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BlackjackWidow's Rural Gamble
+6
sanderson
ispinwool
AtlantaMarie
countrynaturals
Scorpio Rising
BlackjackWidow
10 posters
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Page 3 of 3 • 1, 2, 3
Re: BlackjackWidow's Rural Gamble
Perhaps making a cage from hardware cloth to go on top of your garden beds might deter the muncher. I thought I might have to do that to protect mine from deer but so far they've not invaded my garden (although I've spied them on the outskirts... I think they're eyeing the tomatoes). I put 1/4" hardware cloth under my garden to protect it from gophers. It was pretty easy to work with.
You've done a great job. Hang in there.
You've done a great job. Hang in there.
farmersgranddaughter- Posts : 107
Join date : 2018-01-15
Age : 63
Location : Arkansas Zone 6b
Re: BlackjackWidow's Rural Gamble
Thanks for the ideas, farmersgranddaughter. I do have cages over some of the gardens. They're made out of 1 inch chicken wire, and deterred him for a day. He burrowed under one, the other one that he couldn't get to the soil to dig under - he apparently just lifted it up and went under. Not sure if this is due to my (admittedly) poor construction techniques or what.
The entire area is pretty well-secured from burrowing. The fenced-in part has landscape fabric covered with 3" of river pebble rocks, and the beds are all additionally line with 1/2" nylon netting and then landscape fabric over that. I found one spot where I missed putting the rocks - it was behind one of the water barrels, and after I blocked the corners from being pushed aside, he found it and dug a tunnel from there to all the way out to the side of the hill. Gotta give them props for effort - in order to get under the fenced-in area he had to dig through 5" of mulch, chew through that nylon netting, and go at least a foot down and about 30 feet across to avoid the buried fence blockade.
I put critter repellent in the hole and covered it up, then put a 50 lb bag of river pebbles on top of it and he hasn't been able to get through there anymore so far. I'm in process of finishing up the top part of the fence with a floppy chicken wire top. Since he's not been climbing over the fence yet, I'm hoping that deters him. I also started putting out shelled corn and birdseed over in the "animal garden" area again. It's too soon to tell if that's made a difference. It has deterred for a couple of days, but he might just be waiting for the greens to grow back again. If he learns to climb, the next step will be an electric fence. I priced them the other day and I think I install for around $100. I also think I'll try a TT for the lettuce and greens he's so fond of - if that works, I can slowly switch over, at least for the stuff he has shown he likes to eat. I could leave the existing beds for things like onions, garlic, potatoes and tomatoes.
I'm close to sinking 8' posts and enclosing the whole thing in hardware cloth. I really can't afford to do such a thing, but I'm almost at my wit's end.
The entire area is pretty well-secured from burrowing. The fenced-in part has landscape fabric covered with 3" of river pebble rocks, and the beds are all additionally line with 1/2" nylon netting and then landscape fabric over that. I found one spot where I missed putting the rocks - it was behind one of the water barrels, and after I blocked the corners from being pushed aside, he found it and dug a tunnel from there to all the way out to the side of the hill. Gotta give them props for effort - in order to get under the fenced-in area he had to dig through 5" of mulch, chew through that nylon netting, and go at least a foot down and about 30 feet across to avoid the buried fence blockade.
I put critter repellent in the hole and covered it up, then put a 50 lb bag of river pebbles on top of it and he hasn't been able to get through there anymore so far. I'm in process of finishing up the top part of the fence with a floppy chicken wire top. Since he's not been climbing over the fence yet, I'm hoping that deters him. I also started putting out shelled corn and birdseed over in the "animal garden" area again. It's too soon to tell if that's made a difference. It has deterred for a couple of days, but he might just be waiting for the greens to grow back again. If he learns to climb, the next step will be an electric fence. I priced them the other day and I think I install for around $100. I also think I'll try a TT for the lettuce and greens he's so fond of - if that works, I can slowly switch over, at least for the stuff he has shown he likes to eat. I could leave the existing beds for things like onions, garlic, potatoes and tomatoes.
I'm close to sinking 8' posts and enclosing the whole thing in hardware cloth. I really can't afford to do such a thing, but I'm almost at my wit's end.
BlackjackWidow- Posts : 173
Join date : 2018-05-07
Age : 61
Location : SW Michigan, on the coast of Lake MI; Zone 6a/b
Re: BlackjackWidow's Rural Gamble
Sorry I don't have any helpful ideas for you, but I did want to say thanks for sharing your story and don't give up.
kygardener- Posts : 55
Join date : 2010-08-02
Location : northeast ky zone 6A
Re: BlackjackWidow's Rural Gamble
kygardener wrote:Sorry I don't have any helpful ideas for you, but I did want to say thanks for sharing your story and don't give up.
Thank you for the support. It really helps.
BlackjackWidow- Posts : 173
Join date : 2018-05-07
Age : 61
Location : SW Michigan, on the coast of Lake MI; Zone 6a/b
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