Mountain View CA

Hi, This is PNG_Grandma introducing my grandsons...P, N, and G! They live with their mom (my daughter) in Mountain View, CA. Al and are spending a few days with them to help set up their first SFG boxes. We hauled a pickup load of compost from Modesto and right now Al and V are buying some soil to add to the compost...and all the other stuff we need for the MM.

Al grew plants from seeds beginning way back in Feb and we brought them with us...about 18 plants, almost all having produced something while still in their pots! Two different eggplants, with one on each plant, a bunch of different pepper plants (none hot, darn!), several different tomato plants, and some squash that he just started a few weeks ago.

We tried a regular garden in the backyard last year, gave P the new version of Mel's book for his birthday because he's the garden guy in this bunch, and then watched sadly as the squirrels and the gophers dined throughout the rest of the year! This year is different! This year we have raised boxes...this year we have raised boxes with MESH on the bottom to keep the critters out! (we hope...but if they've learned to use wire cutters we're in trouble!)

The gophers in the backyard are resilient, they are numerous, and they are out for revenge! As we sat on the patio this morning having our coffee and planning for the day two of the critters were creating new holes only a few feet away from us...the nerve of those guys!! We've put smoker things down the holes, planted a solar powered thingy that sends out an irritating sound every few seconds...and nothing is working! The irritating sound seems to only affect me!

Here are the pics of what happened yesterday...

Al and V are working really hard trying to break up the ground...


This is REALLY HARD STUFF!


Al begins building two 4x8 x 10" boxes.


Boxes are built, now Al has added the weed block cloth and is nailing the 1/2" mesh in place...gonna foil those critters this year!!


Now to unload the compost so the pickup can be used to purchase the soil to add to everything!


...and here are the plants! We kept them on the patio table to hopefully protect them from the squirrels...didn't think the gophers would climb up there...but ya shoulda seen all the snail tracks on the patio under and around the table this morning!!


We plan to build a few more boxes between these two and the fence you see in the background...probably 3' x 6' for the squash and other things, like lettuce and spinach, and a few herbs to round out the meals that are sure to be harvested in the coming months!! Oh, the two white roses you see in the background came from the area where the Apollo Garden now grows. I just couldn't allow them to be destroyed last year...so we stuffed them, pots included into the back of our minivan and they've survived nicely here in V's garden.

More updates to follow...Al is ready to plant and needs some suggestions as to where each plant should be placed!

Have Garden, Will Travel, or at least will travel to build a new garden.

V and PNG will love working in the SFG, once the hard work of building and filling is done, they get to watch things grow and harvest dinner from the back yard. How exciting.

You and Al are great parents to go to all this effort for your daughter and grandsons.

Looking forward to updates.

(This is PNG_Grandma again)...as the day worn on we wore out...only two boxes were built, filled with all the goodies for the plants, and planted with only 4 toms, 2 eggplants, and some strawberries left from last year's garden. We had to move them for one of the boxes so Al just planted them in the same place, just inside the box now! V and the boys don't eat many peppers so Al will be taking home about a dozen beautiful plants...maybe we'll find a home for them soon. V and boys want to plant pumpkins, watermelon, Swiss chard, spinach (the boys LOVE spinach!), bush beans, and a few herbs. Oh, yeah...the lettuce too, probably under the shade of the eggplant leaves.
More tomorrow!

RE: Grandma'sBoys garden
I think the gophers are winning. Last night Al "planted" two gopher traps, supposedly the best available...yeah, right...did anyone tell the gophers they were being treated with the best?? This morning one trap was missing and the other had a gopher. Al tried to be a bit discreet, asked for a plastic bag, and attempted to dispose of the thing before one small grandson could see it. Again, Yeah, right...ever know of an 8 yr old without his "eeewwww" radar turned on??? Of course he had to see it, and then he had to drag his 11 yr old brother out to see it, and he wanted to discuss it, in great detail...and I'm sure that's what the dinner discussion will be tonight...unless his Mommy can somehow stop him mid-word!

Back to the gophers...one had the nerve to dig a hole, or at least push up the dirt RIGHT NEXT TO THE SIDE OF THE GARDEN BOX!!! There is now a trap in that burrow, with a string attached to the trap, and the string is tied to the shovel. The war is escalating!!

PNG_Grandma wrote:RE: Grandma'sBoys garden
I think the gophers are winning. Last night Al "planted" two gopher traps, supposedly the best available...yeah, right...did anyone tell the gophers they were being treated with the best?? This morning one trap was missing and the other had a gopher. Al tried to be a bit discreet, asked for a plastic bag, and attempted to dispose of the thing before one small grandson could see it. Again, Yeah, right...ever know of an 8 yr old without his "eeewwww" radar turned on??? Of course he had to see it, and then he had to drag his 11 yr old brother out to see it, and he wanted to discuss it, in great detail...and I'm sure that's what the dinner discussion will be tonight...unless his Mommy can somehow stop him mid-word!

Back to the gophers...one had the nerve to dig a hole, or at least push up the dirt RIGHT NEXT TO THE SIDE OF THE GARDEN BOX!!! There is now a trap in that burrow, with a string attached to the trap, and the string is tied to the shovel. The war is escalating!!

Hope you put wire bottoms on the boxes. That is the only way I can have a garden(or plant in gopher cages) the gophers are so bad here. I've trapped about 20 so far this year, setting up to 4 traps at a time but only doing it occasionally. You need have a piece of wire attached to each trap and stake or run something like a piece of rebar thru it or you will lose traps

When I grew up in So Cal I remember my grandfather fighting the gopher battle. He did so much stuff..I wish I could remember what worked for him. Seems like he stuck hoses in their runs and tried to flood them out...and another remedy used gallon milk jugs....wish I knew more and could help. Instead I will root for your team and cross my fingers and toes!

Thanks for the rooting as we try to save our roots!!! Here is what I posted about what we've done so far...with some positive results.
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t7936-gophers-grrrrrrr#72420

So far today, no new holes. One this morning and Al put a trap down the hole...with a string attached to the trap...and the other end attached to the garden trowel. My daughter is less than thrilled with the thoughts of having to re-set the trap each day. And far less thrilled with the images of having to empty said trap if by some small chance it actually works!! I'm sure the 8 yr old in the house will be more than happy to help out!!