I Bought a New Book

[OldGuy43]

It's called Country Wisdom Almanac. I even paid list price. I bought it because while leafing through it in the store I found this suggestion for keeping dogs, opossums, racoons and skunks out of the trash. A teaspoon of ammonia in each trash can and a little sprinkled around the trash can area will discourage them and it's a disinfectant as well. The same idea could be applied to the garden. Just spray a little around the outside edge regularly.

What do you think?

 

[Mickey328]

I wonder how long the effect will last. Sure won't hurt the garden since ammonia is used as fertilizer...and it definitely does keep dogs away...burns their noses just like ours...but that's when it's wet...I think the odor diminishes as it dries. Will be really interested to see how it works for you!

 

[897tgigvib]

Ammonia! I'll try that! Does it work against Gophers too? I started putting wet kitty litter around but not in my garden trying so many things like that.

 

[OldGuy43]

Ammonia! I'll try that! Does it work against Gophers too? I started putting wet kitty litter around but not in my garden trying so many things like that.

I suppose it might if you used enough to soak into the ground.

 

[OldGuy43]

While we're on the topic I found this about making your own fertilizer:

Instructions

1. Pour 1 cup of ammonia, 8 oz. of regular beer, 8 oz. of regular soda, 1/2 cup of liquid dish soap, 1 cup of Epsom salts, 1 cup of water, and 1/2 cup mouthwash directly into your garden sprayer.
2. Place the lid on the garden sprayer and give it a shake to combine the ingredients.
3. Pump the garden sprayer and aim the wand at the area you want to fertilize. Spray from left to right, beginning at the back of the area you want to fertilize, and work your way toward the front. Applying the fertilizer systematically like this will ensure you don't miss any spots.

Found it while looking for the difference between farm fertilizer grade or anhydrous ammonia and household ammonia. Turns out that there isn't much. Anhydrous simply means "without water".

 

[digitS']

I am still wondering if Marshall is talking about family Geomyidae gophers . .

. or, Ground Squirrels, family Sciuridae . ?

That teevee self-proclaimed "Master Gardener" used to call ammonia a "thunderstorm in a bottle!" Whatever the heck that means . . .

Ammonia is ammonia and Marshall is carrying some out in the kitty litter. I've wondered if people with dogs and "pooper scoopers" have problems with varmints in the trash cans. Why can't wildlife have a little more self-respect?

I was reading about a guy who can "blast" the tree squirrels off his deck with a hose multiple times a day. Keep coming back.

Steve

 

[annageckos]

Ammonia is ammonia and Marshall is carrying some out in the kitty litter. I've wondered if people with dogs and "pooper scoopers" have problems with varmints in the trash cans. Why can't wildlife have a little more self-respect?


Steve

I have dogs and cats and still have critters in the trash, not often. But it does happen. We also have deer, rabbits and squirrels in the yard and gardens. The dog smell does nothing to keep them out, or the human smell. The deer use the streets as trails, and the rabbits nested in my garden even though the dogs and cats pass by very close.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I find that wildlife is really adaptable. They have to be to survive in the wild. I find that several things work for a little while but for a whole lot of them, the deer, raccoons, whatever soon learn there is no real threat there. I also have dogs that sleep outside and still find a lot of deer and rabbit pellets in my yard. The dogs are on an underground electric fence and those droppings are clearly inside their range.

I think one advantage with ammonia is that it does mess up their sense of smell and many wild animals depend on smell to find food or protect themselves against predators. But yeah, how long does the smell last, even if it doesn't rain?

 

[April Manier]

The ammonia has readily available nitrogen. Couldn't hurt.

Any cool suggestions for deer--other than bullets?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Any cool suggestions for deer--other than bullets?

Bow and arrow?