Recent content by rocksnstumps

Native, You need to train your local turkeys to clean that Droptine up during the winter. Of course nothing like a foot or two of fresh snow to motivate the local birds around here. But understand, winters not big stress time down south having lived in TN and TX myself Back to the sheepnose...

I would like to do some hybrid plantings but have just enough sporadic bear activity to be hesitant. The high vigor with early acorn production tends to result in a small tree that bears can tear limb from limb.... literally. I'm glad that after a bumper crop on a bunch of young trees over 5 yrs...

^^^ I see many failed tree tube attempts on public lands. They have a limited budget and typically have only 4 ft tubes because cheaper and ongoing maintenance is not budgeted. Using 4 ft tubes is likely to fail in a high deer pop area. No tube maintenance after 1st year of planting is also...

Those up north with harsh winters and lots of snow have more rodent issues. I try to use the largest dia tubes at the start and that extra space makes "bridging" material mouse house building limited. As the trunk diameter grows they can pack more crap in there to suspend their nest above the...

After a tube has done its job with accelerated growth, I usually cut them off. Slitting tube lengthwise they tend to curl up tightly. I will recycle these into tree supports inside the cage I add when the tree is whippy without help.

Another interesting bug topic was they were studying ways of dealing with Jap beetles. One test was putting an attraction scent bomb thingie on edge of block of plants. Not a trap, an attractant. But the nearby surrounding plants were treated with insecticide to zap the buggers when they fed...

Just got back from an orchard field day put on by the University. When talking about pests they didn't go into a lot of details about traps but like Swamp mentions they put a pheromone scent in the middle of a piece of cardboard covered in adhesive. It attracts the male bugs looking for 💕. They...

Keeping my FC. They are a good wildlife tree for my area although not a prolific bearer like some other crabs at an early age. Others further south on here are finding some disease issues for their area while another crowd has them planted in close proximity to their house and these apples are...

What kind of tree is that? During the emerald ash borer studies they did around here those traps were always purple and kind of triangular. So yes some insect study but probably not EAB since that does not look like an ash tree. For studies more within property boundaries the DNR asked a...

Geez. Just zapped 2nd recliner tick in 3 days since visiting my land. Yep, da muttley is right below my feet as always. Only good news is these are wood ticks not deer ticks so they claim unlikely to carry Lymes. And nope, don't wear permethrin soaked clothes while inside my house but maybe I...

Heard about that one but first time seeing symptoms. Have been treated for Lymes and try to be vigilant on tick checks. However....this year tick count the highest from sitting in my recliner. No joke. The muttley is always under my feet after a day of outside fun and believe the ticks are...

Kinda confused with the comment about vining with clearweed. Stuff I have is just stalks like it's cousin stinging nettle. Edit: Ah, realized vining is the pumpkins just getting going. But only really see it in richer soil so you have that going for ya. It also likes shade and moist areas so...

Met Sweaddy Teddy in Canada the last yr they allowed spring Ontario bear hunts. It was also a fly out base for fishing camps besides the bear hunts. We were just waiting for our second group of guys to get flown back before driving home. Uncle Ted was riding copilot in the "honey wagon"...

^^^ that seems strange that after time the rodent population would not rebound some. They are prolific little buggers. You must not have much for hawks and other birds of prey either with not much to feed them. But see the tree protection need more of an up north mid winter thing. Don't think...

Yes we all have our moments. I could have posted that I added to my Suncor position within one day of its lowest price in the last 20+ yrs. But was a small addition and in total my energy stocks have returned much less than simple SP500 index funds. Well hard to admit but WAY less.