Been working on this year's garden the last couple of weeks. Potatoes went in Feb. 23-24, a few on Feb 28. I put an asparagus bed in Saturday and planted broccoli and cabbage plants today. We'll be planting most everything about the end of March or first week of April. Of course, our gardens are done by July.
We just received another 2 feet of snow yesterday. That on top of what was still on the ground makes it hard to till. Another month or so and I should be able to get radishes, carrots and onion sets in. The rest has to wait until mid may or the frost may get them. Nothing beats home grown.
Garlic is in and growing. Nothing beats fresh garlic. We will do peppers also, and I haven't decided what else yet. I literally live in woods, so gardening for me is limited.
If it's like here, it's not a "garden" but more of a "feed lot" for the local wild animal population.... By the time I put up the stakes, fences, cover it in chickenwire, and stand guard over it with a weapon, the garden looks more like a maximum security federal prison
A simple electric fence seems to do the job on deer for me. I've also hung CD's around the garden before and that worked fine - flash spooks them. Dogs help keep them away too. Some folks swear by Irish Spring soap as a repellent. Lots of deer around here but I haven't had much problem.
I am n urban gardener- 100% container garden. Lemon and lime trees are in full bloom. Tomatoes will go in today (if they have any at the garden center) or next week. Will do some peppers and herbs. Fun hobby.
Yeah, no doubt. My neighbor intentionally feeds the rabbits and then they come over to my garden for desert.
I had that problem a few years ago. They saved an injured wild rabbit and tried to cage it. Didn't work. I gave them fair warning before putting it into the stew pot. For some reason they still don't like but than again they never really did.
I had that problem a few years ago. They saved an injured wild rabbit and tried to cage it. Didn't work. I gave them fair warning before putting it into the stew pot. For some reason they still don't like but than again they never really did.[/quote] Did you trap it or shoot it? I'm hesitant to put out any traps because I live on the edge of town and I'd probably end up trapping someones cat.
For a small number of plants Repels All spray works well. I put in some broccoli and rabbits tried it out. I sprayed the plants and haven't had any more trouble. We've also used it on rose bushes when something started eating the new growth. It has "Dried Blood (0.0024%), Putrescent whole egg solids (0.0024%), Garlic oil (0.00048%)" so it smells bad but works well.
.22 in the head did the trick. You need to teach the cats to chase off the rabbits. If they won't do that than they are useless. ;D
.22 in the head did the trick. You need to teach the cats to chase off the rabbits. If they won't do that than they are useless. ;D[/quote] I have a pair of Manx cats..... (STRANGE breed and habits these manx cats, lol) When I FIRST got them over 12 years ago - I'd let them go outside EVERYTIME they went outside, they'd catch a cat or squirrel or rabbit and in true predator fashion, grab their prey's neck with their teeth and front claws and RIP their guts out with their rear claws. They HATE cats (they can barely stand each other) - on the other hand, they LOVE to play with dogs. Between the "horrified neighbors" complaining and me getting tired of cleaning the blood off of them, they haven't been outside in 10 years. They still stare out the windows longing to be free and kill stuff; and they hate me. I'm pretty sure if they had opposable thumbs, they'd have shot me by now.
I'm torn. Spring is springing here in N.Ga. I've some nice garden beds that I've been turning for the last 21 years. Nice organic soil. I usually till the ground and add compost and mulch and plant what the wife picks out (with some input from me), then let her take over the watering, weeding, harvesting, and using of said veggies. I hate to let the plots go to weeds, but I'm not sure I'm up to maintaining the garden solo. I've pretty much been doing it solo the last few years and it dosen't work so well. I'm torn. I've been tempeted to put an add in the paper "orgaic garden looking for organic gardener..." As for small gardens, I alway recommend herbs. Realisticly you can't grow enough corn to cover your fambly for a year, but you can grow enough rosemary, thyme, sage, mint, peppers... to really put your mark on what your kitchen puts out. We (I) have rasberry plants. They are lots of fun. Ain't nuthin better than a sun warmed, almost over ripe rasberry. Yum. They usually come in just in time for Father's day. We always give him a bunch. He claims they are his favorite vegetable. One year they were late. We had to give him a bottle of whisky instead. Then when the berries came in, he got them also. No complaints that year.
lol - too funny! I think I'll stick to just working on the rose-bushes this year - a few clips of the shears a few times a week... minimal effort, maximum return. Today we hit the high 70's so I "cut them back" for their new spring/summer growth They'll have a good year!
I looked today. Container grown on the deck, ONE tomato the size of a golf ball four others about 38 cal. ;D ;D ;D Steve
Speaking of container gardens, the City of Oak Ridge Codes Enforcement department is going absolute ape$hit over a friend's flower garden. Be sure and read all the comments. They are hilarious. Several Newspapers and one TV station covered the hearing this morning. http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/mar/23/court-citation-flower-potty-toilet-tussle/?partner=popular He was in court today over this, and the judge commented that Codes do not enforce "good taste" ;D A decision will be rendered next week, but before the judge the City looked like fools today. Watching court was the highlight of my week. B.
