as they mature. Planting them into the final pot now seems a bit premature as the seedlings are tiny.

 

A long shot, but then this is FT. Who knows?

I killed one tree and tried to grow from seeds. They started and all died.

[Zear0]

3 hours ago, blue blood said:

The garden, the lawn, the stripes. Got me an allett mower last year.

Top man, fellow allett owner. They're superb. 

[blue blood]

8 hours ago, Zear0 said:

Top man, fellow allett owner. They're superb. 

I’ve got the liberty 35 with battery.  Had to buy the mrs a handbag as a sweetener when I got it otherwise I’d be living in that summer house at the back 😂😂

 

it’s a great mower!!

Edited 17 May 2023 by blue blood

[The Blur]

11 minutes ago, blue blood said:

I’ve got the liberty 35 with battery.  Had to buy the mrs a handbag as a sweetener when I got it otherwise I’d be living in that summer house at the back 😂😂

 

it’s a great mower!!

 

Your garden looks fantastic.    How long did it take you to learn the art of gardening to get that look?

[blue blood]

2 hours ago, The Blur said:

 

Your garden looks fantastic.    How long did it take you to learn the art of gardening to get that look?

Tbh I got more into it after my dad passed, he enjoyed mowing the lawn.  I’ve levelled up on his efforts!!

 

Been a keen hobbiest for about 10 years now.  When we bought the house the garden was a shit show.  Improved it over time and then 3 years ago my wife got me a wood fired oven which meant we got the whole garden done - with an outdoor kitchen and all!! The styling is all her, tendering to it is mainly me.  
 

it helps my mother in law is green fingered, she gives us lots of cuttings for the flower beds.  
 

the lawn is one of my passions.  God I feel old 😂😂