Some animal is eating my grapes...advice needed please

[Sashie]

We have grapes on Eastern Long Island, New York. When viewing our pinot gris row, I noticed some holes in our nets and 30% of the fruit eaten. Our consultant said it wasn;t birds because they leave nothing behind and we noticed grapes on the ground. So he thinks its raccoons but I think the raccoons would have torn up everything. I think it's squirrels. None of our other varieties have been touched - yet.

We had our first crop in 2010 - no problems at all. Last year we lost all of our fruit to birds. This year we put up a new netting system and it seems we are losing.

Has anyone had any problems with squirrels or raccoons? Any idea how to get rid of them? Raccoons we can trap but what about squirrels?

 

[rob]

Last year we had birds in the vineyard and they put a small hole in the grape and sucked the juice out,

 

[UBB]

Last year we had birds in the vineyard and they put a small hole in the grape and sucked the juice out,

I seen that first hand in our vineyard this year.

 

[Swilley]

Dawgawn opossums ate a lot of mine last year

 

[Itch]

If you think its racoons or a possom go and get a trap and bait with sardines.....you may get some cats but most likely will catch the culprit.

http://m.homedepot.com/p/Havahart-2-Door-Large-Animal-Cage-Trap/100348069/

 

[garymc]

Possums, racoons, and skunks will feast on grapes. I had a possum eating my muscadines a couple of years ago. He would suck the insides out of the skin and spit the skin out.

 

[Sashie]

What did you guys do? put up more netting? how did they get in - rip the netting?

I have traps but I really don't think it's raccoons, more likely squirrels. Maybe my dog can sit outside during the day (she hates squirrels) and scare them off but I don't want to leave her outside at night. I'm scared the culprits have gotten a taste and they won't leave.

I don't want a repeat of last year ----all that work!!! All that pruning, weeding, spraying (in 95 degree weather)- to lose it all to squirrels? And they ate all of my shiro plums as well. You could see them running with yellow plums in their mouths....

 

[deboard]

They make some animal deterrents that have motion sensors, and either turn on a light, make noise (sometimes ultrasonic), or both that you can buy. Here is an example:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ZWOYQG/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

I've never used one, so I don't know much about their effectiveness.

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

Get a game cam to find out exactaly what you have eating your grapes.

 

[JohnT]

My father's pride and joy was his veg. garden. Dogone rabbits would really make a mess out of it.

The he found an electric fence system. The fence is advertised as "self weeding" (where the weeds would touch the wires, then fry).

BOY DID THIS DO THE TRICK. nothing like a little electric shock to make them varmits run! He never had rabbit or deer issues again.

 

[Brew and Wine Supply]

My father's pride and joy was his veg. garden. Dogone rabbits would really make a mess out of it.

The he found an electric fence system. The fence is advertised as "self weeding" (where the weeds would touch the wires, then fry).

BOY DID THIS DO THE TRICK. nothing like a little electric shock to make them varmits run! He never had rabbit or deer issues again.

Neighbor has a bunch of fruit trees, ran the electric fence with the white ribbon with it, he put peanut butter on it in spots, Once the deer would try to eat it ZAP! deer stayed away.

 

[Boatboy24]

My father's pride and joy was his veg. garden. Dogone rabbits would really make a mess out of it.

The he found an electric fence system. The fence is advertised as "self weeding" (where the weeds would touch the wires, then fry).

BOY DID THIS DO THE TRICK. nothing like a little electric shock to make them varmits run! He never had rabbit or deer issues again.

Why did I not think of this before? Thanks for sharing John. Groundhogs have been the demise of my garden the last few years. A quick search turned up a battery operated fence on Amazon for under $100. I'll most certainly be implementing this new weapon next season.

 

[JohnT]

Why did I not think of this before? Thanks for sharing John. Groundhogs have been the demise of my garden the last few years. A quick search turned up a battery operated fence on Amazon for under $100. I'll most certainly be implementing this new weapon next season.

Yup, but you really do not want to have one of these if there are any small kids in the vacinity.

 

[Boatboy24]

Yup, but you really do not want to have one of these if there are any small kids in the vacinity.

I don't want them in the garden either. :<

 

[JohnT]

I don't want them in the garden either. :<

instant afro. Not a good look on kids.

 

[Sashie]

We have spikes holding the netting to the ground. This morning I saw a few holes dug under the netting. It is not a large gap/hole so I think it's squirrels. I could probably put down another 1000 spikes but they will get in by digging. So, time for the electric fence. Can I lay it on the ground? Our vineyard is fenced in to keep the deer out (and kids!).

 

[Racer]

We have spikes holding the netting to the ground. This morning I saw a few holes dug under the netting. It is not a large gap/hole so I think it's squirrels. I could probably put down another 1000 spikes but they will get in by digging. So, time for the electric fence. Can I lay it on the ground? Our vineyard is fenced in to keep the deer out (and kids!).

You cant lay electric fence on the ground it would just short it out and be of no use to you. You can attach it with insulators to your fencing you already have installed.

The damage you describe sure sounds like what a small raccoon would do. I have one that found my grapes this year again. If whole clusters have been cleaned off of the stems and grapes litter the ground underneath that spot I'd bet you have raccoons.

 

[Sashie]

But the gap is extremely small???!!!... but yes, I do see grapes on the ground and whole clusters eaten.

 

[Itch]

If this is happening at night it is more likely a racoon, Squirrels dont do much after dark. I would try the baited trap. I would bait the trap with the grapes, the trap will also catch squrrels then just release them around another woods or call your local wildlife agent they can help you with that..

 

[Sashie]

I have traps, so I'll do that. But someone mentioned sardines... I'd rather give him that, than a taste of my grapes...
Yesterday morning I put some metal poles around the area where they were digging and the poles were moved sometime during the night....I'm not saying it couldn't be raccoons, but they must be squirrel-size.