Tomato Wranglin'
The garden is in full swing, and our little tomatoes aren't so little any more. All four plants are better than three feet tall, all have blossoms already and a couple are producing fruit. The first Big Boy to come up already has some rot to him, which is just a little disappointing as he's very green and nowhere near what I want to eat. The cages I bought last year from Ace Hardware are these sort-of adjustable square affairs that I wanted to give a better chance to be effective this year.
I'm not having a lot better luck. They are not very stable and honestly they're just not a very good product. I'll have to retire them for next year and see what I can come up with that's better. I am, however, staying up with making sure the branches of the plants are going upward in the cages. Last year we had tomato bushes that were nearly as wide as they were tall, and that we even more difficult. Lost a a lot of fruit to ground contact and rot and bunnies as well as other local wildlife that really enjoyed them.
We planted marigolds all around the garden last year to keep the rabbits at bay and that worked pretty well. This year, the rabbits have noticed a dearth of clover in the yard and have taken to tearing apart my marigolds and sunflowers. I think I've slowed them down by sprinkling cayenne pepper over the tops of the plants, but it washes off in the rain or if I'm not careful in watering. (By contrast, the zinnias on the back wall are coming up like wildfire as are the morning glorys, which pleases me no end.)
I saw one evening about two weeks ago a bunny with a mouthful of marigold and I couldn't believe it. The little bastard ran away when I came out the door and ever since it's been a kind of war between me and them. These rabbits are brave and stupid and I will win. I hope they get a mouthful of fire. It's the best way for me to take care of the problem because I don't want to have to invest in rabbit fencing, I don't want to spread animal urine in the yard and I'm not about to humanely trap them and take them somewhere else.
Anyone reading this have any experience in defeating rabbits in the garden? I refuse, as well, to buy a robot and go all Elmer Fudd here. My neighbors won't appreciate it.
Tomorrow - Father's Day in La Villa Ajasont. Hope yours is nice and goes well.
I'm not having a lot better luck. They are not very stable and honestly they're just not a very good product. I'll have to retire them for next year and see what I can come up with that's better. I am, however, staying up with making sure the branches of the plants are going upward in the cages. Last year we had tomato bushes that were nearly as wide as they were tall, and that we even more difficult. Lost a a lot of fruit to ground contact and rot and bunnies as well as other local wildlife that really enjoyed them.
We planted marigolds all around the garden last year to keep the rabbits at bay and that worked pretty well. This year, the rabbits have noticed a dearth of clover in the yard and have taken to tearing apart my marigolds and sunflowers. I think I've slowed them down by sprinkling cayenne pepper over the tops of the plants, but it washes off in the rain or if I'm not careful in watering. (By contrast, the zinnias on the back wall are coming up like wildfire as are the morning glorys, which pleases me no end.)
I saw one evening about two weeks ago a bunny with a mouthful of marigold and I couldn't believe it. The little bastard ran away when I came out the door and ever since it's been a kind of war between me and them. These rabbits are brave and stupid and I will win. I hope they get a mouthful of fire. It's the best way for me to take care of the problem because I don't want to have to invest in rabbit fencing, I don't want to spread animal urine in the yard and I'm not about to humanely trap them and take them somewhere else.
Anyone reading this have any experience in defeating rabbits in the garden? I refuse, as well, to buy a robot and go all Elmer Fudd here. My neighbors won't appreciate it.
Tomorrow - Father's Day in La Villa Ajasont. Hope yours is nice and goes well.