Already off to a bad start

[thistlebloom]

I would use an electric fence. It's the only way I'm able to maintain a cutting garden for a client.

I use a solar powered charger in the open areas, and a great little D-cell battery operated one in the more treed areas.

Works awesome. I only wish I had set up dh's game cam to capture those moments when the deer were getting trained.

 

[flowerbug]

by chance are you using fish-emulsion based fertilizers? the only time's i have anything digging at my transplants is if the greenhouse has been using that. the raccoons think there is something good down there to eat. there is (because i use thousands of worms and all the worm poo/pee/castings), but they've never really gotten into those. it surprises me because you'd think they'd really be after worms to eat if they can find them.

i agree with you on the rabbits as they will eat a plant to the ground leaving nothing to recover. groundhogs at least will often only eat the tender tips of beans and then there is a chance of some production (but less due to damage).

our deer fences have to be 7-8ft and sturdy enough to stand up to winds. nothing we have outside of the fences can be counted on for production.

more fence here soon. i am trying to expand my strawberry production and that won't happen if the deer can keep eating my plants before they can fruit.

it could be worse, can you imagine having to deal with elephants? smart people figured out though that they are terrified of bees, so they wire up hanging bee hives so that if they get disturbed they'll all get going after the elephants.

 

[Nyboy]

Maybe you need a dog like a Jack Russel terrier to keep everything run off.

Would have to be a house dog will not last long with our coyotes

 

[Pulsegleaner]

I imagine any dog aggressive enough to keep the critters at bay would be too aggressive to be allowed under the pet rules (dogs are supposed to be friendly enough to allow strangers to pet them).

Anyway we are a cat family, and always have been. And are cats have always been lackadaisical at best with regards to pest control, tending to toy with them rather than kill them and being highly selective (our last would only chase chipmunks, and wasn't all that good at it. The one before only attacked baby rabbits and then dropped them in front of any little kids around.)

 

[Nyboy]

Stick to cats. Dogs can defend against critters and also be gentle family pets. I had a chow that would kill any animal that set foot on property, I trusted with my niece who was 3. dog would have died protecting her.

 

[baymule]

My Great Pyrenees protect our property, sheep, chickens and grand kids. They are friendly with people, but death on anything that sets foot, paw or (snake) belly on our place.

 

[Pulsegleaner]

Finally a touch of good news

It looks like two of the mottled azukis may have made it through, as the pot has two sprouts that LOOK like azuki sprouts.

And there is something growing below one of the cloches (probably a cow pea)

Indoors, the one of the two calmondins that survived appears to be developing buds again.

 

[seedcorn]

My Great Pyrenees protect our property, sheep, chickens and grand kids. They are friendly with people, but death on anything that sets foot, paw or (snake) belly on our place.

Interesting. Those here will protect livestock well but also HATE strangers. If owner not there, better stay in vehicle.

 

[baymule]

Interesting. Those here will protect livestock well but also HATE strangers. If owner not there, better stay in vehicle.

I have worked at socializing my dogs. Friends know not to fear them, strangers don't. My dogs are friendly, but will rush the fence barking at strangers, one look and nobody wants to open that gate! Friends open the gate, drive in, close the gate, the dogs are ok with them.

 

[valley ranch]

Same here but I don't always follow the rules. Poison is my weapon of choice, with traps being second. What they don't hear they don't know.

Mary

Go get em Mary ```