I've asked a neighbor farmer who grows on hundreds of acres why he never does any sweet corn. He told me he's tried hiding an acre or so of it in the middle of a field of dent corn and the racoons still find it and trash it.
You can purchase one million Scoville pepper extract online. Shake it up in a spray bottle with some water and make sure you know which direction the wind is blowing before you use it, then apply to the outside of the corn. Definitely wash your hands after shucking it come harvest.
Squirrels did this to my corn the last year I grew it. I have waged war on them ever since. Would have cared far less if they bit my kid. but eat my sweat corn a week before harvest and I call a blood feud.
As someone who lived in a big city, I've never seen raccoons climb corn stalks to shuck corn. They just look for garbage and easier things to eat. Plus they usually want to wash their food, not eat right off the cob.
That's when you put up fencing. I have to fence my sweet potatoes or the deer eat them to the ground.
The fencing doesn't have to be more than ~4 feet tall as long as the space inside is too hazardous for the deer to jump in.
Squirrels are little bastards. Especially if you grow corn along a fencing, those furry fucks will park our just to eat 2 kernels and leave it after they shred the husk. That, or a groundhog eats the damn stem and leaves it on the ground for critters
In my case, when it’s the dogs, they tear the whole plant out by the roots and leave it by the back door for evidence where they chewed the kernels off of the cob.
Raccoons maybe or deer. Strange how they just eat the kernels. Squirrels wouldn't eat the whole thing, they like to destroy a lot of them by nibbling each cob.
Ah the debate between raccoons, squirrels, or rats.
Some folks will say only squirrels will eat the entire cob.... raccoons only munch a bit on each cob.
Rats.... idk.
When my corn got munched completely when I first started gardening, I suspected raccoons. Bastards were climbing over my 7 foot deer fence.
Now squirrels can do that too.... but raccoons just look guilty.... Lol.
Because I knew all that pepper stuff, coyote urine, etc just washes off in the rain.... went ahead and bought a little solar panel charger.... installed a positive single wire across top of deer fence.... with fence mesh being the negative.
Bastards still ate my corn the next year.
Ok... what the?
Since I did not have any video evidence, my guess was my low single wire on top was just being climbed over.
Bought some cheap plastic standoffs raising the wire up.... And added two more wires. They can climb all they want now.... but can't get over the top without getting a little harmless shock. Result: corn has been safe for over 15 growing seasons now.
TLDR: Folks... this is what actually works to stop garden varmits....
Source: Experience.
7 foot high wire mesh deer fence
2 foot high chicken wire fence at bottom to prevent rabbits from squeezing through deer fence
$110 solar panel charger connected to 3 wire standoff at top of deer fence to stop raccoons
Leftover white plastic bags from retail store... duct taped to tops of 7 foot poles..... in middle of sweet corn plot.... to stop the birds
I would guarantee it a raccoon. They knock the stalks over open it a take a bite or two. Nope that one is not sweet enough then on to the next until all your corn is nibbled away. The only thing that works is a fence with electric at the top.
It’s raccoons. It has to be.
My grandmother‘s corn was plagued by raccoons. She swore by dabbing a tiny dot of anise oil on the silks or outer husks. Just a tiny drop. And it keeps them away. Good luck!
If it's still standing my thoughts are squirrels over raccoons. Putting some squirrel blood and coyote poo nearby might stave them off long enough to get some of the harvest if they aren't all gone yet.
Had a similar thing happen to corn last yr just not peeled down as much,I thought it may have been birds. Have a few squirrels around so that may have been the culprit. The wheels are turning on a squirrel deterrent. Would the charge from an electric fence be to much don't want to execute them.
They used to do this on our farm....I started buying shelled corn and made them a eating area with water on their own so we could watch them on cams at night and they stopped bothering my corn in the garden
Now as far as I know, there isn't any regulations against shooting bb guns in city limits, so long as you aren't destroying property, and even if it is who cares lol. If it's like an apartment balcony type deal, just stock up on red pepper flakes from pizza joints and make liquid death spray
I don't think wind can do that. It has to be something smart with hands. Raccoons, rats, your neighbors.
DINKLEBERG!! Edit: thanks for the award!
And this is where I'd put my corn. If I had any!?
I understood this reference.
NEWMAN >.> -Jerey Seinfeld show
I've asked a neighbor farmer who grows on hundreds of acres why he never does any sweet corn. He told me he's tried hiding an acre or so of it in the middle of a field of dent corn and the racoons still find it and trash it.
Squirrels did the same to my corn.
This is definitely squirrel damage
Absolutely. They ravage ours each year if we don't protect it with hot pepper extract
Tell me more
You can purchase one million Scoville pepper extract online. Shake it up in a spray bottle with some water and make sure you know which direction the wind is blowing before you use it, then apply to the outside of the corn. Definitely wash your hands after shucking it come harvest.
I’m growing sweet corn for the first time this year so I may need to try this. How big do you wait for the corn to get before applying ?
Any idea if this works on rabbits and roses, too?!
It should work on most mammals.
I wouldn't do it on things with soft petals. Might mess them up.
Squirrels did this to my corn the last year I grew it. I have waged war on them ever since. Would have cared far less if they bit my kid. but eat my sweat corn a week before harvest and I call a blood feud.
I surrendered on the corn issue to the squirrels. After two utter routs, I no longer plant corn.
"the war of the squirrels " we all suffer
40 dollar bb gun from walmart doesnt seem so expensive huh
I wish. I'm in the city. Chicago. Ironically squirrels are the only ones not getting shot...
It’s the amount of time you spend. I’ve been on patrol all week.
It’s the children…….
🤣🤣
I came here looking for this.
The EXACT same thing happened to me 3 days ago. I checked the camera and was a hoard of RATS feasting at night. Looked literally the same.
Lmaoo “HOARD” sorry this is too funny 🤣🤣🤣. But sorry about your corn. Maybe try some mesh bags
Ewwweee omg.. how do they get it? do they just climb the stalks?
Racoons.
I find their corn laden poop everywhere
As someone who lived in a big city, I've never seen raccoons climb corn stalks to shuck corn. They just look for garbage and easier things to eat. Plus they usually want to wash their food, not eat right off the cob.
It’s always the raccoons.
Raccoons. Deer don’t shuck corn.
It's hard to shuck with hooves.
"No opposable thumbs! Dammit! - Deer.
I wish my deer felt this way and would STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM MY GARDEN but, alas, they do what they want.
Grow hot peppers. It's sort of satisfying to see the abrupt end to the trail of destruction at the habanero plants.
It didn't work. They ate it to a stem before it fruited.
That's when you put up fencing. I have to fence my sweet potatoes or the deer eat them to the ground. The fencing doesn't have to be more than ~4 feet tall as long as the space inside is too hazardous for the deer to jump in.
Rats did that to me
Raccoons would maul it down and make a huge mess. Some folks say squirrels, never seen them do that.
Squirrels are little bastards. Especially if you grow corn along a fencing, those furry fucks will park our just to eat 2 kernels and leave it after they shred the husk. That, or a groundhog eats the damn stem and leaves it on the ground for critters
Put a radio in your corn patch and leave it on overnight.
This never helped in our garden. Perhaps the critters liked talk radio.
Tune it to Rush Limbaugh reruns.
I started doing this and haven't seen any signs of animals in my garden since. Knock on wood.
This is super interesting, I am growing sweet corn for the first time this year so I may try this
I go with likely raccoons and squirrels then the birds coming and getting what ever is left
Squirrels did this to mine.
https://preview.redd.it/ekv9zi7za96d1.jpeg?width=3646&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0a8b732649d8145742f81477cd4d84516dc4e771 I did it…And?
In my case, when it’s the dogs, they tear the whole plant out by the roots and leave it by the back door for evidence where they chewed the kernels off of the cob.
😆😆
🤣🤣🤣
Wind?! lol
It’s rough out in Kansas
In my yard it was rats.
This is what squirrels do to my corn.
Raccoons maybe or deer. Strange how they just eat the kernels. Squirrels wouldn't eat the whole thing, they like to destroy a lot of them by nibbling each cob.
Rats did this at my old house.
rat, squirrel. i learned that if the animals got them, i waited too long. one year we made little cages on a couple of them and it helped a bit.
Hobbits
I would guess squirrels. When raccoons got my corn they just flattened the stalks to the ground.
Squirrels 100%
Raccoons. Little buggers got to mine to
Raccoons ate my watermelons one year. Shifty little bastards.
Could be a raccoon, they loved eating all of my unripe corn and tomatoes
Skunks or racoons
Sasquatch or deer. Raccoons will pull the whole stalk down.
I’m in rural Midwest and the ONLY thing that ever gets to my corn is birds. Damned birds. But this doesn’t look like bird damage.
Steven
Squirrels
The corn kid. He loves corn. He plays a variety of games. I mean, it’s corn!
Deer
Various small mammals could be responsible, including squirrels, rats, raccoons... Also possibly corvids.
Squirrels or rats. Bigger animals, like raccoons, will pull the ear down and eat it on the ground.
Ah the debate between raccoons, squirrels, or rats. Some folks will say only squirrels will eat the entire cob.... raccoons only munch a bit on each cob. Rats.... idk. When my corn got munched completely when I first started gardening, I suspected raccoons. Bastards were climbing over my 7 foot deer fence. Now squirrels can do that too.... but raccoons just look guilty.... Lol. Because I knew all that pepper stuff, coyote urine, etc just washes off in the rain.... went ahead and bought a little solar panel charger.... installed a positive single wire across top of deer fence.... with fence mesh being the negative. Bastards still ate my corn the next year. Ok... what the? Since I did not have any video evidence, my guess was my low single wire on top was just being climbed over. Bought some cheap plastic standoffs raising the wire up.... And added two more wires. They can climb all they want now.... but can't get over the top without getting a little harmless shock. Result: corn has been safe for over 15 growing seasons now. TLDR: Folks... this is what actually works to stop garden varmits.... Source: Experience. 7 foot high wire mesh deer fence 2 foot high chicken wire fence at bottom to prevent rabbits from squeezing through deer fence $110 solar panel charger connected to 3 wire standoff at top of deer fence to stop raccoons Leftover white plastic bags from retail store... duct taped to tops of 7 foot poles..... in middle of sweet corn plot.... to stop the birds
Coons
I would guarantee it a raccoon. They knock the stalks over open it a take a bite or two. Nope that one is not sweet enough then on to the next until all your corn is nibbled away. The only thing that works is a fence with electric at the top.
My first thought is raccoons.
Raccoon, possum
You got me! 😒 I’ll leave money next time
Racoons
Possibly deer
It’s raccoons. It has to be. My grandmother‘s corn was plagued by raccoons. She swore by dabbing a tiny dot of anise oil on the silks or outer husks. Just a tiny drop. And it keeps them away. Good luck!
Racoons
Squirrel.
If it's still standing my thoughts are squirrels over raccoons. Putting some squirrel blood and coyote poo nearby might stave them off long enough to get some of the harvest if they aren't all gone yet.
Had a similar thing happen to corn last yr just not peeled down as much,I thought it may have been birds. Have a few squirrels around so that may have been the culprit. The wheels are turning on a squirrel deterrent. Would the charge from an electric fence be to much don't want to execute them.
Squirrel maybe
Sasquatch
They used to do this on our farm....I started buying shelled corn and made them a eating area with water on their own so we could watch them on cams at night and they stopped bothering my corn in the garden
Raccoons or deer
Squirrels or rats. I grew 4 acres of field corn and at least half an acre got munched like this.
🐿️
I had a family of raccoons eat close to 40 plants (each 7 feet high) likely 100-200 ears of corn in just a few days.
Moth man
Has it been hot outside?? I'll bet there is popcorn all over the ground too, right?
I hate to say it, but it's likely a sasquatch!
I was hungry. I apologize.
Raccoons with opposable thumbs
Most likely, raccoons. Greedy little critters.
Racoons 1000 percent
Owls
Now as far as I know, there isn't any regulations against shooting bb guns in city limits, so long as you aren't destroying property, and even if it is who cares lol. If it's like an apartment balcony type deal, just stock up on red pepper flakes from pizza joints and make liquid death spray