Raccoon Gang Destroys Peach Tree
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DebbieTT
Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula
Posted: Jun-30-2007 at 11:10am
My little dwarf peach tree is now toast. I am assuming the raccoons were climbing in it and it broke in two.
I've really tried hard to live peaceably with these critters, but I am about to declare war.
DebbieTT
Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula
Posted: Jun-30-2007 at 11:14am
Now that I've calmed down, this tree was going to be taken out eventually. One side was already damaged from the falling of an alder tree that took out one side. The raccoons took out the other side. Plus my large peach tree that was supposed to be a dwarf also, turned out to be a full size tree and was shading it until around noon.
However, now I don't have a pollinator for the big tree. I guess I better get another tree and soon. And a pellet gun, raccoon traps, electric fence, shotgun... I joke but seriously these critters destroy a lot in my garden. I don't mind sharing but they don't leave much for anyone else.
Argggggggggg!
trav
Location: Washington, Western
Posted: Jun-30-2007 at 12:06pm
Ouch - that's pretty bad. Sorry you've lost a tree.
I am fortunate that we don't have racoons around here (with any regularity anyway). Unfortunately we now have two one-year-old puppies, and I bet the damage they do regularly can easily stand up against your racoon problem. Broken shrubs, broken fence posts, destroyed perennials - when they play they just don't pay any attention to their surroundings. But with the dogs, we have no one to blame but ourselves...
Travis
growest
Location: Western British Columbia
Posted: Jun-30-2007 at 2:19pm
Sharing with animals, that's really nice Debbie. But sharing peaches, that makes you a real saint, don't think I would go that far!
BTW, aren't all peaches self-fertile? I don't remember my parent's very fruitful Rochester peach tree ever needing any others nearby.
DebbieTT
Location: Washington, Kitsap Peninsula
Posted: Jun-30-2007 at 4:40pm
Trav,
Broken fence posts? Did you get two Pupsicanine giganteus?
Growest,
I don't think of myself as saintly, especially when I want to wring their little necks at the moment!
You know they may be self fertile, I will have to go look. I want Frost Peach anyway so will probably look for it in the fall.
JeanneK
Location: Oregon, Greater Portland Metro
Posted: Jul-02-2007 at 8:36am
So sorry about your peach tree, Deb! Racoons! I sympathize. They don't call 'em masked bandits for nothing, do they? Ripe fruit, water near by to wash it with, and they are in Racoon heaven! I don't know if it would make you feel better but we have a pair of squirrels that eat all of our italian prunes. They usually will take a bite to see if it is ripe, then toss it to the ground, barely missing the cat who keeps a watchful eye on them! Foiled them this year though as the tree is taking a break!
Jeanne
Garden Spider
Location: Washington, Puget Sound Corridor
Posted: Jul-03-2007 at 7:26pm
Debbie, so sorry to hear about your little peach's demise. We have not been bothered by raccoons. I do have squirrels, but other than losing a few bulbs to them, they don't do much damage. Well . . . they do eat all the apples--take one or two bites, and drop the apple, darn them. The dogs do a lot of damage; Leo, who is a sweet dog, but not the sharpest knife in the drawer, chases dirt--kicks up some dirt, then whirls around to catch it. The back yard is beginning to resemble WWI France, with all the trenches he's dug.
Barb
bakingbarb
Location: Washington, Western
Posted: Jul-03-2007 at 10:11pm
The only deterrents I know to racoons is a dog that knows what it is doing! Or pumpkin vines! They hate both of em.
~BakingBarb
Gardening for the Homebrewer: Grow and Process Plants for Making Beer, Wine, Gruit, Cider, Perry, and More
By co-authors Debbie Teashon (Rainy Side Gardeners) and Wendy Tweton