How Does Your Garden Grow?

Mary, Mary, quite contrary,

How does your garden grow?

With silver bells and cockle shells

And pretty maids all in a row.

Well, ok, I’m not really talking about Mary Tudor, as in “Bloody Mary,” Queen Mary 1 of England. 

I’m talking about my garden, and the growing thereof.

I counted it up, and the total of things planted was 28:

Corn

Okra

Rosemary

Tarragon

Dill

Cilantro

Green Beans

Peas

Spinach

Bulb onions

Carrots

Pinto Beans

Basil, sweet

Basil, Genovese

Oregano

Parsley, tripled curled

Parsley, Italian

Bell Pepper

Radishes

Onion

Lettuce

Cucumber

Watermelon

Pumpkin

Cantaloupe

Thyme

Squash

Tomatoes

I made a chart and have determined that the doves got a lot of the seeds.    There is basically nothing in my vine garden, so that means replanting watermelon, cucumber, pumpkin and cantaloupe, although there is now one stray seedling of something popping up.

My corn continues to sprout, but initially it looks like the doves got at least 1/2 of the seeds. I am trying to determine if I should wait to replant for a few more weeks.  I think that at the very least, I am going to start some seedlings inside and then transplant outside once they are bigger.

While the garden area is no where close to being done, for the time being, it’s good enough.  I have pulled hunny away from garden escapades to work on the chicken tractor, which is nearly done. He still has the drip system to get out there, and it seems we have effectively gotten the dogs to stay out. 

The plastic bags seems to be working out ok, but I think getting rid of the feeder was the biggest help.  We’ve been able to shoo away the doves when they get in the garden for the most part, although I have no idea what is going on while we are sleeping.  I think the new few days will have some additional planting. In case if you haven’t read my struggle with birds in the garden, read Garden Pests and This Means War! (Garden Pests #2) for the background information.

I have been spending a large portion of my time preparing for chicks.  I am going to be extremely bummed if they are gone by the time I get there when they open on Friday morning.  I have a back-up plan in mind, but I will say that won’t be nearly as fun.  I also expect to post about the chicks once they are here, so stay tuned! 

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This Means War! (Garden Pests #2)

I am beyond ticked.  Those doves are eating the seeds in my garden! This is a continuation of my Garden Pests  post.

This morning I chased them out and saw pumpkin seeds and a pinto bean seed sitting on top, with the hole to prove it.  The bird flew up into the tree, and stayed there, until I threw a twig that came near it.

I am beyond *furious*!  This means war.

To that end, the bird feeder is gone.  I don’t care if it never goes back.  I may miss the birds, but I want the garden more.  Besides, I’m thinking chickens in the yard will be nice, once I get them and they are old enough to be outside.  In the meantime, I’ll put the hummingbird feeder out and see if they are here yet.

I’ve also got the unused garden stakes in the beds, with plastic bags tied around them.  We’ll see if that’s enough of a deterrent.  If it’s not, well, the kids can take turns sitting out there and shooing the birds away.  I don’t know that we have old cds lying around (they don’t seem to send them in the mail like they used to), but I have no problem sacrificing an entire spool if it keeps the birds out of the garden.

The thought we had this morning when taking down the feeder was, “Well, here’s hoping they don’t raid the garden because their other food source has been taken away.”  I’ll keep you posted.

In the meantime, *please* use the comments section to share with me what you’ve had success using!

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Garden Pests

Apparently, I have them.  I am a few weeks into the planting, and while most things should still be germinating, I am getting a few sprouts.

Hunny told me this morning that he’s seen the doves in the garden, picking at my mounds.  I have three stray watermelon seedlings that have sprouted, but nothing else yet.  Monday will be two weeks, and while I’m not freaking out yet, I am getting really annoyed at the doves- again.

These doves are a thorn in my side, to put it mildly.  I hate them.  They push the little birds off the feeder, and they eat my feeder dry in a day- that is how big they are and how many there are. They are big, fat, obnoxious, and mean, in addition to being bold.  Either they are very stupid or they are very smart, because even people in the yard aren’t cause for they to fly off.  If I could get my hands on them…..  

My feeder was one that was pretty small, to not allow big birds to perch.  Ya, right.  They find a way to hang off and crane their necks.  Nevermind the seed droppings on the ground.

Besides ignoring humans, noises don’t tend to make them fly away, either.  As in, you can bang on the window (which, ironically, I haven’t managed to break yet with the pounding) and not only will they not fly away, they won’t even fly away when you go outside!  Sure, they’ll move up to the fence to perch, but as soon as you turn around to go in, they are on the ground right behind you.

I have long hated these doves.  And now they are probably ruining my garden?!  Can you tell how frustrated I am?  These are the same birds that wait to see what is coming out the door before they think about flying away.  They don’t even care that the dog is outside, although she has gotten a few here and there.

Sending the cat out or getting a bird-eating kitty has crossed my radar, but the chicks we’re getting in the next few weeks would be fair game and sitting ducks until they got big enough.  I’ve even though about getting a rooster, but, well, you know how that would go. 

And speaking of the dogs, we’ve been trying to keep them in the house because of – you guessed it – the garden.  We put up a 2 1/2- 3 ft wire fence, which big dog just hopped over and removed from the plank along the fence it was fastened to.  So, that’s tweaked until hunny can fix it (hopefully today).  To block off the other side next to the house, we have placed one of our large yard garbage cans.

Yep, you guessed this, too.  Big dog just pushes it out of her way, and little dog can squeeze through the one side.  We need a square can, hunny says.  I say, we need a gate.  He wanted to put a nice wood fence up goinng from end to end, but not only did I need something up much faster (to keep the dogs out), I wasn’t sure we needed to put that kind of money into it.  Obviously, that is what it’s going to come to.

BUT. If I can’t keep the doves out of the garden and from eating the planted seeds, I don’t know that I will have it in me to do another garden.  They even come and hang out on my patio tomato plants right outside my window!!!!  I can just see them now, taking a bath in my garden once the drip system is in place.

Hunny went to Tractor Supply and to the hardware store, asking whether or not the garden owls really work.  I don’t think the plastic snakes would work, as bold as these doves are, but it may be worth a try if the owl doesn’t work.  He came home with the owl.  Other suggestions include a plastic bag tied along the fence flapping.  We’ve talked about hanging old cds, but they might be too clunky with our wind, and perhaps a small windsock that we have.

So, friends, I am turning to you.  What things have you done and had success with keeping the pesky birds out of your garden?  Please leave me comment!                                                            

                                                                                                             

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