Flowers Shrubs & Trees Archives – Page 13 of 27

Ground Squirrel Birds DIY: Projects Flowers Shrubs & Trees Gardening High Desert

DIY: Fruit Tree Deterrent

By JM PerezJune 17, 20141 min read2K views

A couple of weeks ago, I urged my husband to do something about the Squirrels digging holes all over my front yard to gain access to the nuts on the Sweet Almond tree. He came up with a very simple, yet functional mechanism to prevent those rodents from climbing up the tree. He created a piece similar to an umbrella shape and/or a funnel shape using materials we already had on hand.

From the pictures you can see how most of the work was done.

Materials/Tools Needed

Zip Ties
Chicken Wire 1 inch spacing
Pliers
Drip Tubing
Compression Reducing Tees

Step by Steps:

He first made a circle around the tree with the tubing making sure he could have the room to place the two support pieces to hold it in place.
After making the ring with the supports he cut strips of chicken wire to wrap around the ring edge and making certain there was no gap between wire and tree trunk.

The effectiveness is similar to the one of the image below.

Squirrel Baffle
Image Source: HarrietCarter.com.

Click here to learn about Tree Squirrels and how to prevent them from climbing up a pole, tree, or other structure.

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By JM Perez

Flowers Shrubs & Trees Gardening High Desert

Windy Afternoon

By JM PerezJune 3, 20141 min read652 views

I have kept busy in the garden lately, building plant support, planting and transplanting.
The plants are healthy, thriving and more Hummingbirds are visiting my gardens. My lone surviving evergreen vine and climber Pink Jasmine is covered in pink buds and delicate fragrant white flowers.

Have you tried Jasmine Tea? It is said to be efficient against coughs, sore throats and weight loss. Jasmine Tea can help relieve headaches, balance fluids in the body, regulate blood circulation and arterial tension. Jasmine Essential Oil is used for massaging and in treating dry, brittle, or dehydrated skin. Click here to read about Jasmine’s many benefits.

For best results, grow your Jasmine in full sun.

My Gaura Lindheimeri plants are hosts of the Caterpillars of the White-lined Sphinx (Hummingbird Moth).

Just beginning to bloom in my backyard is the Dwarf Myrtle (Myrtus Compacta); a deer resistant and evergreen shrub with delicate creamy-white flowers. The foliage and stems exude a pleasant scent when crushed.

While cleaning my Tipsy Pots Plant Tower, I found a dead Spider trapped in its own web.

It’s a lovely day today and I am grateful for the Wind which is keeping us cool during hot days like today.

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By JM Perez

Flowers Shrubs & Trees Gardening High Desert

Yellow Garden Flowers

By JM PerezMay 19, 20141 min read667 views

With temperatures soaring, our High Desert Plants seem to be at their best.
As I wandered around my backyard garden this morning, I noticed various shades of Yellow Flowers.

How could I miss the fragrant flower of Miniature Rose “Thanks To Sue” and its eye-catching delicate apricot petals?

Miniature Rose "Del Sol." — *Miniature Rose “Del Sol.”*

The Stella D’Oro Daylilies have burst with vibrant yellow blooms.

With weeds out of sight and temperatures rising, I don’t spend as much time gardening as I used to. I spend time planning, designing, moving furniture and plants to new locations as well as watching the plants grow. I still have a long way to go with my gardens, but for now, I am content with .

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By JM Perez

Ground Squirrel Flowers Shrubs & Trees Gardening High Desert

Squirrels Damage on Yucca

By JM PerezMay 14, 20141 min read1.1K views

It’s been a while since I last shared my thoughts on this blog. So much has happened around here. Mother’s day has come and gone and the weather is getting hotter here in the High Desert of California.

Things have been looking up around my gardens until last week when I started finding damaged plants around my property. I read a while back that one of the main reasons why Squirrels and other rodents are damaging the Shrubs and Trees is because they are looking for water. In this case they are targeting the moisture found in the sap of Trees. Most damages occur during drought conditions.

Squirrel damage on Yucca. — *Squirrel damage on Pendula Yucca.*

I am very thankful that the plant wasn’t completely destroyed and I can still save it. I may not find the idea of wrapping every single plant with chicken wire, but for my sanity and my plants health, it just might be the right thing to do until I have a permanent solution. Click here to learn about other Problems associated with Yucca Plants.

We enjoyed spending time outdoors today building garden Planters, conversing, transplanting seedlings, watching the Sunset and the full Moon rise over our beautiful High Desert Mountains.

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By JM Perez

Rabbit Flowers Shrubs & Trees Gardening High Desert

Repelling Hungry Rabbits

By JM PerezApril 30, 20142 min read468 views

All of last week I noticed a daily reduction in my Spring flowers. At first I thought the ground Squirrels were back and feeding on whatever they could find. On Monday morning to my surprise however, I came face to face with the destroyer: a Young Cottontail Rabbit. Half of my plants are gone. The little Rabbit ate most of the Gladiolus, Allium Drumstick, Heartleaf Ice Plant, some Freesia, Longiflorum-Asiatic Lily Birgi and Sparaxis.

Seeing how much damage the critter has caused in just a few minutes, I immediately wrapped the whole area with chicken wire. About thirty minutes later, I saw the young Rabbit around the plants; except this time, it couldn’t access them. Prior to exiting my property, it nibbled on a Gaura Lindheimeri seedling and attempted to eat the tender leaves of the Pendula Yucca young plants. A hungry Rabbit will eat just about anything, except highly aromatic plants such as Common Lilac, Rose Geranium, Lemon Verbena, Honeysuckle Azalea, Lavender, Marigold, Rosemary, Salvia, Sweet Mock-orange, Thyme, Myrtus, Choisya, Tulbaghia Violacea, Lantana, etc.

Yesterday while looking out my bedroom window, I saw a similar Rabbit by my kids Fairy Garden. This time however, it came into my yard with a much smaller Rabbit. As cute as they both looked, I knew it meant trouble for my plants as well as my sanity. My husband went into the backyard, chased them off our property and closed a gap between our fence and the neighbor, where the Rabbits were entering and exiting the property.

There haven’t been a Rabbit in sight today, just a couple of Squirrels attempting to make their way to the Sweet Almond Tree in the front yard. In summary it has been a beautiful day.

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By JM Perez