If you want to grow pumpkins, you need to protect them from a wide range of animals. Otherwise, you will find yourself feeding wildlife, with no pumpkins for yourself. You will quickly discover that wildlife feeding time is 24/7. There’s always some critter looking to make a meal out of your pant and fruit.
Dear Bob,
….. We live in northern Michigan in a small community called AuGres on 160
acres…We plant around 20 acres for the wildlife….We plant corn for
the White Tail deer, and a wildlife habitat for the pheasants…It
consists of sunflower, white tail clover, buckwheat, and shurgum (not
sure if I spelled that right) We are members of a group called
Pheasants Forever….What started out with the pumpkins was I had
planted them to give away to a group one year, but found by the end of
fall that the white tail deer had eaten most of them, so..now since its
one of their favorite things to eat, I have decided to just plant them
for the deer….
We have an abundance of Wildlife here….White Tail Deer, Wild Turkeys,
Pheasants, Rabbits, and a host of other critters….and its nice to see
the game any time just browsing away….In the winter when the white
tail “yard up” we have seen as many as 75 at one time eating the corn
which we leave standing in the field…
The pumpkins took off quite well this year, but we did have some pretty warm
days…..however, again, the critters were most anxious to get to them before
they were ready, and we did not have as many as we had hoped for……Every
morning and every evening we would see all sorts of rabbits, as many as 12 all
together sitting on the edge of the field playing and running in and out of the
pumpkins……A family of raccoons moved in, as I guess they thought it would be
better to go right to the food source….Mind you, we are not complaining, as we
did plant for the wildlife, and they did enjoy it……We were able to supply
many of our “city” friends with plenty of Jack O Lantern’s….and corn stalks to
go with it…..
Both my husband and I are retired, and just enjoy doing this….
Jim and Deann Jacobs of AuGres Michigan
Animal Pests to Pumpkins – The list is long.
Garden Animal Pest Control – By The Gardener’s Network
