[massplumber2008]

I don't know about everyone else... but I was hoping you guys might have some pics. Of these gardens in full harvest mode??

About time now.. or even past time... yes?

All sounded so nice!

Let me know... MARK

[wildandblue]

The book Square Foot Gardening gives a lot of tips on growing stuff for newbies. Also Organic Gardening magazine or the Crockett's Victory Garden book series. I started helping my Dad with his actual Victory Garden. Around here broccoli is usually started from seed indoors--don't cover seed it needs light to sprout--they can go out while you still have light frosts. The idea is to get them going before those green caterpillars are hatching to chew holes in them.

[bushg]

My plants were eaten by I think squirrels, They sheared every leaf off my tomatoe plants not one but eight plants. I was so angry. I love animals but I really threatened to do harm to them. We had a dry spell and I watered the plants( never thought to set out a bowl of water for the wild animals) and when I went outside to my little garden the next day. Not a leaf was left, there stood stems and nothing else on them, one even had a few baby tomatoes:( Yesterday I planted more, with a little dash of pepper on them).

A few weeks back something did my Marigolds the same way, I accused my husband of getting the weed eater to close to them( he hates marigolds) so now I know it was the squirrels. I thought I was squirrel proof because I have four cats...

If they eat these I guess I will be off to the farmers market, thankfully they haven't touched my peppers or cucumbers.

[startover22]

Awww, so sorry bushg... poor you and your veggies! (and marigolds)
Massplumber, I wish I could say my garden is complete and ready to harvest. We haven't had a summer yet, nor have I found the time to do a garden. I think I set my goals way to high as I htought we would get this place in tip top shape. We haven't done a darn thing yet. I am pretty sure it will take all winter long to get it all together and then make the beds. I have a special spot that may take a tractor to clear. I want a garden so bad, I miss it terribly. Poor me and my busy schedule.

[AKaeTrue]

I'll post some pics for you all...
Bushg I'm so sorry to hear that! How awful, I would have cried!
Start, maybe next year sweet...

[AKaeTrue]

[firmbeliever]

Sorry to hear about your garden bG.


Start,don't worry too much,everything in its own time.

Kae,
Love your garden,wow! Beautiful.Great job!

I liked the first pic you posted,I was going to ask you if I could borrow that pic to use it as my avatar:),but you should use it in your av pic!
(all the photos are beautifully shot too).

[bushg]

My mouth is watering at the thoughts of those cukes.
Some fried green toatoes would not be bad either.
The color is awesome in those pics.

[AKaeTrue]

Thanks Firmy! You're welcome to any pic you want:D
I hope you're doing good, haven't talked to you in a while.

Edit, and thanks Bushg!

[massplumber2008]

Startover.. sorry to hear that! My garden is only 10' x 8' and not too many plants... but I did get it started... will see from there.

Bushg... that stinks.. :(

My neighbor (professional landscaper) uses the BASIL PLANT to keep squirrels away from his tomatoes. I can't say from experience but he told us that he doesn't use any pesticides AT ALL... just the basil... and his tomatoes are beautiful.

Anyway, we planted tomatoes and cherry tomatoes and then surrounded them every 12" with basil plants like he does. We have wayyy to many squirrrels in the city here... will keep you guys posted on how we make out this year.

And AKaeTrue... great pics... I appreciate you posting them... gives me confidence that I can succeed with mine. The summer squash looks incredible!

Hey, I'll post a pic. Of my small garden when I'm up and running.. see how that basil worked out... ;)

Good day all... MARK

.

[bushg]

Mass thanks for the tip, I will get me a few basil plants... This is the first year that I have had a problem, so I am a bit shocked.

[massplumber2008]

Let me know if it helps, will you... I am amazed at how nice my neighbor's plants were... *crossing fingers* this helps!

[AKaeTrue]

Hi Mark and thanks.

Mine are no pesticides as well.
I've been putting a little Dawn dish detergent in a lawn sprayer
Full of water and I give my plants a good spray every 1 or 2 days for bugs.

I haven't had a problem with the squirrels bothering anything except the strawberries... sooo we planted
Some strawberry plants just for them on the opposite side of the yard than the garden along with a squirrel feeder. This has worked real good so far.

I'll have to try the basil thing too for extra protection! Thanks for the tip.

[massplumber2008]

AKaeTrue:

And your tomatoes look like they are doing great... I will keep the Dawn DW soap in my plans here as well.

Neat idea about strawberries/squirrel feeder.. will look into that.

Thanks again.

[AKaeTrue]

Just in case you do try it, it's the original blue Dawn:).
I haven't tested the ultras or the smell good ones to know if they work or not

[massplumber2008]

Will do... Thanks... :)

My tomatoes appreciate it!

[bushg]

I am going to give you a garden update.
A few weeks ago we had a huge storm that laid my little garden over... well it survived that and my tomatoes were beautiful and loaded on some of the vines.
I checked on them almost every day talking and petting the leaves... silly I know but I like to touch the leaves they smell so good. .
My cucumbers are blooming and have teeny small cukes and are climbing up the fence. I have 1 huge brocolli growing (my sons).

The bad news is This past Monday I went to check on my garden and someone had stolen all of my tomatoes... every last one of them. They went through 2 different gates to get to them.. I have an inkling who it was but will never be able to prove it. I had a few cherry tomatoes survive they were planted among some flowering sweet peas and I guess he did not see them.

My neighbors peach tree was picked bare last summer and the summer before all of her mums were stolen but we tracked them to his yard. Yes he had the nerve to pluck them and put them in pots and stick them in his flower bed.
We have a neighborhood thief and he always seems to get away with it or at least for the past 30+ years.

I've been bumed out all week by this... I guess I will go visit the farmers market, but on a good note my neighbor offered me some of hers. :)

[startover22]

Ohhhhh ou guys are doing so well, I am so jealous!
bushg, don't you worry, you could put up an electric fence and then see if he tries it again?? LOL Just kidding as much as you may want to, this could get you into some real trouble... Sorry I just had to say it...
When I was a teenager, my friend and I used to steal a handful of snap peas from a garden down the street, believe me, if there were an electric fence, I wouldn't have dared!! :):)

[bushg]

Kids would have been one thing but this old man is a trip.. hes even been in jail a few times and is banned from most stores. Maybe I should feel sorry for him but I'm not that nice.
I would like to have a little cattle prod and prod him all the way back up the street.

I was guilty of it back in the day when I was a kid, of taking corn, potatoes, etc... from my gramps garden or from my friends gramps garden then we would have a big cook out down by the creek.
1/2 cooked food was the best.

[startover22]

I understand completely... all that hard work. Sorry sweet bushg... ;)