Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Growing Green Things

Our small garden is growing up so quickly, much more so then I had expected or even hoped for! We decided to keep things more or less simple this year, due to budget and a lack of experience, and opted to grow salad veggies and things we may like to pickle, sauce or salsa and can.



So far, the cucumbers, cabbage, zucchini, summer squash and tomatoes are all growing up beautifully. The lettuce and spinach are growing more slowly, as are the broccoli and peas. In fact, the peas have decided to lay down on the ground after a bit of a heavy rain the other day rather then continue to climb the trellis I made them. Anyone with experience with peas know if this is normal? They're still fairly tiny buggers, only maybe 4" tall but they have quite a few tendrils shooting off. Should I just lean them back on the trellis and let them go?



The peppers are growing up the slowest of all, for a while there I was actually worried the seeds weren't going to sprout at all. But now that they're up and out of the dirt, they're growing a bit more rapidly.


Baby Zucchini, looking all cute.

The green beans and broccoli and were doing well, until a rabbit chewed a hole in the mesh fencing we put up and nibbled off many of their wee heads. Again, due to the budget constraints of just purchasing a home, we used found and leftover materials including thick old tree branches, some chicken wire and some plastic mesh fencing. The entire thing cost us $20, which to me anyway, is pretty darn impressive for over 100 feet of fencing.

I'm all for sharing my some of my food with the wild critters, I never shoo them out of the herb garden though the teeny baby bunnies come to nibble my plants pretty regularly and the not-so-sneaky squirrels steal my unripened strawberries. But gods dammit, I'd like some beans and broccoli for myself, please. We've got to patch the hole in the fence, but since they seem to enjoy chewing through it, anyone have any good ways to deter the buggers that won't hurt them?

P.S. As a bunny related aside, the furry critters have been popping up all over the place for me lately. Aside from the one I held as she passed, I've found and buried two babies that we believe were the victims of an owl. They come onto the patio most mornings to nod a hello before running off so I can't take their picture and have been frequently in my dreams of late, including a series of dreams a few nights ago where rabbit was a constant companion through the night but was joined off and on by cat and ferret. They're hopping about all through my life these days, I tell you.

10 comments:

  1. Hurray for healthy crops! No vegetable grows in my presence lol.

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  2. I'm green, and it's not projection from your beautiful veggies. It's envy, yes, envy; I can't grow anything this year *sigh* so can some things for me ;-)

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  3. You might want to look at the meaning of Totem animals, if you haven't already did... I don't know much about it, thought, so I can't tell you much...Just that they happens for a reason!

    I can't help you either with the creatures wanting to share your greens. But it looks beautiful up close :)

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  4. My sister has a garden and her peas don't want to climb either so you're not alone. As for keeping critters away, my family has never had much luck either but we continue to use hot pepper powder.

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  5. Your veggies look great! I have sooo much catching up to do in that department. Okay, so this is going to sound WAY gross (when I first heard it I was grossed out), but it really works: If you know where your bunny holes are in the yard pour human pee into the hole twice a week (more if it's rainy). It sends them running for the hills...understandably.

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  6. Angel, I've never had any luck growing things before. That's my mom's talent which I was painfully concerned I hadn't inherited. I'm so nervous about my inability to keep most plants alive that I'm STILL biting my nails in worry, lol.

    The rabbits don't live in my yard as far as I can tell, they run rampant all over the neighborhood. I see between 4 and 12 rabbits a day while out walking. I may try the urine and hot pepper around the garden fence. It can't hurt to try.

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  7. I want to live somewhere you can grow tomatoes outside!!! Lettuce and scallions are about all I can manage, though I am a bit lazy in that department. Still, it'd be nice to have the sunshine for tomatoes and all. Zuccini's courgette, isn't it? Mmm, I like zuccini... Anyway, well done with the plot missus. You've quite the green finger. And as for the bunnies, all I can say is awwwww! The poor wee babies.

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  8. Om my experience, peas take off slowly … and once they decide to excel, the EXCEL! They do need cajoling and encouragement to climb on their leads sometimes, so a little gentle movement and placement will help their little tendrils grab and grow upward.

    Your tomatoes will want some wiggle room too. They like a little space and elbow room, so there's room for the glorious fruit they'll be producing! :)

    Your green things look great!

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  9. Your garden is incredible! You are a natural if ever there was one. I love your pictures and yes, your baby zucchini are adorable.

    We place human and dog hair in our garden to keep rabbits and deer away and it works really well for us. A few brave little critters still sneak in but not near as many as before.

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  10. I've had good luck mouse-proofing with Shake-Away critter repellent. http://www.critter-repellent.com/ Harmless, easy to use, and not too expensive. I'm sure it would work for rabbits, too.

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