Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2022 20:28:16 GMT 10
I recently emptied a raised garden bed so prepped it for a new crop. Usual stuff, dynamic lifter, compost and cane mulch top layer added. Then I planted it up for Three Sisters ( en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Sisters_(agriculture) ) of mixed heirloom beans, 2 varieties or heirloom corn and Japanese pumpkin seeds. Within 4 days the beans and corn was up, so it was just waiting for the pumpkin. A week passes... then two... and I spotted the problem. We have what we affectionately call a "gardener crow". He is a polite chap, waits for the other birds to finish eating and is the chief peacemaker when they fight. But he has strong opinions about gardening. I spied him pulling out a pumpkin seedling that had just poked it's head up (I guess he objected to it not being heirloom). He has done that in the past with other plants, but only very specific ones. He also likes to remove "trash" from the garden beds such as plant name tags. Very helpful. So I guess this year we are doing Two Sisters. |
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iceage
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Post by iceage on Jan 20, 2022 20:36:14 GMT 10
Smart cookies the old crows. Do you think you might be able to outsmart them?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 20, 2022 20:48:12 GMT 10
Outsmart him? No. But I reckon I can take him in an arm wrestle.
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frostbite
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Post by frostbite on Jan 21, 2022 7:28:21 GMT 10
Air rifle
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2022 7:54:57 GMT 10
I'll replant the pumpkin today with a fancy heirloom variety. Reckon if I leave the empty seed packet out for him to read it should keep him happy.
Of note he never eats any plants he pulls out, he just objects to them and removes them. It's like having another gardener following me around making corrections.
Maybe he was looking in the window when I was marathoning those Monty Don episodes?
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Tim Horton
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Post by Tim Horton on Jan 21, 2022 8:23:34 GMT 10
Air rifle.....
Unfortunately.... I have to agree... As amusing as he may be to watch, he is too destructive to allow to remain... With this kind of behavior here, I would be forced to "take care of business" as needed...
Here in our zone 2 climate the "three sisters" of the garden for us are potatoe, green beans, edible and regular peas... Anything else is a small bonus...
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frostbite
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Post by frostbite on Jan 21, 2022 10:02:24 GMT 10
Anyone reluctant to shoot a bird destroying their food crop is really going to struggle defending their food from starving people.
Survival is brutal.
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malewithatail
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Post by malewithatail on Jan 21, 2022 11:50:31 GMT 10
I was just going to suggest a lead sandwich is appropriate.
You never really learn to swear until you learn to drive.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2022 19:19:59 GMT 10
I have no doubt dark days will come, but they are not here just yet... so I am gonna keep my sense of humour for a little bit longer  |
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tomatoes
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Post by tomatoes on Jan 22, 2022 5:53:45 GMT 10
I have no doubt dark days will come, but they are not here just yet... so I am gonna keep my sense of humour for a little bit longer Yes. I like your idea of planting a different variety and leaving the packet out. It sounds like this bird brings you a lot of entertainment and company, and it will be interesting to see if he approves of a different variety. Please let us know how that goes! If it gets to the point that you really have to do something to keep all the plants in the ground, there are other bird deterrents you could try if needed anyway - like stringing up old cds or that shiny bird deterrent tape. I’d prob make sure I had something like that in my stash incase its needed in future, when seeds can’t be wasted. |
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dirtdiva
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Post by dirtdiva on Jan 22, 2022 7:57:44 GMT 10
"One for the rook, one for the crow, one to die and one to grow"
A battle man has fought as long as man has farmed and one not likely to ever end.
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Post by Stealth on Jan 22, 2022 8:42:06 GMT 10
I have no doubt dark days will come, but they are not here just yet... so I am gonna keep my sense of humour for a little bit longer  I have to admit, I prefer your idea. I'm a firm believer that corvid in general are something to keep on your side. They're good warning alarms for strangers/predators in the area, and when I was a kid a friend's farm had a crow that used to fight off foxes from their hen house by swooping and pecking at them until they decided that it wasn't worth the effort. Not sure what the chooks did to gain their own bouncer but I've always had a pretty kindly view of crows since then. Might be worth putting bird netting over your seedlings that he takes offense to until they're larger so that he can't rip them up. Or even some cut off coke bottle tops, although I'd guess old mate is probably smart enough to work out a way around that pretty quickly. I wonder what it is about those seedlings in particular that irritates him. But if he's willing to help out with removing bits of rubbish from the beds and isn't causing entire carnage I'd be inclined to leave him be as well. You never know what other inconveniences he keeps out of your yard until he's gone! |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2022 12:38:58 GMT 10
I always keep our local magpies on side for that reason Stealth. And its cheap to, just fresh water daily front and back of the house. The few times we have had snakes up at the house, we have known because they go off like a pork chop.
My brother always discourages them, and he ends up with problems cuz the established pairs keep away, and he ends up with "gangs" of the juvenile ones. They get up to all sorts of mischief... as teenagers do.
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Post by Joey on Jan 22, 2022 17:11:05 GMT 10
Can I borrow your crow to weed my garden? lol Just can't keep on top of the weeds in the front garden, 1-2 weeks after the garden is cleaned out and the weeds are back  Good thing I'm moving house again in a couple of months to a house that already has well established gardens and will be easier to maintain |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 23, 2022 10:38:16 GMT 10
If you take all my crows it will be a murder  |
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Post by Stealth on Jan 23, 2022 13:06:31 GMT 10
If you take all my crows it will be a murder  ![]()  🤣🤣🤣 |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 31, 2022 15:14:59 GMT 10
I didn't want to celebrate early, but the second planting of pumpkin did it. I sowed at double density and it looks like quite a few got thinned, but enough survived past the critical stage. Didn't see what did the thinning either... but I can guess |
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bug
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Post by bug on Feb 1, 2022 8:43:08 GMT 10
We always feed the magpies. Much rather them be the dominant bird species in the area than other imported types.
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