Growing vegetables

2

Replies

  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
    edited May 2022
    I was having a lot of trouble with bunnies, so my husband built a little fence thing to go around my raised beds. They're not very high, so I can still get in there easily, but high enough so the bunnies can't jump in. Little jerks were eating my bean sprouts as soon as they would pop up. And one of my tomato seedlings got eaten as well and part of one of my peppers lol... We still have squirrels to deal with but they seem to be leaving my garden alone for the most part. I also have lots of containers as well with different things. I love my plants.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,718 Member
    edited May 2022
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    MsCzar wrote: »
    I fence my garden with chicken wire and netting. That keeps the critters away, but once in a while I have to un-stick a snake from the netting. 😱

    I'm battling slugs at the moment, especially around my spinach ugh 😫 And birds have become a pain in the a*s with my new seeds, I've started covering them with nets until they get a bit bigger

    Beer traps sort of help. (Small container with cheap beer in it, set into the ground to rim level, top with something like a cottage cheese container with cut-out squares in the side as entry ports. (The "roof" keeps rain out, creates the darkness slugs like.) One issue here: The local raccoons considered the beer-marinated drowned slugs quite a tasty treat.

    There are other options like "slug collars" around the plants, copper under the plants, etc., etc.

    Copper didn't work at all. My slugs are hardcore and just slithered straight over it 🤣🤣 I'll try the beer traps though and I'll make sure it's cheap and nasty or else I'll end up drinking it 😁

    I'd go cheapest possible, but not "lite".

    ETA: There's supposed to be some yeast/sugar mixture (IIRC) that's supposed to work, too - but I don't remember details. I just went with cheap cheap beer, in quart bottles. Neither the slugs nor the raccoons seem to mind if it goes flat.
  • DiscoveringLisa
    DiscoveringLisa Posts: 112 Member
    hesn92 wrote: »
    I was having a lot of trouble with bunnies, so my husband built a little fence thing to go around my raised beds. They're not very high, so I can still get in there easily, but high enough so the bunnies can't jump in. Little jerks were eating my bean sprouts as soon as they would pop up. And one of my tomato seedlings got eaten as well and part of one of my peppers lol... We still have squirrels to deal with but they seem to be leaving my garden alone for the most part. I also have lots of containers as well with different things. I love my plants.[/quote

    "..little jerks" 🤣🤣

    Birds are always trying to pull me seedlings out. I try and motivate my dog to chase them away but unless it's a squirrel or a cat he's not interested 😂
  • iam4scuba
    iam4scuba Posts: 39 Member
    Chickens will absolutely destroy a vegetable garden if you just let them free indefinitely. Also, you want to have a coup that you can lock them in for their own protection, it's certainly not cruel. Depending on what sort of predators are around, especially if you don't have a rooster, they're super at risk. Hawks, snakes, raccoons, coyotes. Even small birds like blue jays will mess with them.
  • iam4scuba
    iam4scuba Posts: 39 Member
    Also, I'm pretty sure chickens would happily take care of your slug problem.
  • DiscoveringLisa
    DiscoveringLisa Posts: 112 Member
    iam4scuba wrote: »
    Chickens will absolutely destroy a vegetable garden if you just let them free indefinitely. Also, you want to have a coup that you can lock them in for their own protection, it's certainly not cruel. Depending on what sort of predators are around, especially if you don't have a rooster, they're super at risk. Hawks, snakes, raccoons, coyotes. Even small birds like blue jays will mess with them.

    Yeah we have alot of foxes around here 🦊...
    Having a natural slug destroyer sounds appealing 🤔
  • ReenieHJ
    ReenieHJ Posts: 9,724 Member
    Re: slugs
    How does one avoid slugs in their strawberries? So many times the fruit looks soooo sweet and juicy, only to pick it and having had the slugs beat me to it. :( Last year I put hay in the beds but then moisture got trapped and plants got yucky. Any suggestions are appreciated!

    Good luck with your garden @DiscoveringLisa!
    If I didn't have dogs I'd consider chickens, just for the eggs. Or goats to keep the grass cut and rent out. :)
  • DiscoveringLisa
    DiscoveringLisa Posts: 112 Member
    ReenieHJ wrote: »
    Re: slugs
    How does one avoid slugs in their strawberries? So many times the fruit looks soooo sweet and juicy, only to pick it and having had the slugs beat me to it. :( Last year I put hay in the beds but then moisture got trapped and plants got yucky. Any suggestions are appreciated!

    Good luck with your garden @DiscoveringLisa!
    If I didn't have dogs I'd consider chickens, just for the eggs. Or goats to keep the grass cut and rent out. :)

    Oh I love goats Reenie. If I could have a farm I would. I'm a country girl trapped in suburbia 😂
  • girouxleeann
    girouxleeann Posts: 2 Member
    Hi I’m looking for a MFP friend also. I’m a novice gardener also. It’s been four years & each year I’m learning new things. I like to do my own canning with my veggies. Mostly zucchini relish, zucchini salsas and pickled dilly beans & pickled scapes. I’ve been on the app off & on since 2016 with great success & some massive set backs ( I call Covid 65 because that’s how much I’ve gained In three years. 🙁 I’m not really good with the community area but you could find me on Facebook messenger. LeeAnn Giroux
    I’m in Ontario Canada. Love to hear from you.
  • DiscoveringLisa
    DiscoveringLisa Posts: 112 Member
    Hi I’m looking for a MFP friend also. I’m a novice gardener also. It’s been four years & each year I’m learning new things. I like to do my own canning with my veggies. Mostly zucchini relish, zucchini salsas and pickled dilly beans & pickled scapes. I’ve been on the app off & on since 2016 with great success & some massive set backs ( I call Covid 65 because that’s how much I’ve gained In three years. 🙁 I’m not really good with the community area but you could find me on Facebook messenger. LeeAnn Giroux
    I’m in Ontario Canada. Love to hear from you.

    Hey LeeAnn, I'll send you a request 🙂
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,551 Member
    In the Food and Nutrition section there is a topic called "For the Love of Produce" where there are some gardening discussions including what to do with seasonal garden gluts.
  • Wanderwoman6
    Wanderwoman6 Posts: 16 Member
    I’ve been growing fruit trees apple pears plums peaches and cherries, some strawberries and rhubarb these past 2 years. I think my peach tree is deceased sadly but the others are looking very fruit full right now fingers crossed I have something edible this year 🥴
  • DiscoveringLisa
    DiscoveringLisa Posts: 112 Member
    acpgee wrote: »
    In the Food and Nutrition section there is a topic called "For the Love of Produce" where there are some gardening discussions including what to do with seasonal garden gluts.

    Thanks ☺️
  • DiscoveringLisa
    DiscoveringLisa Posts: 112 Member
    I’ve been growing fruit trees apple pears plums peaches and cherries, some strawberries and rhubarb these past 2 years. I think my peach tree is deceased sadly but the others are looking very fruit full right now fingers crossed I have something edible this year 🥴

    We had apple trees when I was a kid, great to have your own fruit to harvest. I'm growing a honeyberry bush right now, apparently they taste like a cross between blueberries and raspberries 🤔😂 It's very small right now though so no fruit as of yet. Hope you have a great harvest this year ☺️
  • SuzanneC1l9zz
    SuzanneC1l9zz Posts: 451 Member
    edited May 2022
    I'm growing food, but I've only been at it for a couple of years so I wouldn't say I'm very good at it yet. And zone 3 presents its own challenges. This year I have a San Marzano tomato, yellow zucchini, yellow bell pepper and acorn squash in pots. Three strawberry plants in grow bags. A raspberry patch that's in desperate need of taming. And a little 6' x 6' patch in the back corner of my lawn with seeds in the ground for kale, pak choy, carrots, beets, bush beans and Swiss chard. We'll see how much of it produces though lol.

    I've posted pics in the other thread.
  • DiscoveringLisa
    DiscoveringLisa Posts: 112 Member
    I'm growing food, but I've only been at it for a couple of years so I wouldn't say I'm very good at it yet. And zone 3 presents its own challenges. This year I have a San Marzano tomato, yellow zucchini, yellow bell pepper and acorn squash in pots. Three strawberry plants in grow bags. A raspberry patch that's in desperate need of taming. And a little 6' x 6' patch in the back corner of my lawn with seeds in the ground for kale, pak choy, carrots, beets, bush beans and Swiss chard. We'll see how much of it produces though lol.

    I've posted pics in the other thread.

    I'd love to grow tomatoes but it's too cool where I am in the UK. I think I'd need a greenhouse for tomatoes and chillies etc. I love berries, we have a blackberry bush at the very back of the garden and hoping that this year we will get some fruit from it. I'll check out your pics in the other thread 🙂
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,843 Member
    ReenieHJ wrote: »
    Re: slugs
    How does one avoid slugs in their strawberries? So many times the fruit looks soooo sweet and juicy, only to pick it and having had the slugs beat me to it. :( Last year I put hay in the beds but then moisture got trapped and plants got yucky. Any suggestions are appreciated!

    Good luck with your garden @DiscoveringLisa!
    If I didn't have dogs I'd consider chickens, just for the eggs. Or goats to keep the grass cut and rent out. :)

    I use chopped straw instead of hay. I also use Sluggo Plus.

    https://www.homedepot.com/p/Monterey-1-lb-Sluggo-Plus-LG6575/202043634

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  • LemonMarmalade
    LemonMarmalade Posts: 227 Member
    Maybe try some food grade diatomaceous earth around your plants for the slugs?
  • girlwithcurls2
    girlwithcurls2 Posts: 2,257 Member
    Chickens are great fun :) But they also came with rats and raccoons where I live. We lost two to raccoons because the kids forgot to close up the coop at dusk. That was traumatic for them (chickens and kids). The rats want the chicken food and I have heard that they'll go for eggs, but we never lost eggs to them. I hated having raccoons around. On the plus side, besides the best eggs ever, we had absolutely ZERO weeds. In fact, almost nothing green. They eat everything. We have since taken out some trees, and without chickens, and with added light, the weeds are prolific. Ugh. Maybe we need a goat? You can rent them where I live...
  • DiscoveringLisa
    DiscoveringLisa Posts: 112 Member
    Chickens are great fun :) But they also came with rats and raccoons where I live. We lost two to raccoons because the kids forgot to close up the coop at dusk. That was traumatic for them (chickens and kids). The rats want the chicken food and I have heard that they'll go for eggs, but we never lost eggs to them. I hated having raccoons around. On the plus side, besides the best eggs ever, we had absolutely ZERO weeds. In fact, almost nothing green. They eat everything. We have since taken out some trees, and without chickens, and with added light, the weeds are prolific. Ugh. Maybe we need a goat? You can rent them where I live...

    Yeah the fact that they bring rats along with them AND they eat up all the grass is just a no no for me. I've spent forever repairing the lawn in this house, it was brown and full of patches when we moved in and now it's lush green ....I can't sacrifice it for chickens 🤣 It's a shame though, I so want some chickens ....if only I had more land sigh