Evil Ground Squirrels!

[digitS']

My experience with gophers and my 1st attempt to grow potatoes after the voles-under-the-mulch attack. I had 4 plants, probably 1 seed potato. I arrived at the garden to see a plant shaking. The other plants were wilted and laying helter-skelter.

I knew immediately what was going on and that spud-growing was just not going to work for me! There was a large rock holding the garden gate closed. I lifted it above my head, tiptoed close to the potatoes, and threw it as hard as I could into the middle of them!

I doubt if it accomplished much. I found a metal rod several feet long and spent about 30 minutes driving it into and under what was left of those potato plants. I doubt if it killed the rodent but he sure knew he wasn't welcome! I didn't have anymore problems with gophers there.

That garden was fenced with chicken wire buried part way into the ground. It couldn't keep the Hoary Marmots out. (No, I didn't make up that name!) They came from city park property nearby. Making changes to the fencing each year deterred the marmots early in the season but they would find a way in after a couple of months.

The marmots couldn't find a quick way under or over the fence if I found them in the garden ...

Steve

 

[grow_my_own]

The raised beds were built last fall/winter. They are made of local stone, built as walls and filled in with concrete. They're really quite lovely. They were filled with soil in April, and I was not allowed to plant until the very last week of April and was not given any fertilizer until about 4 or 5 weeks later. It was a challenging project. I don't know if we are going to do a spring garden next year, though I think we learned a lot from this year's mess.

I really wanted to do a fall/winter garden, but I don't know if I can get the winery to provide the supplies that we'll need. I have an idea of how to get the squirrels out of there permanently (most of them have already left on their own. I have only seen 2 in the last week), so we'll see how it goes. They really didn't like the onions and basil I shoved into their little tunnels. Some moved out, some made new tunnels... but most are gone. I found a natural spray called something like "liquid fence" that repels deer, rabbits, etc. I am hoping it will work at repelling the squirrels, as well.

Who knew that after 30 years of being stuck behind a desk in a quiet room, that I would find myself loving working outdoors and getting to garden for a living in my post-retirement life? I thank my lucky stars every single day.