Floating row cover grows better plants and chipmunks!

bryanccfshr · May 21, 2017

Floating row cover proves to protect and allow more growth. Maybe it is the protection from the dry winds, the more stable temperatures, the fact that squirrels and chipmunks won't enter the wrapped cages. My plants in floating row cover are 3x as big as the other seedlings. 2weeks out. I planted early and beat the freezes.. but chipmunks are killing me or at least my an emerald green (limping along now)a Cherokee purple, some cilantro, tomatillo plant and some eggplants.
Had wife take down her bird feeders. ( the rodents like to burry the seeds and get moisture from the sprouts.) Maybe they will find a more inviting property without the seed because rat traps are next.
The floating row covered plants were never attacked so that's going up everywhere.

garyjr · May 22, 2017

I know what you mean. In my case it is squirrels, or should I say the squirrel. Seems like same one all the time. Decimated my Strawberries before I finally got around to covering them. Seems that as soon as they show any red they get eaten. I might have to resort to traps as well. Good luck..

bower · May 22, 2017

Huge fan of row cover here too.

The extra temperature and moisture is great, but the pest control effects - not only little bugs but also big animals - are amazing. I don't know how we ever managed to grow organically without it.

Animals kept off by a little row cover here include: squirrels, snowshoe hares and moose!

bryanccfshr · May 22, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by bower

Huge fan of row cover here too.

The extra temperature and moisture is great, but the pest control effects - not only little bugs but also big animals - are amazing. I don't know how we ever managed to grow organically without it.

Animals kept off by a little row cover here include: squirrels, snowshoe hares and moose!

Amazing! a credible observation frommmy limited experience with it. I will take some photos of the cosmetic trade off of Texas tomato cages wrapped in cover this afternoon.
I am not worried about light at 5800 feet elevation my sun is too strong. Cutting it by about 15% seems to help.

May 21, 2017	#1
bryanccfshr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Farmington, Nm Posts: 450	Floating row cover grows better plants and chipmunks! Floating row cover proves to protect and allow more growth. Maybe it is the protection from the dry winds, the more stable temperatures, the fact that squirrels and chipmunks won't enter the wrapped cages. My plants in floating row cover are 3x as big as the other seedlings. 2weeks out. I planted early and beat the freezes.. but chipmunks are killing me or at least my an emerald green (limping along now)a Cherokee purple, some cilantro, tomatillo plant and some eggplants. Had wife take down her bird feeders. ( the rodents like to burry the seeds and get moisture from the sprouts.) Maybe they will find a more inviting property without the seed because rat traps are next. The floating row covered plants were never attacked so that's going up everywhere. __________________ I moved!

May 22, 2017	#2
garyjr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Mechanicsville, VA zone 7a Posts: 97	I know what you mean. In my case it is squirrels, or should I say the squirrel. Seems like same one all the time. Decimated my Strawberries before I finally got around to covering them. Seems that as soon as they show any red they get eaten. I might have to resort to traps as well. Good luck.. __________________ "The task of the modern educator is not to cut down jungles but to irrigate deserts." C.S. Lewis

May 22, 2017	#3
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,793	Huge fan of row cover here too. The extra temperature and moisture is great, but the pest control effects - not only little bugs but also big animals - are amazing. I don't know how we ever managed to grow organically without it. Animals kept off by a little row cover here include: squirrels, snowshoe hares and moose!