Gardening

[bounceswoosh]

My toddler can get within 2 feet of the rabbits in our neighborhood. Literally no fear, because they have no predators probably.

Weird. There are definitely foxes in our neighborhood, and I can hear coyotes yipping if we leave the windows open at night. And I know your area would be the same. But, perhaps not enough to keep up with rabbits that can hide in fenced yards!

Although ... a few days ago, we found a mess of feathers in our completely fenced yard. A tiny bit of other leftovers. So something - probably a cat, I would guess - didn't find it hard to get into our yard.

 

[WaterGirl]

Not sure what's up with those Colorado coyotes, in our neighborhood they have to build 9 foot tall coyote fencing to keep them from jumping into yards. Small domesticated animals are all too frequently on their menu. I had a rabbit problem. Not this year. Now if only the owls and hawks would developed a taste for squirrel that's been birdseed fed.

 

[Jenny]

But they're so cute and furry! I use the stinky stuff to keep them away from the plants they like. Works reasonably well.

A few years ago we had about 8 baby bunnies born and living in our sweet woodruff and we relocated them. Took a little while to catch them because they were quite mobile by the time we did it.

 

[Kimmyt]

Yeah, the coyotes are frequently behind our house and in the open space. Some pretty well fed looking fellows. I saw one just happily trotting down the multi-use path behind our house that headed towards the elementary school. But they don't seem to interested in the ones in my yard or the ones that hang out in our cul de sac, sadly.

Although ... a few days ago, we found a mess of feathers in our completely fenced yard. A tiny bit of other leftovers. So something - probably a cat, I would guess - didn't find it hard to get into our yard.

That happened in our yard too, and we found out the culprit was a Cooper's Hawk. Gorgeous little bird. Saw it ripping apart a dove in our neighbor's front yard and realized where the pile of feathers in our yard came from! Death from above!

 

[bounceswoosh]

That happened in our yard too, and we found out the culprit was a Cooper's Hawk. Gorgeous little bird. Saw it ripping apart a dove in our neighbor's front yard and realized where the pile of feathers in our yard came from! Death from above!

Gross, but kind of cool!

 

[CarverJill]

Not sure what's up with those Colorado coyotes, in our neighborhood they have to build 9 foot tall coyote fencing to keep them from jumping into yards. Small domesticated animals are all too frequently on their menu. I had a rabbit problem. Not this year. Now if only the owls and hawks would developed a taste for squirrel that's been birdseed fed.

Yup same here @WaterGirl the coyotes here are really dangerous for domestic animals. The largest check I ever wrote was for the fence we had installed, its 6", vinyl and not solid because I figured it was the toughest for coyotes to get over. We have cats and one was killed in our backyard a week after living here, in our backyard . He was a night time hinter but had no idea what was out there to get him. Now our two females are only allowed out in the fenced yard 'till 3pm.

So.....we have had rabbit poop on our turf but don't seem to have a rabbits eating plants issue. We have snails that were eating everything but once I realized it the 7 bags of snail killer I have put out in the last 6 months has taken care of that issue. I think we have hawks and owls too. So much wildlife here since we are on the edge of a few Indian Reservations.

 

[Kimmyt]

Went out to check on the garden and the rabbits have eaten 1) my new raspberry shoot 2) my new phlox plant 3) some of my new catmint plant

$*%&(#*#$$$!!!!!

I picked up some wire caging since I ran out and am going to rig up a bunch more cloches. And maybe buy a bb gun.

 

[newboots]

$*%&(#*#$$$!!!!!

I picked up some wire caging since I ran out and am going to rig up a bunch more cloches. And maybe buy a bb gun.

Ohhh, the pain of disappearing new plants! I feel for you.

 

[Powgirl]

Kimmyt...rabbits tend to enjoy young plants...if possible, plant stuff as mature as you can find it...it usually helps.

In my gardening business, it's easier to fight the deer than the rabbits. Another trick is to apply Irish Spring liquid soap, diluted with half water...spray around the base of the plant...they hate the taste and usually move on to another area.

The Irish Spring is also very effective against aphids and spider mites...

 

[newboots]

Another trick is to apply Irish Spring liquid soap, diluted with half water...spray around the base of the plant...they hate the taste and usually move on to another area.

The Irish Spring is also very effective against aphids and spider mites...

This sounds really helpful, but does the garden start to smell like Irish Spring? That would be so sad . . .

;-)

 

[bounceswoosh]

This sounds really helpful, but does the garden start to smell like Irish Spring? That would be so sad . . .

;-)

I was thinking that .. weighing pests vs everything smelling like Irish Spring ...

 

[Jenny]

I killed a bunch of hostas with Irish Spring because I failed to consider what would happen when it rained. Apparently, the proportions were off and it got way too soapy around them.

 

[Powgirl]

The smell is sooooo much better than conventional rotten egg deer/rabbit repellent, which makes me feel sick...and it dissipates within a couple of hours.

You do need to dilute it and it takes a very small amount, very light spray...it works well in my clients gardens and my own with our many deer herds, along with a rabbit colony.

 

[Jenny]

Yeah, that stinky stuff is just awful!

 

[Powgirl]

Yes, it is awful...and it lingers for hours...permeates your hair and clothing...bleh!

 

[bounceswoosh]

I started feeling better yesterday and planted some stuff ... made a big muddy mess while adding new lines to the drip system, too. I'm not quite sure where the cucumber seeds ended up ... I guess I'll find out!

A couple more emitters blew out this afternoon, but I think I have it all under control now. Water pressure - such fun!

Weirdly, one of my veggie boxes has worms that I didn't intentionally put there. Like, enough that I keep finding them every time I dig around. The other one does not. I wonder if there were worm cocoons hitchhiking in something I planted. I just read that they do not survive freezing ... but their cocoons/eggs must, because obviously there are plenty of worms in cold climates. Or maybe they just burrow low enough in the soil that it's not freezing?

I *want* worms in there. Is it weird that I don't want to put more worms in the worm-free box because I don't want them to have to die in the winter? I mean, for one, that would be sad. For another ... digging up dead worms all the time the next spring? *shudder*

I am going to rip all the sedum out of our front flower bed, but it seemed a shame to just destroy it all ... I'm trying it in a flower box, since it doesn't need watering:

Lavender ... unfortunately also in a flower box without a drip line. We'll see ...

Mint, same deal. The nursery called it "mojito mint"!

The garlic has been going gangbusters, and the lettuce has been happy with the rain. I've been harvesting the garlic and eating it young because I want that space back! Gave a bulb straight out of the ground to my neighbor across the fence. He assured me he'd cook something up with it that same night.

The new tomato and tomatillo plants (obscured by the massive garlic growth):

A jalepeno plant and two red bell pepper plants - from what I read, jalepeno plants self-pollinate, so I should be okay with only one:

Blueberries! I knew they were supposed to take a while to settle in, but last season I got like 10 berries. Now there are hundreds ripening!

While I've been focused on edible plants, my roses (I suppose they're actually edible, too!) have been blossoming, stealthy-like:

 

[diymom]

While I've been focused on edible plants, my roses (I suppose they're actually edible, too!)

Melt chocolate and spread a thin layer on a rose leaf (assuming you never spray anything on them) and let it cool. The leaf peels off pretty easily, and you have a chocolate leaf to decorate a cake, ice cream, etc. with. The leaf leaves a nice impression of all of the veins so it looks cool.

 

[bounceswoosh]

Melt chocolate and spread a thin layer on a rose leaf (assuming you never spray anything on them) and let it cool. The leaf peels off pretty easily, and you have a chocolate leaf to decorate a cake, ice cream, etc. with. The leaf leaves a nice impression of all of the veins so it looks cool.

That is super cool! The tricky part is melting the chocolate ... don't you need a double boiler for that?

I'm actually wondering about brushing chocolate on a rose petal and leaving it there ... rose flavored chocolate!

 

[diymom]

Either low power and a little at a time in a microwave, or just put a metal bowl over steaming water. Chop it into small pieces first or use chocolate chips.

 

[TeleChica]

But they're so cute and furry! I use the stinky stuff to keep them away from the plants they like. Works reasonably well.

Glad to hear it--our neighborhood is overrun with rabbits. I just planted my wee little garden and put out Rabbit ScamTM, and this a.m. all my plants were fine. Crossing my fingers. The garden is in the front yard--a combo of herbs, ghost peppers, poblano peppers, broccoli, cabbage, and flowers. No 'maters this year--giving the soil a rest.

@diymom if you don't mind a drive to Arlington, I have a TON of hostas of different types I'd be happy to split and give you. I meant to deal with the overrun early this Spring when they were just coming up, but I was in Ohio then and the plants grew big while I was there.