Outdoor Latitude 56* Scotland guerrilla/ninja style

[Anglo Automatics]

if you read back I mention numerous times that the site is surrounded on all sides by 6ft deer fences so it definitely ain't deer. Kinda getting bored of saying this now. No new damage since last time so that's a plus. It could be rabbits but I doubt it. The small bit I am in is the only open grass within the fenced area the rest is treacherous rotten tree limbs, pine, and wild raspberries. If it was a rabbit eating it, it would have set off the trap and also pull up or dig under the netting which is staked into the ground. Also I have never seen a rabbit within 2miles of my grow. Also got perimeter of slug pellets and crushed egg shells and I don't believe slugs cut off stems like they've used scissors and then leave the nicely cut peices behind. I'm sorry if you all think it's everything bar mice but I believe my knowledge of site,area,damage and situation trumps ehat yous perceive from my photographs.

I know you have had a rodent nibble through the base of a stalk base already, as I tried to help you with this last week. But mice won't nibble all the side branches off and eat the leaves. That is what I am trying to say. Rodents just nibble the stalks. The damage in the picture you put up shows the work of a rabbit or deer, and since you insist that it isn't slugs or snails, because you are on top of your slug defences, that only leaves two potential culprits. Deer or rabbit.

You can have a go at me, but the fact of the matter is something is eating your plants. The side stems look like they have been bitten clean off. Only a deer or rabbit will do that. I advised you to put up a wire mesh/cage around the plants last week, but instead you have put up some flimsy netting, which isn't high enough and is too close to the plants, leaving them within biting reach. Whatever has been eating your plants is going to come back. I'm just being honest. The only way to guarantee your plants don't get eaten is to put up strong wire mesh CAGES, with small spacing between the gaps, and another sheet of wire mesh over the top to cage it off. That way a 6ft high deer can't access the plants. I don't know why you are ripping this piss out of this cage concept? I have never had rodents damage a caged plant either. No mammals can get in. It's closed off to them, no matter how tall they are. And because you are growing autos, the cage only has to be 3-4 foot high...

Also, are you saying you have a 6 foot high deer fence erected around the perimeter of your plants, at the edge of your little plot area? Or are you saying there is a 6 foot deer fence around the perimeter of a big piece of land? If the deer fence is surrounding a forest, or moorland, you are being naive by saying deer can't get in. They put up a 6 foot high deer fence at my old allotment, and within a few years there was 2 separate species of deer inside the compound. Red Deer and Roe deer. They will get in through gaps, tunnels, gates being left open, and the bigger species are capable of jumping a 6ft fence. And once they're in, they'll start breeding. And rabbits are almost certainly in your compound. Again, you're being naive if you think they aren't. They are everywhere in Britain, outside of cities. Most common UK mammal with 40-50 million rabbits in the UK. I have lost more young plants to rabbits than I have deer.

All I am saying... is I would get those plants caged up. Or take the risk of taking more damage. I don't know what more to say. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink...

 

[dr_rob_auto]

I know you have had a rodent nibble through the base of a stalk base already, as I tried to help you with this last week. But mice won't nibble all the side branches off and eat the leaves. That is what I am trying to say. Rodents just nibble the stalks. The damage in the picture you put up shows the work of a rabbit or deer, and since you insist that it isn't slugs or snails, because you are on top of your slug defences, that only leaves two potential culprits. Deer or rabbit.

You can have a go at me, but the fact of the matter is something is eating your plants. The side stems look like they have been bitten clean off. Only a deer or rabbit will do that. I advised you to put up a wire mesh/cage around the plants last week, but instead you have put up some flimsy netting, which isn't high enough and is too close to the plants, leaving them within biting reach. Whatever has been eating your plants is going to come back. I'm just being honest. The only way to guarantee your plants don't get eaten is to put up strong wire mesh CAGES, with small spacing between the gaps, and another sheet of wire mesh over the top to cage it off. That way a 6ft high deer can't access the plants. I don't know why you are ripping this piss out of this cage concept? I have never had rodents damage a caged plant either. No mammals can get in. It's closed off to them, no matter how tall they are. And because you are growing autos, the cage only has to be 3-4 foot high...

Also, are you saying you have a 6 foot high deer fence erected around the perimeter of your plants, at the edge of your little plot area? Or are you saying there is a 6 foot deer fence around the perimeter of a big piece of land? If the deer fence is surrounding a forest, or moorland, you are being naive by saying deer can't get in. They put up a 6 foot high deer fence at my old allotment, and within a few years there was 2 separate species of deer inside the compound. Red Deer and Roe deer. They will get in through gaps, tunnels, gates being left open, and the bigger species are capable of jumping a 6ft fence. And once they're in, they'll start breeding. And rabbits are almost certainly in your compound. Again, you're being naive if you think they aren't. They are everywhere in Britain, outside of cities. Most common UK mammal with 40-50 million rabbits in the UK. I have lost more young plants to rabbits than I have deer.

All I am saying... is I would get those plants caged up. Or take the risk of taking more damage. I don't know what more to say. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink...

Whole area that is fenced in I could walk the perimeter in 10mins. I know 5 game keepers in my area all of which agree there is no rabbits in this glen, hares maybe but no rabbits and these are the guys who manage this land for a living. I don't think a deer would start at the bottom of a plant eat up to the nice fresh growth and then leave every little section of stem and leaf matter lying on the ground and the freshest groeth still on the top.im not trying to have an argument with you I'm just telling you I know my area and I'm very close to the people who have worked this land their intire life. Myself IV only lived in rural locations all my life tracking deer and other animals and being in nature. I mean unless they fly and don't leave shit or hoof prints so what do I ken. Anyway I'm going to carry on doing my thing and hey ho if these super deer or rabbits return fair play thats nature. I'm not here to argue about what happens in your area or somebody else's I'm just telling you how things are up here.

 

[dr_rob_auto]

The size of my plot/area there isn't enough foliage to support 1deer for a week or enough space for any to go unnoticed, the area of scrub sits between to feilds and I could throw a stone over it. Unless your a game keeper, deer stalker, rabbit exterminator I think Im going to listen to their knowledge.

 

[Anglo Automatics]

@dr_rob_auto

You're missing my point. All you have to do to stop the stems getting chewed and foliage getting eaten is to put some cages over each plant. It doesn't matter what mammal has been eating all the leaves, the fact of the matter is that they are being eaten by something. Cage them. Or don't. Your plot is clearly in an area where mammals can access them, hence the damage. At the end of the day I am just trying to help you.

You seem to be more concerned about correcting me on whether you've got hares or rabbits in your area, as opposed to doing what you need to do in order to protect your plants. Even if you don't end up caging your plants this year, plan on caging them next year so you don't have this problem again. Or you will learn the hard way when you turn up to a plot and all your plants are gone. It might not be this year, it might be next.

I suppose if the game warden says there are no deer inside the fence, then you don't need to bother caging your plants. Just out of curiosity, how many years, collectively, have these game wardens been growing for?

 

[dr_rob_auto]

@dr_rob_auto

You're missing my point. All you have to do to stop the stems getting chewed and foliage getting eaten is to put some cages over each plant. It doesn't matter what mammal has been eating all the leaves, the fact of the matter is that they are being eaten by something. Cage them. Or don't. Your plot is clearly in an area where mammals can access them, hence the damage. At the end of the day I am just trying to help you.

You seem to be more concerned about correcting me on whether you've got hares or rabbits in your area, as opposed to doing what you need to do in order to protect your plants. Even if you don't end up caging your plants this year, plan on caging them next year so you don't have this problem again. Or you will learn the hard way when you turn up to a plot and all your plants are gone. It might not be this year, it might be next.

I suppose if the game warden says there are no deer inside the fence, then you don't need to bother caging your plants. Just out of curiosity, how many years, collectively, have these game wardens been growing for?

I'm not denying the solid cages wouldn't have helped, or that in future I wouldn't use them I'm just arguing the facts that from how the beast has consumed the plant I know it ain't deer, the chance of it being a rabbit or hare is next to zero and that with my knowledge of the area, seeing the damage and the way the stalks have been cut into little inch long sections but just left and not eaten, the netting hasn't been lifted or damaged and the years of knowledge of the people in my area. I know 100% it is mice/vole/shrew or maybe rat damage. And having kept mice/rats as pets I know that they will fit through any sized hole so the only physical barrier that would work would be a trump-esk wall buried underground 4ft tall and completely solid and smooth to prevent them climbing. This obviously isn't possible and I'm not going to risk the secrecy of my spot by dragging fencing and meshing through public areas when it ain't going to help. I believe what has helped more since using it is all the scent deterant which other people suggested, hair, piss, pepper etc. And game keepers don't need to grow, they have the upmost knowledge of the land, the area and the wildlife and ecology. It wouldnt matter if I was growing a guerrilla garden of salad or weed. It is the wildlife causing issue not what I am growing.

 

[Anglo Automatics]

I was the one that recommended the pepper, as I was trying to help you with this issue, but that was when I was under the impression you just had a rodent chewing on stems. Now my opinion has changed after seeing the damage in that other picture you recently uploaded. That ain't just rodent damage. Not with all the leaves and side branches eaten.

By all means do what you feel is right. I am not trying to start an argument. I have just tried to offer you a solution with the cages. I don't want to see you lose your plants. I have been there, done that, a few years back when I got naive about not caging stuff. Or protecting it appropriately. You put up pictures complaining about damage and asking questions about what it could be, and what you should do to stop it, but you're rejecting the advice and in denial about the cause. I have loads of rats, mice and voles near my plants but they don't climb up my plants and eat all the leaves. Chew stems yeah, but not defoliate the plant. You need to start thinking more like a guerrilla grower, and less like you're a game warden with extensive animal knowledge. If you knew all the animals in your area for sure, and what animals specifically are accessing your plants, you wouldn't have been asking us what has been eating your plants 2 pages back. Which is why you just need to cage the damn things. You can take wire mesh to the plot at 4am without getting spotted.

Another option is hanging baskets in the tree as no mammals can munch on plants that are off the ground. I am trying to help you for next year now, because it is obvious you aren't going to protect them appropriately this year. But I do wish you all the best with your grow this year. Like genuinely.

 

[dr_rob_auto]

Hey guys been a while been working like a mo'fo past few weeks and obviously so have my darlings the netting obviously worked as no more rodent damage in last few weeks. Everything's powered on. Stopped feeding veg nutes to the glueberry and Cinderella jack the other week they only topped out about 50-75cm. Been hitting them hard with bloom n top max and all is looking great. I think the glueberry is a week or two from finish. Very few white hairs just lots of shriveled brown ones on big white buds. Cinderella jack is probably 2-3weeks out but looking awesome. Is an outdoor flush necessary preharvest. I doubt there's much build up of nutrients. 60 day wonder and the orange bud are bit further behind at about 1m tall really good growth lots of potential for a great crop. Gave them good hit of bloom and top max. I'd say unless they power through flowering they're gonna be closer to the end of the month. No signs of mould or any insectal pests so touch wood. Weather is typically Scottish. Kinda sunny cloudy, mostly dry and highs of 17-18* night temps must be dropping down near 10-12*. I'll see if photos will upload at home, WiFi at work is so much faster. Let me know what you reckon on the flushing, harvest times and tips.

 

[dr_rob_auto]

With available nitrogen in outdoor soil should I use yellowing fan leaves as an indicator of maturity or rely on my jewellers loupe?

 

[Sensi Jay]

Both are signs, but loupe more reliable IMO

 

[dr_rob_auto]

Both are signs, but loupe more reliable IMO

Yeah IV got one here the glueberry trichomes are so big I can see the individual heads they look pretty milky apposed to shiny n clear and as I say it's at least 60/40% brown hairs to white.