Our garden looks like MCI Concord.
It is the ultimate gated community.
When a groundhog plowed through the first tender young offerings like a lawn mower two years ago, we installed a fence two feet underground and four feet above, around the precious produce. When it figured out how to climb and/or find loose links to get into the garden last year, we added scrolls of outward-rolling fencing to the top and I spent days “sewing” wire between individual links of underground and above-ground fencing until my fingers bled.
It worked.
And then…
As this winter approached, I suggested to Rick that we leave the gate to the garden open so as to better access the compost bin, which is located inside the gated community. It’s winter, I figured. What’s to forage for?
But guess who decided to burrow under the compost bin – with all that warmth and available food, INSIDE the “impenetrable” complex?
The huge burrowing holes gave it away.
It ain’t no chipmunk.
This is war.
We won’t kill it – against our principles – but we won’t stand for it either.
So today, I borrowed a neighbor’s large Havahart trap, loaded it with luscious rotting squash shells and broccoli stems and left it near the hole.
I WILL prevail.
Just watch.
We bought an "air gun" last year(which Rob informed me was code for BB gun) to make a point with the intruders. However I lost my nerve and couldn't face it, plus I think it's illegal because we are so closely neighbored. We staple gunned wire fencing onto our wooden sided raised beds and for the first time in 2 years, had a ripe tomato without bites out of it.But..I hear you. There's a burgeoning community of critters here, too...and they don't seem to have predators.
ReplyDeletePut the dogs to work. Without their scent you'll never win
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