I suppose that cleaning the roof is not as bothersome as finding surprises elsewhere. Fortunately, Evilkat leaves only paw prints on the car and has not yet sharpened his claws on it. Although he seems to enjoy antagonizing me, he is likely a proficient mouser and a productive member of our neighborhood. At least that is what I continually remind myself, because I can do nothing to control his escapades.

Evilkat is unfortunately not the only wildlife bane to gardening. Squirrels, birds, opossums, rats and raccoons may also be bothersome, particularly as fruit and nuts ripen. Deer are a more serious problem among or near the Santa Cruz Mountains. The garden can be protected from some of the damage that wildlife can cause, but control of most of their habits is just not practical.

For example, before the deer-fence was completed at the nursery, we only grew stock that deer had no interest in, primarily rhododendrons. However, production cannot be so limited by the diet of deer. Likewise, I cannot prevent the squirrels from taking nuts by growing nuts that squirrels don't eat, because there aren't any. If I want to grow nuts, I must either protect them or share.

Netting is used to protect fruit and nuts from birds, but I do not know how effective it is, and it may unfortunately become a tangled mess when it must be removed. Owl "decoys" effectively deter small birds from nesting nearby but are not very threatening to the larger birds that steal fruit and nuts. I find that flash tape works very well by reflecting flashes of sunlight to frighten birds away. One of my clients had an even better idea: hanging those useless compact discs that come in the mail (you know—from the Internet service providers) among the trees. It works just like the flash tape!

Fruit and nut trees that are isolated from anything squirrels may jump from into the tree and that do not extend limbs so near to the ground that squirrels can simply jump up into them may be made inaccessible by obstruction of the only other entry: the trunk. Squirrels or terrestrial creatures cannot climb over smooth material such as sheet metal or even a scrap of linoleum wrapped around the trunk. Of course, the wrapping must be high enough and long enough (vertically) so that squirrels cannot simply jump above it. If squirrels cannot pass it, the other guys like raccoons, rats and opossums can't either.

I don't protect the trunk of the maple tree from Evilkat because the damage is superficial and less unsightly than protective devices. More sensitive trees may, however, require protection from cats or deer rubbing felt from their antlers. It is easily accomplished by surrounding the trunk with a few stakes stuck in the soil in a circle a few inches away from the trunk and tied loosely at the top. The stakes are not there to support the tree and should not be tied tightly or they may otherwise interfere with the development of trunk caliper. Deer prefer to rub antlers on bare stems and will avoid such a "thicket" of stems. Cats likewise prefer something more solid than a bundle of sticks to sharpen their claws on, like a sofa.


Flower of the Week: Sweet pea shrub

Sweet pea shrub, Polygala dalmaisiana, behaves more like a flowering perennial than a shrub. It is delicate and typically less than 4 feet tall and wide so does not tolerate much abuse like other shrubbery. It blooms as long as weather is warm with pinkish purple flowers that are comparable to those of some annuals and resemble sweet peas. Leaves are less than an inch long and somewhat sparse. Regular irrigation is important. Full sun exposure is preferred.

Horticulturist Tony Tomeo can be contacted at 408-358-2574 or at LGHORTICULTURE@aol.com.