Question:
I have a six-foot high Meyer lemon tree that is a wonderful producer. However, this past year some bug or animal has skinned the lemons even though they have remained attached to the tree. It is a very strange site to see a lemon with some or no white pith, exposed to the air. Have you ever heard of such of a thing happening before?
Answer:
Yes, I have. This is becoming more and more of an issue for gardeners as it’s happening to citrus, tomatoes and other edibles. It's highly unlikely that a bug would be the cause of the problem. Their mouthparts are not large enough to due this type of damage. Also, it would take an army of insects to skin a lemon so you would see signs of their activity. It's more likely a rodent or larger animal that feeds at night is the culprit. Raccoons, possums or roof rats are the primary suspects and roof rats would be my guess. A roof rat is dark brown to black and measures thirteen to eighteen inches in length including the tail. They weigh five to nine ounces, are slender, and their ears are large and nearly hairless. Although they will nest in structures, we do find outdoor nests in dense, thick, shrubby ground covers such as Cotoneasters, Junipers, Ceanothus, and Ivy. Roof rats are omnivorious. They feed on fresh fruit, plant material, nuts, seeds, vegetables and even tree bark. They can be a problem with Bird seed both in feeders and stored in bags along with dog and cat food. They love to eat citrus and tomatoes because it serves as both a food and water source. Hence, they visit vegetable gardens often during the summer. I’d look along the ground for droppings which are black, long and cylindrical. Controlling the problem outdoors is easier said that done. Your best options are trapping and habitat modification. Climbing vines or hedges on fences or buildings should be thinned as should overhanging tree limbs. Again this is easier said than done because they are so mobile and move effortlessly from yard to yard. I wouldn’t use poison baits because of the threat to domestic animals. Traps should be placed off the ground like on the fence runners as they are more likely to catch them there. Overall, your success rate will be low. Fortunately, they should leave your lemon alone once the rainy season starts.
Question:
I have wood scraps and would like to make some planter boxes out of them. Is there any type of wood not good for this purpose? Also, can I use Linseed Oil as a preservative?
Answer:
Redwood and cedar are the best material to use as planters as they don’t deteriorate quickly while pine is the poorest. Linseed Oil is okay as a preservative.
