Garden

[Lacey1]

Before we moved to the 'burbs', 7 years ago-we lived on a small farm in the country. I had unbelievable vegetable gardens with NO Fence, no pesticides, etc. Just some aluminum pie plates and a scare crow that was more decorative than anything.

Here, the deer, rabbits, ground hogs, etc. have destroyed my last 4 attempts at vegetable gardens. I have tried all types of fencing, planting marigold/peppers in the perimeter, noise repellents, etc. Last year, I went to 'container' and 'hanging' gardens. I swear, the deer came up on my deck, ate the plants and pooped all over the deck.

Now, the experts are predicting lots of plant fungus and insects because of a rainy spring.

I think I will investigate the community garden here, based at the library. They grow veggies for the food bank. I'll get my gardening jones satisfied, and I won't be so miffed at the deer.

[Still Raining]

Ha, I had a weeping ornamental cherry tree and once the gardener mentioned to me that I did not need to trim the trailing branches back because he would take care of it. The deer were keeping it perfectly level at grazing height. Should have asked for a biweekly discount for deer pruning. Gotta love it.

[Harpa]

Ah, lacey, I feel your pain! I, too, used to have an extensive garden, with 3 scarcrows, an owl, a huge teepee trellis in the center for pole beans, another pea fence at the one end of the garden, a toad home, pathways.... One year I counted over 57 varieties of things I was growing. Albeit, we had to fence things in and rig a groundhog-proof gate. What I really miss are the cool weather crops and praying for my peas!

'twould be way no use now where we live. I could never keep the critters away!

Still Raining, deer pruning!

[morganjen]

I've found I can't grow one either. The deer mow down any attempts and flowers or vegs I plant.

[StylishLady]

Sounds like the problems my sister in law has back north with deer and all. Severely limits what she can grow. Down here, I'm just battling a few species of insects that eat leaves. Soap sprays and other insecticides do a good job keeping them under control.

[RedTop]

I have lived my entire life in the country, in the midst of "deer central". As the years pass, the deer population has increased significantly, and it keeps us busy running them off the property. Our large outside dogs keep the deer out of the garden, and a pellet rifle keeps them out of the yard and away from the shrubbery and flowers. We do not have issues with rabbits or ground hogs, and there is poison in various covered places on the property to take care of other rodents.

[Lilysmom]

I live in the country as well. While I don't have a problem with deer because my Lab keeps them away, last year the crows ate my tomatoes as they ripened. I wound up making chow out of the green ones before the crows got them. I vacationed a couple of times on Hilton Head, SC. Talk about a deer problem. I couldn't believe it. I rented a house on a golf course and they were everywhere. When we left early morning to drive home, I was sure we would hit one before dawn. LM

[Happy Elizabeth]

There's always a garlic garden :-)

[mousiegirl]

Years ago, DH built numerous huge wood boxes lined with fine holed chicken wire. We filled them with soil, and put protective netting raised on plastic pipes to keep all critters out. These worked wonderfully for about ten years. I went to my basil box one morning, and half of my three foot basil plants were gone. The wire had finally rusted, and up came the gophers!

[luvmyteddy4]

I had a huge garden when I lived in the country, no problems WSE.

When I moved to the city and planted a big garden, corn, beans, potatoes, tomato, everything. It got demolished almost every year. I had fencing and thought pretty secure. I went to pick my corn on the cob and it looked like a tornado went through. Never again. I didn't get one single piece.