Critters eating the Veggies

[Angela MacLeod]

We are new to the Birchwood neighborhood....We've got a garden going
here on

Cherrywood ave. There are numerous animal neighbors who swing by daily

now to see what I'm serving in the garden buffet. One deer in particular

loves to wade through the strawberry bed munching as she/he goes and

has just finished off the tips of our sugar snap peas. Seems to prefer

just the tips but pulls up the whole plant in the process of nibbling

and leave the uprooted pea plant laying there. I'm always seeing

squirrels out there. They seem to investigate where ever I've been

working the soil leaving little dug up areas. Maybe they think I, like

them, have hidden some nuts. Or maybe they are leaving me some of their

peanuts which the next door neighbors give to them. I knew there'd be

slugs but I didn't expect pill bugs to eat the veggies. I find them

burrowed down at the base of the new bean spouts and a few other young

starts. A google search on pill bugs brought up the info that the pill

bugs mostly eat decaying stuff (yeah) but will also go for the tiny new

rootlets of sprouting vegetables especially green beans and squash

plants...Bingo! that is what I observe. Even certain birds like to

sample the green starts and greatly mangle them in the process. Deer

strolling through the newly planted, and tiny starts get trompled.....



I am simultaneously tickled and disappointed. Tickled to see all the

animals and their gusto for life, disappointed that my hard work is

thwarted.....I tell myself not to expect much food from this garden this

year....And to appreciate the healthy exercise I get gardening and the
hours of peaceful

time close to the earth. Yes I do love it.



I see that other people have netting strung up around their gardens. To

keep out deer I assume. What about squirrels, rats birds rabbits and

_______? I've seen all of these folks in our garden too.



Any one willing to tell me what works for them? Give me a call: Angela

733-3541

[Randy Smith]

Fence for deer and dogs. Row covers for rabbits and birds. Sluggo for slugs (though new evidence indicates it's hard on worms). Little paper or plastic collars if you have cutworms. Netting to protect berries and grapes. Radionics if you are into energy stuff and can find someone who does it. Seems to be a horrible year for slugs. This year gardens seem to need a Department of Defense.

[David MacLeod]

Thanks Randy,

What kind of material do you suggest for row cover? I'm on a tight budget. I would imagine that squirrels are capable on getting under a cover so would it need to be anchored somehow? And it would need to be easy to take on and off for humans to weed and harvest.

Angela

[Angela MacLeod]

Forgot to sign David out and me in again. the last message was from me not David. We share a computer.

Angela

David MacLeod said:

Thanks Randy,

What kind of material do you suggest for row cover? I'm on a tight budget. I would imagine that squirrels are capable on getting under a cover so would it need to be anchored somehow? And it would need to be easy to take on and off for humans to weed and harvest.

Angela

[Randy Smith]

http://www.gardeners.com/Row-Covers/5111,default,pg.html for info on how to use.

I get mine from the Territorial Seed catalog. Grow Guard 20. A 6' x 50' roll is $21.95. I'm using mine for the third season. I hold them down with landscaping pins or rocks.

[Jenny Macke]

Any thoughts about moles and voles. I seem to have some tunnels under some of my beds. Last year I bought the solar beeping vibrating sticks and they worked. I brought them in over the winter, but they seem to have had a one year life anyway. I don't want to re-buy plastic gizmos.

[Heidi M]

Hi Angela! Check out the books by Russell Link. I once heard him speak--a gentle brilliant man--and you will appreciate his approach. All about our relationship with critters in the PNW. Bye! Heidi

[Heather K]

To protect new seedlings or seeds in a small garden area: Try using upside down 1'x2' black garden flats for added protection from plantings being dug up by cats/squirrels. Once my lettuce & the seedlings are growing vigorously and reaching the top of the flat, I remove them. The little critters here don't bother the flats and these flats don't cost. I just collect them through out the years at the nurseries.
I also really like row covers although they are a poly based oil product....I try to make mine last many years....they are especially wonderful to use to protect plants from our mild frosts, and can be used under a plastic poly row covers in the winter too.
We do use a few pieces of fish netting around the perimeters of our acre to discourage deer & dogs, but we have not had to put it around the annual/periennial jungle part of our edible forest garden.

David & Angela your first year garden on your new home land looks beautiful & abundant! Well done!

David MacLeod said:

Thanks Randy,

What kind of material do you suggest for row cover? I'm on a tight budget. I would imagine that squirrels are capable on getting under a cover so would it need to be anchored somehow? And it would need to be easy to take on and off for humans to weed and harvest.

Angela

[Heidi M]

I just re-read your note above--my mom uses a natural trap for pill bugs: after juicing out halves of citrus, she places these little citrus domes, outside up, all around her garden and finds them full of the little critters. I am not sure what she does with the bugs themselves after they have been trapped; I guess that's up to each of us...