What will you be doing differently for this year's garden?

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Permalink Reply by John on January 16, 2008 at 8:26am

Bio-intensive is my change for the coming year as well. I purchased the John Jeavons book and am anxious to try it. The past two years my veggie garden suffered greatly because I was out of town traveling a lot (having fun!!). I'm cutting back on that sort of thing so I may better tend my garden.......John

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Permalink Reply by Dr. Christopher J. Kline on January 16, 2008 at 5:37pm

Sounds great! Is the bio-intensive method different from "squar foot gardening"?
Chris

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Permalink Reply by Earthartist on January 22, 2008 at 10:54am

I recommend this book 'Great Garden Companions' by Sally Jean Cunningham to gardeners. I hope you get a chance to read it.

Bio-intensive gardens are well suited for large-scale gardens and square foot gardens are for those with limited space, which shouldn't require much maintenance once established. Both require that the soil be carefully prepared before planting so that it becomes possible to grow more food in less space. That's why gardeners have success with both these methods. Mulch, compost, and a steady water supply are essential.

Mixing in a variety of plants (companion planting) will help to repel certain insects, attract bees and other pollinators, improve and enrich the soil - no matter which method you choose. The garden will look and smell beautiful too by adding a variety of colors and scents..

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Permalink Reply by Maya on January 22, 2008 at 12:22pm

Check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_companion_plants. I just learned that marigolds, tomatoes, and basil repel asparagus beetles, and that geraniums are a trap plant for Japaneses beetles, to distract them from grapes and beans. Nasturtiums and tansy repel lined cucumber beetle and/or squash bugs. Wow! Those are my biggest pests.

...besides the woodchucks. Anything to repel those besides a shotgun? We've tried those ultrasonic vibrating sticks, dirty dog hair, and cayenne pepper. The woodchucks look amused as they happily enjoy the feast. Every time we've tried a hav-a-hart trap, we've caught skunks (and the woodchucks munch on...). On the list for this year is predator urine (here that's coyote and bobcat).

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Permalink Reply by Earthartist on January 22, 2008 at 5:16pm

Maya

Not sure how to control woodchucks - but save your money and don't purchase products that claim to repel animals by predator urine scents. They really won't work.

There are many good references (some based on actual science) for those interested in companion planting. Planting by the moon is another way of gardening, There have been studies done testing how seeds germinate and plants grow based on the different phases of the moon. Farmers used to use both these methods once upon a time. Some organic gardeners (like myself) still do.

Maybe you could plant/design an area for the woodchucks to abuse and keep a separate area for your needs. Have you considered container gardening, placing the containers up close to your home where you might be better able to watch and hopefully prevent problems ?


Good Luck - Those have-a-heart traps are great for little animals - I've caught many, many chipmunks in them.

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Permalink Reply by Peter Robertson on January 22, 2008 at 6:18pm

Last year the whistle pigs (woodchucks) did a lot of damage to my garden. I tried Have a Heart traps baited with cat food, coke, greens... Nothing. Then I observed that a path from a back field was worn into the growing orchard grass. I set an unbaited trap in that path. It worked!!! Over the next 2 weeks I trapped 4 woodchucks and 1 rabbit. I located another path. Placed a similar unbaited trap and caught 3 more woodchucks and 3 baby bunnies (My girls wanted to keep them so bad, we compromised and let them go at our favorite campground-with permission). I think wild animals are like us-creatures of habit. Follow a given path to the garden smorgasbord... Observing patterns is easier than tempting wary animals into a baited trap. THis year the fence goes up!!!!

Pete

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Permalink Reply by Maya on January 22, 2008 at 6:45pm

If one has space, one can plant a woodchuck garden to keep them amused or trace their paths. We're on a suburban double lot (= 9,500 sq. ft.) with lots of big trees and little growing space. This is one of the reasons I garden vicariously at the school. The woodchucks have a network of tunnels, with holes under every garden shed and playhouse for miles around. My mother-in-law trapped a whole family with echinacea tea in her hav-a-hart, but ours don't seem to like it. Once I set out my tomatoes and cucumbers to harden off on the back deck. I went to the supermarket and when I came back they were all lopped off at the soil. Fencing might work for rabbits, but woodchucks will burrow under it and climb over it. I've seen them do it. So there you go. I trade you my predator urine savings for your fencing savings. And I do hope you've seen the Wallace & Grommit movie about the were-rabbit with your kids.

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Permalink Reply by Joy Williams on March 28, 2009 at 6:18pm

What a great solution. I was thinking the only way to protect the crops was with a shotgun. of course fences HELP, but a determined woodchuck might find a way around them. You should read Michael Pollan's adventures with woodchucks in Second Nature

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Permalink Reply by Melissa on March 31, 2009 at 8:06pm

Wobbly fences are good, too. They can't climb them.

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Permalink Reply by Ames on April 12, 2008 at 8:10am

Ground hogs have been a problem off and on for me. We used the hav-a-hearts with success, but it takes time. I found that erecting a small barrier with bird netting and bamboo stakes (a flimsy fence) helped. The bird netting is almost invisible and I assume it helps to baffle the ground hog. It is also easy to move when I need to work the bed. I do have raised beds so I only netted selected beds, like the tomatoes.

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Permalink Reply by Tamra on March 26, 2009 at 8:08am

I love tansy, and know it is a great companion, but it stinks. On a hot sunny day when it is in bloom, it is really nasty. I wonder is it he the flowers or the foliage that repel the squash bugs and cuc beetles, b/c they are a real problem in my garden as well. Since I am in the south and nasturtiums don't like heat, I can only grow those in the spring.

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Permalink Reply by GardenGirl on March 28, 2009 at 6:17am

The Have-a-Heart traps work well but remember that you will need to transport the woodchuck to a location at least 8 miles away--or he/she will show up again! I trapped and transported 6 in one season and only 2 this past year. Have been lucky not to have caught any skunks! Ewwwww!

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