Native Plants
Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?
A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants
Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
rate this answer
Wednesday - August 27, 2008
From: Reston, VA
Region: Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Diseases and Disorders
Title: Chipmunk in the garden.
Answered by: Joe Marcus
QUESTION:
Hi Mr. Smarty Plants, I have a rogue chipmunk this year (never had one before doing this) who is eating roots and digging holes in all my plant containers. I have tried Plant Skyd (excellent deer repellent), ginger, garlic and forks with the prongs up. Nothing seems to work. Do you have any ideas, brilliant or otherwise, that would deter this annoying, but cute animal?ANSWER:
It's probably Alvin; he's the troublemaker of the bunch.
Chipmunks are best controlled by relocation. It is fairly easy to catch them in live traps (heavy-guage wire mesh traps with trap doors) and relocate them to an area away from civilization. However, some municipalities prohibit live trapping of wild animals by unlicensed individuals. So it would be a good idea to check before putting out a trap. You can find sources for traps by entering "live small animal traps" in a Google search. Peanut butter makes an excellent chipmunk bait that is not easily removed from the trap.
If you do not wish to do it yourself or if you're prohibited by local laws from trapping the chipmunk, many exterminators offer a removal service.
More Diseases and Disorders Questions
Insect infestation of plants, dog and home
September 14, 2008 - I have plants that some kind of bug is killing them, my fan plam, ficus tree and other plants. The leaves are drying up and falling off. Apparently, they also are infestion my apartment. I feel them c...
view the full question and answer
Diseased cypress trees in Connecticut
June 09, 2009 - Cypress trees in Connecticut browning on interior. Tips of longer limbs completely brown, single limbs dying one at a time, sap oozing out of mainstem underneath dying limb. I do not see any canker...
view the full question and answer
Young pecan trees with leaf and branch problems from Gatesville TX
November 18, 2013 - I have a young pecan tree that had very rapidly browning Leaves. They became brittle and so did the branches with affected leaves. The branches soon fell off. We treated with fungicide during that pro...
view the full question and answer
Insect damage on possumhaw
August 12, 2012 - We planted a small possumhaw in February of this year (2012). It had leaves and some berries and was doing real well until some bug starting eating the leaves and berries. I know it is not deer becau...
view the full question and answer
A year and a half old live oak tree is doing poorly in Nevada, TX.
May 08, 2012 - We planted a live oak tree about a year and a half ago. the tree is still rather small. The leaves are of a vibrant green, however the leave have only grown through the center of the tree and not out...
view the full question and answer
| Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today. |