I posted this originally in the Hybridizer Questions thread, but decided to post it in it's own thread hoping to better solicit advice....
HELP! I have a serious issue and need advice pronto ....
I had been noticing some of my scapes with pods were bent down and some of the pods were chewed. I see those large grasshoppers sometimes on the pods and assumed it was the grasshoppers so I have been removing any I find. Well, it turns out that it is NOT the grasshoppers but something worse. I am quite sure it is at least one rat, probably more. I had no idea they would eat the seed pods on my daylilies. I covered one of my prized daylily pods yesterday with those small sheer fabric baggies to protect the pods. Well, it was gone along with the enclosed pods this morning!
I have a pretty lush garden all around my backyard because I garden for Butterflies and Hummingbirds. I started checking all over the place to see where the fabric baggie may have wound up. I had my suspicions and was right, though I did not find the baggie w/pods, but I did find a stash of seed pods much to my utter dismay! I had no idea I was missing that many pods. (Given the large number currently on most all my daylilies, it is hard to keep track ... it was my prized pods that alerted me that something was wrong.) I found a stash of seed pods and paper clips underneath some Caldiums in the corner of my garden right next to my screen porch. And in the process, I also found a hole chewed in my screening that is large enough for a rat to get through to my porch. Grrrrr!!!!
HELP! I need advice pronto ....
What can I do to save my existing seed pods? Can I cut the scapes and place them in water and place the vase in a safe place (that the rats can't get to) until the pods ripen and I can collect all the seeds? I am going to try to find the rat's nest. I have a gut feeling where such a nest might be. I will also be checking around on my screen porch for any hiding places that the rat(s) might be using and replacing the screen soon. Time is a factor for me at this point because I start back to work next week. (sigh) But my first priority is to try to save the current seed pods on my daylily scapes.
This is what I found under the caldiums:
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
