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Garden Gate:  Garden Challenges....  |
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katmom
True Blue Farmgirl
17161 Posts
Grace
WACAL Gal
WashCalif.
USA
17161 Posts |
 Posted - Jul 10 2015 : 5:11:26 PM
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I have never had this many garden challenges as I am having up here in the mountains of Central California...
between the Drought, gophers, grasshoppers, Rats w/Antlers (deer) and the neighbor's pup,,, I am so ready to toss in the towel and give up!
Today's damage was to my flower bed,,, the deer didn't eat the flowers,,, but they did trample them down!
The grasshoppers are destroying my grapevines... and now the neighbors pup has discovered she can come over to our property and almost squeeze through the live stock fencing and get to my garden... Today's veggie garden casualty was another Gerkin plant... uugh! at this rate I am down to 5 vines.....
I have gently made mention of the damage their pup is doing but it seems to have fallen on deaf ears...
I need a really big glass of wine!
>^..^<
Happiness is being a katmom and Glamping Diva!
www.katmom4.blogspot.com & http://graciesvictorianrose.blogspot.com
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beachymom
True Blue Farmgirl
467 Posts
Kathy
Manchester
Tennessee
USA
467 Posts |
Posted - Jul 11 2015 : 2:55:47 PM
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You may want to invest in some cheap fencing. I had to use fencing to keep out my ducks & chickens-who would eat anything that couldn't get away from them. #128521;
Hugs and Squishies!!
Kathy
Farmgirl Sister #3983
Take care of the land and it will take care of you. |
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ddmashayekhi
True Blue Farmgirl
4740 Posts
Dawn
Naperville
Illinois
USA
4740 Posts |
Posted - Jul 12 2015 : 06:06:56 AM
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How heartbreaking Grace! I agree with Kathy about fencing. Talk to landscapes or any botanical gardens in your area to find out how you can save your yard. It is discouraging to work shard only to see it destroyed or consumed by insects and varmints. I wish I could send you some of our midwestern storms we keep getting here in IL.
Hang in there and best of luck with everything!
Dawn in IL |
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Song Sparrow
True Blue Farmgirl
1010 Posts
Amy
Talleyville
Delaware
USA
1010 Posts |
Posted - Jul 12 2015 : 07:39:11 AM
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So sorry to hear all this, Grace! I'm amazed at how tenuous gardening can be. I'm just trying my hand again after many years, and it's such a risk with every plant! Pop that cork and hang in there! :)
Happy Day!
Peace in our hearts, peace in the world
Amy (Sister#6098) www.danaherandcloud.com
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CindyG
True Blue Farmgirl
293 Posts
Cindy
Fairfax
VA
USA
293 Posts |
Posted - Jul 12 2015 : 08:25:39 AM
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How's this for a big glass of wine?
I'm not making light of your troubles - your frustration is right there in your posting. I'm just quite the wine fan and as soon as I read your note, I thought of this !
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churunga
True Blue Farmgirl
3950 Posts
Marie
Minneapolis
MN
USA
3950 Posts |
Posted - Jul 12 2015 : 12:16:15 PM
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My plants have also been badly handled by rabbits. The stems of my zucchini stems were bitten almost all the way through. I thought that was it for them and I just left them in the ground. Amazing as it seems, blossoms are coming out and I anticipate a few zucchinis soon. Life will prevail even in the harshest environs.
Marie, Sister #5142
Farmgirl of the Month May 2014
Try everything once and the fun things twice. |
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katmom
True Blue Farmgirl
17161 Posts
Grace
WACAL Gal
WashCalif.
USA
17161 Posts |
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katmom
True Blue Farmgirl
17161 Posts
Grace
WACAL Gal
WashCalif.
USA
17161 Posts |
Posted - Jul 13 2015 : 10:34:14 AM
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So here is the deal,,, in Spokane, WA. we had 5 ac. and we hand rail fencing... my garden was 20x39 enclosed 'rabbit wire' fencing (the kind were the grids are smaller at the bottom and get larger at the top...)'' I used containers for the majority of my plants... except gooseberry & blueberry... I even planted my grapes outside against the fencing... other than deer occassionaly snacking on the grape leaves I had a nice garden...
but...
were we live now, we only have 1 .10ac, withj rail fencing all around the property,,, and 4' tall wire fencing attached to the rail fencing... except in the very front by the driveway...(that's how the deer get in as well as raccones and the neighbor's pup...
My garden is up along one side of the wirse fencing nest to the grape vines... and we used 'fencing tape' on the other 3 sides to keep the deer out...
the problem is/was... our neighbors are not responcible pet owners and let their pup roam the neighborhood...
by no fault of the pup,,, she comes into our digs, poops, and chases out kitties... and then recently got into my garden.... that is when she dug and pulled out another cucumber plant...
As for the neighbors, they just got their 30 day eviction notice... Seems they can't pay their rent, yet they can sit out back, smoking & drinking... Thank goodness the property owners are going to sell the property....
I just feel bad for the pup and the 2 kitties (renters pets)... I worry that since they are not recponsible pet owners,,, what will happen to those pets... Thank goodness our Shelter up here is a No Kill shelter... I would take the pets except I have already taken in 3 neighborhood strays.... yes, we do know who left them behind... Scum bags that they are!
After this summer is over... and activites slow down,,, hubby and I will build another garden enclosure like the one we had in Spokane..
In the mean time I will just have to keep an eye out for the pup sneaking into my yard...
>^..^<
Happiness is being a katmom and Glamping Diva!
www.katmom4.blogspot.com & http://graciesvictorianrose.blogspot.com
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Edited by - katmom on Jul 13 2015 4:17:10 PM |
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katmom
True Blue Farmgirl
17161 Posts
Grace
WACAL Gal
WashCalif.
USA
17161 Posts |
Posted - Jul 13 2015 : 4:15:41 PM
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uugh! after posting my last post, (above)... about 1/2 ago,,,I discovered that the neighbors pup has struck again... I found my largest cucumber vine pulled out and dragged to the edge of my garden... GRRRR!
Not angry at the pup,,,(she also knocked over a trash can snooping in the garage.) but uber angry at the neighbors!... I am sooo angry at the neighbors who don't give a rats red rump about what their dog is doing... they leave their gate wide open (to lazy to close it)... and hide out in their air-conditioned house while their pup gets into mischief.... just 30 days,,, and they will be gone...
>^..^<
Happiness is being a katmom and Glamping Diva!
www.katmom4.blogspot.com & http://graciesvictorianrose.blogspot.com
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ceejay48
Farmgirl Legend/Schoolmarm/Sharpshooter
13641 Posts
CeeJay (CJ)
Dolores
Colorado
USA
13641 Posts |
Posted - Jul 19 2015 : 1:11:32 PM
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I feel your pain Gracie. We don't have fencing around our garden and just hope and pray it survives against all manner of critters.
We put down black plastic to control weeds and keep the moisture in . . have done this for years very successfully. However, we usually don't do much with the weeds that grow around the perimeter of the garden. They aren't IN the garden and I'm finding that, after they get so big, they actually work like sort of a "fence" around the garden. Crazy thinking, huh??
CJ
..from the barefoot farmgirl in SW Colorado...sister chick #665.
2010 Farmgirl Sister of the Year
Mother Hen: FARMGIRLS SOUTHWEST HENHOUSE
my aprons - http://www.facebook.com/FarmFreshAprons
living life - www.snippetscja.blogspot.com
from my heart - www.fromacelticheart.blogspot.com
from my hubby - www.aspenforge.blogspot.com |
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katmom
True Blue Farmgirl
17161 Posts
Grace
WACAL Gal
WashCalif.
USA
17161 Posts |
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ceejay48
Farmgirl Legend/Schoolmarm/Sharpshooter
13641 Posts
CeeJay (CJ)
Dolores
Colorado
USA
13641 Posts |
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Bear5
True Blue Farmgirl
13055 Posts
Louisiana/Texas
USA
13055 Posts |
Posted - Jul 24 2015 : 11:52:19 AM
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Grace, the picture you posted looked exactly like our zucchini. We ended up pulling them out. And- our garden has a six foot fence around it, and buried chicken wire two feet deep.
Now our string bean bushes are looking bad.
Keep us posted.
Marly
"It's only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth- and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up- that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had." Elisabeth Kurler-Ross |
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Bonnie Ellis
True Blue Farmgirl
2474 Posts
Bonnie
Minneapolis
Minnesota
USA
2474 Posts |
Posted - Jul 24 2015 : 8:39:10 PM
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I feel for you. We put up a steel fence and then a rabbit fence next to that. But the critters still got in so had to go to a very fine fencing. Now, if we don't leave the gate open (lol) we keep the critters out.
grandmother and orphan farmgirl |
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katmom
True Blue Farmgirl
17161 Posts
Grace
WACAL Gal
WashCalif.
USA
17161 Posts |
Posted - Aug 05 2015 : 12:59:25 PM
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Well what the deer didn't get... our stage 4 water alert did! in other words,,, Absolutely NO outdoor watering!
Yep, trees, grass/flowers and gardens can only be watered by bottled water(purchased) or with cast off dish/mop water or if you save your shower/tub water.
Not looking good for parts of (California) the Central Valley, foothills and up here where we are,,, by the Bass lake and Yosemite... and all the fires cropping up are not helping!
OK West Coast sisters... lets start doing our Rain Dance... other wise everyone will have to start paying $5 for a tomato or buy them imported in from south of the boarder!
>^..^<
Happiness is being a katmom and Glamping Diva!
www.katmom4.blogspot.com & http://graciesvictorianrose.blogspot.com
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mommared
Farmgirl at Heart
6 Posts
Rhi
California
6 Posts |
Posted - Aug 12 2015 : 1:44:19 PM
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That's so frustrating! We just had an intruder in the fruit tree fencing who stripped 75% of the leaves off. I'm worried they won't make it. We lost our raspberry patch last year when the gophers struck. Glass of wine and perseverance!
Rhi
Worry about tomorrow steals the joy from today- Barbara Cameron
Bloom where you are planted |
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Garden Gate: Garden Challenges.... |
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Garden Challenges....
