Do tortoises know better?

[shehick]

After a quick Amazon search finding planters that will fit in my windows will be difficult. If I get permission and put a bin outside to grown plants in, 99% sure the moose are going to take it as a plated dinner. This makes things difficult.

 

[Prairie Mom]

After a quick Amazon search finding planters that will fit in my windows will be difficult. If I get permission and put a bin outside to grown plants in, 99% sure the moose are going to take it as a plated dinner. This makes things difficult.

Window flower boxes should do the trick. In fact, I found some nice tiny ones at my local dollar store. Also--you can plant in any plastic junk that you'd throw away. Small Tupperware work great, yogurt and butter tubs work great.... Just poke holes in the bottom for drainage.

 

[dmmj]

that's true you don't need anything fancy. I've used just about every conceivable plastic container of some type over the yearsto grow stuff

 

[shehick]

Our window sills are only 5" wide so I have to make sure it won't hang over or it WILL end up on the floor. I'll have to look around and see what I can find. Maybe I could just plant some plantains behind the line of trees we have where they don't mow. They grow naturally here so I don't think it would do any damage.. I was going to plant his enclosure with Testudo mix but I've been told by so many people it's just going to get mowed down and trampled I think I'd rather save the money for both the seed mix and the grow lights (over $150) and do something more fitting for our situation. Mave even just small flower pots I can rotate in and out of the enclosure and put in the sill for recovery.

 

[Rue]

...and then there is always the fun of designing "smarter than the average bear/deer/moose" fencing and scarecrows.

Around here the deer are still proving smarter...

 

[shehick]

We are planning on moving to a larger, nicer apartment in October-ish so I really don't want to invest too much in this place's yard.. If I can find a way to provide drainage, I found 50 lots of 4.5" plastic pots for cheap. Only issue is that they are made to drain into large trays so I'd need to figure that out.

 

[Rue]

I like the kitty litter tray concept. Plant a mix in a few of those. ..and then rotate in and out of the enclosure.

I know it's too early to do that for an enclosure. ..but you could start it up...just harvest the plants for now.

 

[Big Charlie]

Our window sills are only 5" wide so I have to make sure it won't hang over or it WILL end up on the floor. I'll have to look around and see what I can find. Maybe I could just plant some plantains behind the line of trees we have where they don't mow. They grow naturally here so I don't think it would do any damage.. I was going to plant his enclosure with Testudo mix but I've been told by so many people it's just going to get mowed down and trampled I think I'd rather save the money for both the seed mix and the grow lights (over $150) and do something more fitting for our situation. Mave even just small flower pots I can rotate in and out of the enclosure and put in the sill for recovery.

When I had a cat, there was something I added to the windowsill to make it wider so the cat could sit there. It seems you could do something similar to hold planters.

 

[RosemaryDW]

Have you considered contacting your local (or nearest) University cooperative extension service? Cooperative Extensions exist to share research information with the public. Among other things, they help citizens in the state identify problem garden and agriculture plants. In other words, they know weeds! They are also master gardeners and will know what grows and doesn't grow in your area.

Alaska actually offers a free weed download. It's specific to invasive weeds but chances are some of yours are invasive!
http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fsbdev2_037726.pdf

Call or email them and ask to talk to a weed guy; this is literally what they do for a living. If you still end up planting your own weeds, they can help you choose non invasive types. Here is the main extension web site for your state: http://www.uaf.edu/ces/gardening/

Alaska also has a free weed app for your phone! http://apps.bugwood.org/apps/alaska/

Good luck!

Signed,

Daughter of a former coop extension director

 

[Tort Love]

Now, I'm pretty sure everyone with an outdoor enclosure doesn't crawl around on their hands and knees looking for a stem off a single plant deemed poisonous for tortoises. I planned on taking chunks of 'sod' from our nearby park full of weeds and various flowers. I cannot ID everything there. On the chance that a poisonous plant ends up in the enclosure - does the tortoise know better? I mean, they HAVE to stumble upon some poisonous plants in the wild. Is there an instinct there? Or is that where natural selection comes in?

Check this out

 

[shehick]

My computer broke so bear with me on responses.... not good at using my phone for this.

Have you considered contacting your local (or nearest) University cooperative extension service? Cooperative Extensions exist to share research information with the public. Among other things, they help citizens in the state identify problem garden and agriculture plants. In other words, they know weeds! They are also master gardeners and will know what grows and doesn't grow in your area.

Alaska actually offers a free weed download. It's specific to invasive weeds but chances are some of yours are invasive!
http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fsbdev2_037726.pdf

Call or email them and ask to talk to a weed guy; this is literally what they do for a living. If you still end up planting your own weeds, they can help you choose non invasive types. Here is the main extension web site for your state: http://www.uaf.edu/ces/gardening/

Alaska also has a free weed app for your phone! http://apps.bugwood.org/apps/alaska/

Good luck!

Signed,

Daughter of a former coop extension director

We live near nothing. Closest school is 5+ hours away. I actually have the weed ID app and it wasn't much help. Rue I don't have the space for kitty litter pans because they would have to be on the floor. Not to mention my dog and 2 year old would do nothing but dig in them. I'll figure something out.... after I figure out what tablet I'm buying to replace my laptop.

 

[Prairie Mom]

Have you considered contacting your local (or nearest) University cooperative extension service? Cooperative Extensions exist to share research information with the public. Among other things, they help citizens in the state identify problem garden and agriculture plants. In other words, they know weeds! They are also master gardeners and will know what grows and doesn't grow in your area.

Alaska actually offers a free weed download. It's specific to invasive weeds but chances are some of yours are invasive!
http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fsbdev2_037726.pdf

Call or email them and ask to talk to a weed guy; this is literally what they do for a living. If you still end up planting your own weeds, they can help you choose non invasive types. Here is the main extension web site for your state: http://www.uaf.edu/ces/gardening/

Alaska also has a free weed app for your phone! http://apps.bugwood.org/apps/alaska/

Good luck!

Signed,

Daughter of a former coop extension director

Brilliant idea! My county extension even has an email address where you can email them photos of plants for identification! Can't believe I didn't think of this! Fantastic!

 

[RosemaryDW]

We live near nothing. Closest school is 5+ hours away. I actually have the weed ID app and it wasn't much help.

Sorry to hear about the app.

Just drop them an email or call and ask for a "weed guy." they don't have to be nearby to help; they just need to know where you live!

If you give it a shot, I'll tell the story of the funniest Extension question my mom ever got.