Outside

Vegetable Garden

It's been three weeks since I first got out in the vegetable garden. Since then, it's been very cool and damp, so the greens and peas are not very big, yet. One thing I've done, though, is to put up rabbit fencing, as seen below.

I am not thrilled about how this looks or how it works, but after having rabbits decimate the garden over the past two years, I knew I needed to take some serious action. If I could only convince Spouse to do the fencing the way I want* I would be much happier, but Spouse is convinced it would be "too hard" and that "it won't work." Harumph.

I'm not sure when I'll be able to do the majority of the planting. We've had such a cool spring so far that it is hard to imagine it being warm enough to plant tomatoes, beans, basil, squash, etc. Even though our average last frost is May 15, I think I'll wait until at least until the weekend of the 24th to plant. I'm not so much worried about another frost as I am about the growth-stunting mid-50s to lower 60s weather we've been having. It's perfect for the peas and greens, but not for the warm-weather crops.

We'll see. I hope to have my garbage can potatoes planted sometime this week, and I'll have pictures.

*What I want is to attach hardware cloth or rabbit fencing to the bottom of the wood fencing around the edge of the garden rather than fencing in each individual bed. We would dig a trench around the perimeter and bury it about 6-12". However, a major portion of the wood fence (and deer fence beyond that) is in the woods, under our huge arborvitae trees that have lots of shallow roots. We also have a very irregularly shaped area that would be somewhat resistant to fencing, but I think it could be done. Yes, it would be difficult to do it, but it would not be too hard, as Spouse seems to think. And then I wouldn't have to have ugly fences around each individual bed.

Mid-Summer Disappointment

Here it is, the end of July, and I should be reveling in the summer produce that should be bursting out of the garden. Well, that just ain't so. Since harvesting my garlic last week, I've been seriously disappointed - if not downright p.o.'ed - with my garden.

Last year I was pretty smug about my homemade rabbit fences. I used window screening and wooden posts, and didn't have rabbit problems at all in 2006. Well, this year is another story. Below are my bush beans, almost completely denuded of leaves. Since this photo was taken (on the 15th), the rabbits have finished off any remaining leaves and there are no longer any flowers. I didn't even take a picture of the pole beans on my trellis - the rabbits have nipped almost every vine - I believe I have about 5 (maybe) on the 5' trellis.

As I mentioned, there is also no produce coming from the garden. Last year, I had a lovely first harvest of tomatoes, beans and potatoes on the 18th of July. Well, here it is a day later, and I can definitely say there are zero beans and only green tomatoes.

But, I'm a gardener, so I need to find some postives here. Last night I noticed the first small zucchini, which should be ready to pick in a few days. Considering that last year I harvested exactly one squash - in October - I should be happy about that. Although the Diva cucumber vines are looking anemic, the lemon cucumber vines are flowering profusely and threatening to take over their bed. I have basil seedlings coming up, and my herbs are doing extremely well. And, even though all the tomatoes are green, the plants are lush and healthy, with lots of fruits and flowers.

I think this weekend I'll get out there and plant some fall crops. It might be a little hot, but if I wait too much longer they won't have time to mature. Plus, while I'm doing that I can plan for the new - and permanent - rabbit fencing for the upper garden. Spouse doesn't know it yet, but this fall he'll be helping me dig trenches and nail up fencing in the space between the ground and the wooden fence.

If nothing else, spending some time planting for the future will help turn my garden attitude around.

Plants I Didn't Know Deer Like

I already knew not to plant hosta, asparagus, oriental lillies, and just about any vegetable unless it's behind a 7' fence. However, I had no idea deer ate heuchera (coral bells), joe pye weed, perennial geranium  or hydrangeas. Now I know.

It's really difficult to see in the picture above, but the coral bells and geranium at the front of the bed were munched, as was the hydrangea at the back of the bed. Not pictured are three unplanted pots of joe pye weed, eaten down to the stems.

Here's something I know deer don't like: Monarda, a.k.a. bee balm. I just think they're cool-looking, and I've always liked the red ones best.