squirrels in pots and gravel discouragement

[Adam Fikso]

Hellop HenryWe have Gorilla glue here too and it will probably hold up for
at least a few seasons.  Interesting idea for a trough.  i'd be inclined to
mix two sizes of grits so that small ones would go into the interstices,
between the big ones that did not mesh one plane to the next.  I do think an
empirical trial is in order, though, after you try to think it through which
you've already done.  If I grew anything in a trough I'd try it, too.  Would
it help me grow Zauschneria in the Chicago area?.



----- Original Message -----
From: "Henry Fieldseth" <treehugger53ah at YAHOO.COM>
To: <ARISAEMA-L at NIC.SURFNET.NL>
Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2003 9:10 AM
Subject: squirrels in pots


> Adam,
>
> It comes in several sizes, from "starter" for baby
> chicks to "turkey" which is fairly large.
>
> I find the larger sizes better for discouraging
> rodents.
>
> I use about a half an inch (1 or 2 cm).
>
> I keep buckets of the various sizes for use as soil
> amednments and top dressing.
>
> In Minnesota, winter sidewalk ice is a big problem. I
> use the grit instead of salt on the ice. It works
> better than sand there too.
>
> I've been experimenting with trough building for
> alpine plants and came up with another use for grit.
>
> After much experimenting with lightweight aggregate, I
> had the idea that if I made concrete with only large
> aggregate the trough would leak.
>
> I found a glue called Gorilla Glue which said it would
> glue stone and stirred it into a bucket of turkey grit
> until the grit was entirely coated (you have 20
> minutes working time). Then I patted it into a large
> plastic-lined bowl which I had sprayed with
> cooking-oil spray.
>
> I use quartzite grit called "Cherry Stone" from a
> Minnesota quarry. It's most attractive when wet, and
> the coating of glue keeps it looking wet.
>
> Heavy-duty rubber gloves are in order for this job as
> the grit tends to tear ordinary rubber gloves.
>
> I have a beautiful planter but it hasn't been through
> a winter yet for the real test.
>
> --Henry
>
> --- Adam Fikso <irisman at AMERITECH.NET> wrote:
> > Henry.  How thick a layer is sufficient to
> > discourage them?.   Squirrels and
> > chipmunks both dig some of my stuff up, an
> > occasional skunk, I think, but
> > that's not too often.    They certainly do like to
> > dig in looser soil (most
> > loose soil, by definition is recently disturbed)
> > Adam
> > i
> >
>
>
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