Topic: Protecting Squash/Pumpkins

[cambourne7]

Hi guys,

One of my biggest pumpkins has been nibbled, and i need to cut the fruit off the plant and compost it which is a shame.

Any tips on how i protect the rest of the plant??

I am thinking netting what have other people done and what nibbles on the young pumpkins?

Cambourne7

[pigeonseed]

why do you have to compost it? I'd nibble the rest myself.

[cambourne7]

its not finished growing i was not sure if i could eat it till it was finished.

[sweet-pea]

Last year I had problems with a rat nibbling at my squashes to get at the seeds.  I did make a wire cage for my Marina di Chioggia squash which worked but was pretty fiddly so I didn't bother with the rest.   Not sure what you can do with the small ones as I've never had any trouble with young squash just full grown ones. 
Do You know what is nibbling them?
I did remove leaves from around my squash so that they are more in the 'open', I figured the rat would be less confident feeding in the open than under the cover of leaves.

Good luck

SP x

[cambourne7]

Hi Sweet-Pea,

No idea whats nibbleing them but the bits are more on the top of the fruit some of the bits are quite deep so i would like that its less likly to be a rat and more likly to be a bird.  This fruit was out away from the leaves so its possible thats why the birds found it.

I was hoping to get up and take a pic but beaten back from car by high winds and rain, will try again tomorrow.

cambourne7