Critter Control

            In an Advance Garden article talked about a number of two and four legged moochers and vagabonds that like to frequent our tilled and weeded areas of toil and sweat.
            One of the menacing varmints showcased was the Garden Rhinoceros. Below is an excerpt of this timely article.

           The Garden Rhino has been a menacing pest for the past three decades. Like the Gypsy moth and the cabbage butterfly it's arrival to our country has been linked to careless customs inspections via the New York harbor system.

            After leave, presumably, an African freighter, they wander west in search of lusher habitats. Like the Mediterranean Fruit fly it has settled anywhere the climate allowed.

            West Michigan has been home to many of these large, but illusive herbivores, foraging in city, as well as country gardens across a 12 county territory.

            The tell-tale signs of their existence in your garden goes as follows: the whole patch is trampled to smithereens and the dog, if he's still alive, is cowling in some corner white with fear.

            It's hard to catch these vegitational carnivores in the act; being that they have very keen eyesight and have the ability to blend in with the garden foliage (the one pictured below was caught on camera leaving a watermelon patch).  So, if you do wish to rid your garden of these pesky vermin yourself you will have to do so at night while they sleep. The items you will need to take along on this backyard safari goes as follows: a flashlight, either a .458 Winchester Magnum or a 500 Remington Nitro Express, ammo, cattle prod, 20,000 lb. tow strap and a back hoe (because you just can't put a dead one of these out by the curb).

            The second option, if you're not good with a gun, (you certainly wouldn't want to wing one of these rascals) or you live in the city where you're not allowed to discharge a firearm, is to purchase a bottle of Rhino-B-Gon by Ortho. Not a killer, but a very effective repellent; directions are as follows: Pound stakes (not included) into the ground every four feet, tie strips of red cloth to the tops of each stake, apply five drops of Rhino-B-Gon to each strip, repeat after two weeks or each rain.

             For more helpful tips on getting rid of other nuisance critters in your garden or landscaping go to www.NiemeyerLandscaping.com, and click on the You Tube Enhanced Garden Articles tab and “Critter Problems” will be there for your perusal.