Chufa Help!

[Rebel Yell]

We gots about 6 acres of chufa planted between 2 tracts. We got it in the ground late b/c it was so dry for so long and then it was too wet. Well, it has been in the ground for 8 days and has germinated and looks beautiful. Our problem has been the turkeys plucking the immature sprout and eating the seed. At the current rate of consumption, in about 2 weeks there will not be anything left that will reach maturity. What can we do to keep the birds off of it so it can grow to maturity? Scarecrows? Owl decoys?

[creekdog]

You may/may not have success dumping shell corn
It's worked for us in the past.
Turkeys with a preference will still go to the new shoots for the seed since they've found it already. (good problem to have though)

[Rebel Yell]

Thanks Creekdog, that was my first suggestion and we are gonna try it.

You from Japser county I see. I be just below Hardeeville, where you be at?

[DMP]

Ive heard of people rolling out chain link fencing over chufa so that they turkeys cant dig it up but you have to take it up before the chufa gets to big. But with a few acres of chain link would be rather harsh on the bank account. Maybe some cheap chicken wire would work.

[stump knocker]

I have in the past gone to dollar general or some dollar store and bought 4 or 5 small cheap battery operated radios and put them around the corners of the plot, this helps big time with the turkeys and is damn funny to watch deer react to some tunes in the groceries.

[Rebel Yell]

Stumpknocker, are you serious? Don't make me look like a fool when I go buy 8 cheap radios and string them up in trees and leave "democrat" music playing. I'll get kicked out of the club for being stupid. Ya know, it sounds just dumb enough that it might work, it only has to be there for a month or so until the chufa gets a chance to get established.

If it does work, I'll let you know, if it don't I'll swear that I never tried it.

[stump knocker]

I promise it will work. I'm sure effects will vary but it saved the plots I planted.

[Rebel Yell]

i'm gonna stop at the Dollah Genrul in Hardeeville on the way home and see what they got.

I can see stumpknocker now, laughing his ass off, he can't wait to tell all his buddies about this one [img]smile.gif[/img]

[DMP]

I know it works on deer for awhile anyway. My grandfather puts them in his garden to keep the deer out. I think they get use to it though but if you change the station from time to time they may not. You know, maybe some country one week, R&B one week, Rock & Roll one week, and some Rap. You know, give them a little variety.