I gardened for 20 years in this old house, surrounded by apple orchards, open fields and no close neighbors. I never felt like I was living in the suburbs (altho I really was). I also never had a problem with deer eating my plants or Woodchucks! We knew that there was a woodchuck in the orchard behind the house, we named him Rizzio. I had a huge garden here, with about 40 tomato plants, potatoes, squash, beans etc. But Rizzio never ate my garden plants, or perennials. Now I live in a much more suburban type neighborhood but in the same town as my old house. Woodchucks (marmots, groundhogs) have eaten alot of my perennials, tomato's, squash etc. We borrowed a "hav-a-heart" trap last night to see what we could catch but no-joy so far.
I'm going thru the bleeding liberal heart animal/people thing right now. Do I really need to grow vegetables when there are so many farmers markets around? Yes...I like gardening, and specifically enjoy growing vegetables. Should I interfere with a natural animal, and cut off his food supply? Yes again, there are plenty of grasses, and fruits he/she can eat - they don't need my perennials.
Watch out woodchuck - your days in my garden are numbered. Today we are fencing in the vegetable garden, and I'm spraying hot sauce on my perennials. Hope it helps, has anyone tried that?
7 comments:
hot sauce!
:D
oh i just like to see the woodchuck while eating your perennials...
good luck, Mim...
Folk tales say cans of urine posted around the garden will ward off predators. Now, I don't know if this is true or not but anyway.....
The funny thing is that right before we left on vacation, I asked DH to pee around the perimeter of the squash/broccoli plant, because the woodchuck has not touched the tomato's to date and I thought they were safe. Instead he peed all around the perimeter of the tomato plant bed...and when we came home the tomato's were stripped! Maybe the urine attracted them???? Very strange.
I still think you need to dig up what plants you have left and put them in gopher baskets. Or just remember to do it next year before the ravage begins :)
Unbelievable beautiful home in the photo Mim!
didn't even know what a woodchuck was, had to find it on 'google' what an ugly little fella...no wonder you're so fed up.
down with woodchucks, down with woodchucks, down with woodchucks!
Mim, didn't you have a dog at the old place? Mother nature is telling you to get a dog-but you'll still need a fence. I have tomato eating dogs. I fence them out, and they keep the squirrels out of the yard.
I think the new urban wildlife has evolved to be bolder. I only share an occaisonal tomato with Carolyn the turtle, there just aren't that many. And I like growing vegetables too-farmers markets are great, but nothing beats walking out and picking something you grew, then eating it!
Try eating the woodchucks?
[whatever they are]
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