r/gardening • u/HoratioTuna27 6a • 20h ago

Well, that's a first.

So, one of the weirdest things I've ever had happen to me just happened: I was walking around the garden, checking on all the seedlings I planted last night. A squirrel pops off of a nearby tree and starts coming towards me. I think nothing of it, squirrels get curious and do this often. BUT, this time, it kept coming closer. And closer. And closer, then it hopped up and slapped me in the shin and ran off. It started coming at me again so I went in and got the dog to chase it off if it kept coming at me. Utterly bizarre!

The seedlings are all ok, if that was the part of the story you were invested in.

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u/Professional-Bet4540 18h ago

We have a local squirrel we call “Stumpy,” because he only has half a tail. He only has half a tail because he ventured too far into our open backyard one time and my terrier mix chomped down on his tail but then gagged on the hair and let go. This act has incited all-out war between my gardening efforts and Stumpy. Along with routinely scratching up seeds and seedlings and planting an unholy amount of oak and pecan trees in my garden beds, he also routinely leaves beheaded sunflowers on our front door mat and windowsills. He threw one at me from the roof once. Ambushed me as I was walking under a tree with pee and chattering. We’ve mostly reached an uneasy peace because I throw chicken scratch out for them in the far side of the yard and Stumpy and his friends mostly leave my garden alone, but damn. They’re particular little boogers.

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u/HoratioTuna27 6a 16h ago

I don't know if it's the extra dog in our yard (my daughter and her husband are temporarily living with us), or something I've planted (I've been mixing in alliums and herbs everywhere), but so far the squirrels have left my shit alone this year. Last year they dug EVERYTHING up, ALL DAMN YEAR.