When we fenced the garden, we had the high fence (8′) built to keep the deer out, then we put chicken wire along the bottom to keep the rabbits out. So far, we’ve not had any deer in there but we have a couple of sneaky rabbits that get in every night. I go out every morning, open the gate and chase the rabbits out. I have to laugh . . I don’t think my rabbit fencing is working but they have to love it. Lots of fresh, crunchy organic lettuce, broccoli, kale and chard .. they seem to leave the potatoes, tomatoes, onions and peppers alone. Since I’ve given lettuce to everyone who will take it, and the broccoli is about to finish up, I guess it’s ok that the rabbits are eating a bit of it too.
Bunny Eating Broccoli
This little guy had no interest in leaving the garden this morning. The sprinklers were going so he had fresh water and he was enjoying a breakfast of tasty broccoli leaves.
Rabbit Hiding
I walked closer to try to chase him out of the garden and he decided he would just hide under the broccoli leaves.
Garden
This is the time of year when I love my garden most. The mornings and evenings are still plenty cool enough that I can work about three hours in the morning and at least an hour in the evening and not be miserably hot. The weeds are still under control.
Butter Crunch Lettuce
We eat so many salads and having a salad made from lettuce picked just a few minutes before making the salad is so different from using storebought lettuce. I only go to the store once a week at most so at any given time, even IF storebought lettuce was fresh when I bought it, by the time we eat it, it isn’t always so fresh and crunchy.
Lettuce and Beets
By the time the tomatoes are ripe and I’m picking massive amounts of them for canning, I’ll be disliking the garden terribly. It will be blazing hot, the ground will be parched and it will be taking so much effort to keep the tomatoes watered and worst of all . . I’m allergic to the tomato vines and for the entire time I’m picking tomatoes, I have an itchy rash on my arms. Wearing a long sleeved shirt helps but doesn’t completely stop the reaction.
We have less than a dozen jars of tomatoes left from last year so I’m hoping for a good crop of tomatoes this year.
Having a garden is a lot of work but so worth it!
Sherrill says
WOW, you used a LOT of tomatoes over the past year cause you had a ton of them!! YAY!
JudyL says
I easily use 100 quarts per year.
liz says
Richters Herbs has a plant that is called “Piss Off” plant
http://www.richters.com/Web_store/web_store.cgi?searchterm=piss+off+plant&search_catalogue_button=Go
I’ve bought a few to try to defend my garden against the neighborhood cats. It might work on rabbits, but I’ve only seen one tiny one in my garden in over 15 years that I’ve been here. I suspect the hawks get the rabbits.
I did see a tom turkey and a hen grazing in the road ditch yesterday and this is a suburban neighborhood (outside of OKC). I did have a whole flock of turkeys cruising in the neighborhood a few years ago and checking out my front yard, so I am watching your turkey growing with interest.
JudyL says
We have a ton of wild turkeys here. I chase them out of the orchard because they scare the chickens but so far, either I haven’t planted anything in the garden that they find interesting, or they just haven’t noticed it because I haven’t seen any in there.
Dottie N. says
Reading your note about how much work, but so worth it is SO true. And, there’s nothing like pulling canned goods out that you put up and/or fresh frozen veggies out of the freezer.
Rebecca Grace says
Your pilfering bunnies remind me of the Peter Rabbit story. You didn’t happen to find a pair of bunny shoes and the buttons that popped off Peter’s jacket, did you, Mrs. MacGregor? 🙂 My dog gets SO excited when she sees a rabbit on our walks. If she ever saw one in our yard and was allowed to go after it, that rabbit would not linger no matter HOW tasty the broccoli!
Joan says
I’m so jealous you are eating out of the garden. Here the first lettuce just peeked through the ground. Radish just came through and peas are about an inch high. Some potatoes are just breaking ground. Tomatoes, peppers, broccoli plants are in, onions are up. cukes, beans and beets are planted. Fruit trees are just beginning to bloom, so hope they set fruit. garden work is just starting, but it has been cold here. Highs of around 65-70 so not a lot of warmth yet. So heavy garden work is a couple weeks away. Love reading and seeing your gardens though.
Carla says
We did plant cool weather plants in the garden this year because we are still trying to get the chicken wire at the bottom after being wiped out by bunnies last year. We do have lettuce in barrels on the deck and love it!