Along with the hail came the unseasonably chilly nights.
And when the potatoes were starting to come up too. But no problem, surely, because I had a couple of fleece cloches safety tucked away in the shed for just such an eventuality. Didn’t I?
********
Fortunately for the mice, the potatoes survived with a bit of extra earthing up.
But now the pheasants, and the pigeons, are looking longingly at my salad leaves. So..
I recycled the metal frames, and a piece of old netting that has so far escaped being chewed, to make a ‘summer’ cloche.
********
Job done.
The first of the peas and the beans are planted. Spinach, shallots and spring onions too. The sweetcorn is hardening off in the cold frame.
All set for a peaceful and productive growing season to come. Yes?
Er..
Oh the joys of living in rural beauty and peacefulness . . .
Unfortunately there are plenty of downsides, too, mostly the 4-legged variety, when you try to be a productive gardener. My little patch is fenced but the predators are either the flying variety or the slippery, slimy ones. The SS ones were out in mighty force during last year’s wet, wet summer (?) and in the end I left them to it, to carry on feasting on my hard-earned flowers and vegetables. Even the lawn was allowed to ‘go wild’ and is only now beginning to look something like it should.
If we don’t have a proper summer this year, I think I’ll just concrete over the whole flippin’ plot!
Today it’s windy and very cold; thank goodness I did a few hours gardening yesterday.
So back to the housework > > > > > > >
Hi Rambler and welcome to rusty duck!
Concreting is one option, emigrating is another. It’s dire isn’t it. Cold here too. Approaching the end of May and still gardening in a thick winter fleece. 🙁
Gosh, I do admire your determination … I think I’d have given up and given in!
It’s getting close I must admit..
she was just checking on dinner…..c’mon, now!!!
(i have a friend who has battled the deer in his vegetable garden for years….first the cages (sort of like yours), then a cute little fence—then a larger fence—now, he just put up an 8′ electric fence. I think this is more a case of….by golly, you ARE NOT GOING TO WIN….than really needing such a structure! We’ll see!)
I think I need one of those Star Trek force fields Steph.
Oh dear – if it’s not one thing it’s another – it looks like the rusty ducks are chasing him away though!
When I first glanced out of the window and saw it, it was sniffing at the ducks, which would have made a great shot. But by the time I had flown to Mike’s study cupboard, extracted camera bag and then camera, I could only catch it walking away. They are not great quality shots, taken at speed and through a rather dirty window..
Lovely pics of the deer – I hope he just politely visits and doesn’t cause havoc for you!
x
Polite visits would be very nice indeed. I’m imagining a beautifully warm, late May evening, glass of wine in hand, relaxing on the terrace with a deer grazing on the lawn..
Wot! No rabbits!
Don’t.. just don’t.
Maybe if you put out a large bowl of deer treats (whatever they may be!!) they might leave your plants alone. The only trouble then will be that the entire deer neighbourhood will rock up to enjoy the party . . .
And mebbe the deer crowd will fancy some salad to go along with their tasty dinner. Oh dear/deer!
Janice: maybe I could put the deer treats some distance away? Might not do much for neighbourly relations though..
Rambler: we had a pheasant which used to fly up to the bird table and steal seed. We started putting out his own little pile of seed on the drain cover under the kitchen window. He’d have all that.. and then leap straight up on the bird table and demolish whatever was there too..
How productive you are Jessica ……. some nice meals to be made with that lot methinks !! …. that’s if the wildlife doesn’t get it and eat ‘cordon bleu’ first !!
Love the photographs of the deer ….. is that your rhododendron ? That’s going to look a picture. XXXX
The rhododendron that the deer is nibbling? Yes 🙁
Join the club!!
It’s the ‘Try to Grow and Eat the Food Before the Wildlife Does Club’, it’s members mainly consist of frenzied looking, undernourished veggie growers with designs for fences and fort knox like structures whizzing through their ever diminishing brain cells. They are drained and white through lack of sleep because even at night designs for deer, rabbit and squirrel proof objects are playing on a loop through their brains.
I’ve been a member for a couple of years now, the bleach hides the grey hairs well but the furrowed brow cannot be masked …..perhaps I could grow something in the furrows …… just a thought ………
🙂
Where do I sign up?
Oh dear, no pun intended.
Oh deer indeed.
Such a lovely sight but not within the boundary of your garden perhaps?!!!
She is a beautiful animal.
When I went outside we eyeballed each other for several seconds, through the fruit cage, before she flashed her white tail at me and ran off.
You’ll end up with an electric fence, otherwise word is out…..all you can eat buffet, coming soon to Jessica’s place 🙂
Well done on the netting tents !
~Jo
I can see the veggie garden becoming a huge cage. Not a good look.
Well, I am glad that all I ave to contend with at our allotment is a few shifty-eyed pigeons! Beautiful deer, though.
Ah, you wait. There may yet be ducks from the river… geese. Even swans. Many, many beaks to feed.
Your salad crop is looking great and I love the deer. Deer can’t really get to my veg because of the pond and stock fencing, so I can appreciate seeing them.
Maybe it was just a one off visit.. she won’t come back and I’ll just be able to appreciate seeing her when I did.
What a creative use for the metal frames, pure genius!
Your salad leaves do look wonderful, you can’t blame that DELIGHTFUL deer for being attracted to them…..If I had the deer I think I’d grow stuff for them just to get a view like that1xxxx
It was quite a shock to see her. But brilliant too, when I went outside and we watched each other for a while before she ran off.
“Flow, dear?’
“No, Roe deer!”
Shades of Carry On!
🙂
As long as it isn’t Carry On Munching..
I just noticed a patch of nothingness in the middle of two side by side rows of sugar beet. Slug pellets will be put down tomorrow! Been too wet to earth the potatoes up. Should have been done by now, but it is not my favourite job, so blaming the rain! Deer are lovely creatures, but better somewhere else!
Wet = slugs. As sure as night following day.
I have been told that these “predator eyes” http://www.amazon.com/Solar-Nite-Eyes-Predator-Protection/dp/B00570LTSK
Perhaps they sell that on your side of the pond?
I am going to try it. I garden as a job. Mostly for weekenders who live in the city. I am at there house once a week and tend their fenced in veg patch. Luckily no deer, but an occasional sneaky rabbit and the chipmunks and squirrels are the worst. They eat everything there. Netting, no netting. They dig under, chew through.
Good luck scaring your pests away, before they make a habit of visiting.
Suzanne
I’ll be very interested to hear how you get on with that! Thanks for the tip – looks intriguing!!
It’s a real problem, I love having the wildlife around but they can be so destructive, and between them leave no produce for us! Always on the look out for deterrents that work without causing harm.
I think I’d sacrifice my veggie leaves to have deer roaming my garden !
They eat a lot of veggie leaves though!!
At least we only have to contend with the pesky cats!!
At least they keep the mice at bay!
You must have the tastiest garden for miles around. The entire animal spectrum is out to eat it!
Just as long as there are no rabbits..
You seem to have become a haven for wildlife, which would be fine I guess if they didn’t eat the contents.
Exactly Anne. Everything seems to turn up hungry though.
I’ll lend you the dog. x
As I recall, he doesn’t take prisoners either..
No, no, not the shorts! I bought a straw sun hat last year, and look what happened to summer after that!
I have committed a worse crime Rachel. Three years ago we bought a parasol to shade a cafe table and chairs. Used twice.
Is that a little Muntjac? looks like a young one. I can understand why the wildlife is keen to get at your veggies. You’re going to have a battle this summer, I think.
A bit bigger Oma, it’s a roe deer. I’ve heard them crashing about in the woods, and had brief glimpses, but this is the first time one has ventured right up to the house. That I’ve seen anyway.
I was moaning about a basset hound stomping over my seedlings, but I think you’ve got me beat with your menagerie! Julie x
Basset hounds can have big feet!
Oh, no – a deer! I wonder what will visit your garden next? This newest visitor could cause lots of problems though – you must feel as if you are growing food for the wildlife and not yourselves. On another level how super to see a deer so close:)
It was lovely to see it. And lessons learnt – we now have a camera left out near a window so it’s easier to take action shots!
Oh deer, it never rains but it paws!
(Sorry, couldn’t resist 😉 )
Aarrgh!!
🙂
Deer 🙂
How wonderful 🙂
More mouths to feed 🙁
I love wildlife but it can be a right pain sometimes, especially when you grow your own. I think I’d rather have the pleasure of seeing deer though, it must be wonderful to have them so close.
The compromise would be that they stay in the wooded part of the garden, but I don’t suppose that will happen!