General Chat

Apparently black squirrels have been around for over 100 years. I thought they were quite a new strain. They are basically grey squirrels with different pigment.

http://www.blacksquirrelproject.org/

Sharron,
I aint colour prejudiced. I`ll still eat them anyways. About the best meat you can get. So much better for you than Beef etc.
Never tried Squirrel, look a bit to small for me to get a decent meal out of. :-D

Been trying to get one of the Godson`s to send me one of the enormous Carp (40/50 pounders) that he`s been catching over in France, no such luck he puts em back in the lakes, Fool!:-(
Ya cant eat the piccies can ya :-( :-P

You`ve set me off now Sharron, must phone the BiL and ask him to get me one or two wild Rabbits off his mate again. They come ready skinned so fresh, lovely and pink.

Ooooo.... starting to drool at the very thought, Rabbit Fricassee. :-D

can see where you're coming from OFTIG - thought the same myself :-D

We have wild black rabbits down here.

Oops - misread the title of this thread :-D

had no idea there were black squirrels - when I was a child the squirrels were all red

Eventually, your squirrel will be presidentof the USA.

You're welcome to one of my Cob nut trees that the squirrels have planted around the garden.

I did have some pots with plants I had just put in a couple of years ago.....and managed to catch a squirrel digging it up to bury a nut

some think iv learnt i thought peanuts grow on a bush

Even more of the little blighters now Ann ;-) :-D :-D :-D.

Our area is well known for the Black ones Dizzy they are greys with faulty genes. Google Black Squirrels in Bedfordshire and you can see what I mean. <3

According to Wikipedia peanut plants grow 12" - 20" tall. They are a member of the pea family and the peanuts are not actually nuts, but legumes, which I think means peas and beans. :-S :-S :-S

Days to germination: 3 to 5 days
Days to harvest: 130 to 140 days
Light requirements: Full sun
Water requirements: Frequent watering
Soil: Sandy and well-drained
Container: Possible with a fairly wide container

Growing Instructions

As it grows, your peanut plant will put out runners, and each one will eventually grow a peanut at the end underground. These runners start out as the above-ground flowers. So once you see the plant’s flower starting to wilt and bend down, do not pick them off. That’s where your peanuts are going to come from. Those downward growing stems are called “pegs”

When you see your plants starting to grow their pegs, lightly dig around the plants so that the soil is very loose. The peg needs to grow down underground so you don’t want it blocked by stones or packed soil.

Once your plant has set down its pegs, do not cultivate or weed to roughly around the plant or you could accidentally pull up or break off a runner. Mulching can help keep the weeds down, just don’t add mulch until the pegs have moved down into the soil.

You will want to water your plants frequently, but avoid giving them too much water at once. Fertilizing is fine though not necessary. Use a low-nitrogen formula or you will end up with very bushy plants and no peanuts. When the plants begin to flower, a treatment with a calcium-rich fertilizer can help with nut formation.

You are right about peanuts maturing underground but they start off on the plant as flowers, so I think technically they are a fruit.

I could be wrong, but some clever dick will put me right I`m sure. :-D :-D :-D

DIDN'T KNOW THERE ARE BLACK SQUIRRELS
RED AND GREY BUT NOT BLACK.

Used to quite like the black ones LG :-)

OH NO
I ONLY HAVE POTS,IF HE'S GROWING HIS OWN NUTS
HE GETS HIS OWN POTS,NOT MINE

Squirrels drive me Nuts ;-) :-D :-D :-D. I have Black ones visiting my garden

that's squirrel recycling :-D :-D :-D

sally w <3

I'M NOT LETTING THE LITTLE BUGGER DIG MY GARDEN UP

You are right Ann and I don't think the top growth grows very large though I may be wrong Dizzi