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spotty, yellowing leaves


Question
Darn, I was hoping for faster results. Oh well, a gardener must be patient, I'm learning.
Do you have any organic tricks for getting rid of a crazy chipmunk? He digs burrows all through my garden and I've been trying to outwill him by constantly filling his entrance and exit holes. He won't give up and he's digging up seedlings. I've even caught him brazenly eating my newly sprouted plants.  It's become a comedy not unlike caddyshack as he and I match wills. It used to be fun, but now, I'm getting very angry.
Thanks so much
Heather
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Answer
Well, I could not resist, so I looked up Chipmunk and came to this adorable little photo of one of these rodents invading someone's garden.  Yours maybe? See homepage.mac.com/inwardeye/iblog/C2013677939.

Poor Chipmunk.

Well, here goes.

If you are made of money, there's Mr McGregor's Garden (http://www.mcgregorfence.com/).  This is a well known company but I have not personally ordered from them, I do keep their catalog on hand waiting for something to come up.  Note please that several different strengths and sizes of electric fences repel unwanted animals from the garden, including woodchucks and chipmunks.  It's expensive.  But I think it would work.

Then there's Bird-X (www.birdx.com/products/pestcontrol/chipmunkcontrol) which uses unbearable sonic waves to repel chipmunks without hurting them.  Last I heard, the jury was still out on how effective this system is.  

Or Chipmunk-Repellent.com (www.critter-repellent.com/chipmunk/).  They sell a product that makes your yard smell like a fox lives in that house, sending terror through the heart of every chipmunk within miles.  

The Toxics Information Project of Rhode Island (www.toxicsinfo.org) holds a contest every year for organic ideas.  One 2004 award was issued to a Massachusetts resident for "The Perfect organic insecticide, squirrel/chipmunk repellent, and salad spray."

Here is the recipe:

"In a large pot, bring 2 qts. water to a boil.  Separate cloves on a head of garlic and crack them open with a wooden spoon.  (You don抰 need to clean the husks off of the cloves.)  Add these broken garlic cloves, atablespoon of cracked peppercorns, and a tablespoon of cayenne pepper to the water.  Cook for 30 minutes on low to medium heat (not a full boil; just a gentle simmer). Cool.  Strain into spray bottle.  Spray on plants periodically (especially after a rain).  Be sure to shield the blossoms, when present, because this spray will also keep the bees away from the blooms (needed for pollination) if you spray the flowers.  (My 10-yr.-old sprays this mixture on her salad w/ bit of olive oil!)"  

Maybe this is just what the doctor ordered!  

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