Like many this summer, I’m spending a lot of time outdoors, and our vegetable garden is bigger than ever. Each day I’m proud of the bounty we harvest – an array of squashes, cucumbers, string beans, tomatoes, and herbs. But there’s one part of our garden I’m particularly proud of. My pumpkin patch!
Everything has gone better than expected in my personal pumpkin patch. Seeds, growing into great hunking, thriving plants. I chose bush variety pumpkins – small, multi-colored ones (named Kandy Korn – Cute!) and big, jack-o-lantern carving types. They’re fantastic! Promising an abundant crop in just a few short weeks.
Okay…no big deal you might say. What did you expect? You live in the north woods of New England. There are bound to be many creatures, checking out what’s good to eat in your garden. But this is MY PUMPKIN PATCH! The one I’ve tended and nurtured for months now. The one with special flowers to attract the bees, and bunny fencing, and scarecrows. I’m sorry Mr. Squirrel and Mrs. Chipmunk, but with harvest time just around the corner, this means war!
After much hemming and hawing, an ultrasonic, solar-powered animal repeller is on its way from Amazon. I feel giddy. Like Harry Potter when he received his Nimbus 2000. My techno-toy, rodent repeller will arrive any day now. I’ll keep you posted on how well it works. Or, if I simply horrify the neighbors. TOTALLY could happen! 😊
As of today, the woodland creatures are winning the war. BUT we’ll see when that brown package arrives on my doorstep. MUAHAHAHAH
If you have any sage advice for stopping pilfering pumpkin poachers, please share.
Until next time... Stay safe and be well. Thanks for reading!
~ Kathryn
***
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Coyotes and deer will take pumpkins and melons and eat them. They usually wait until they are ripe, though. Good luck with your electronic repellent. stephaniesuesansmith at gmail.com
ReplyDeleteWow...Coyotes...I didn't know that. Thankfully, we have a tall garden fence because of the dogs and deer. But those chippies and squirrels are dining in often. LOL Thanks for chiming in Stephanie! I'll keep you posted.
DeleteGood luck with your pumpkins!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Liz! I'm on a mission! hahaha
DeleteNo gardening knowledge sorry. BuT, I’ll say if these are ready for the locals to eat...aren’t they ready for you to pick? (See? No knowledge at all!)
ReplyDeleteBonnie, we harvested three of the little Kandy Korn pumpkins yesterday! They're great. But the little creatures come in and take bites out of the softer, young ones. Or, worse, they devastate those just about ready to harvest. I'm scared to look this morning! 😳 LOL
DeleteWe used to grow all sorts of things in a garden, especially pumpkins. Some years they'd get huge. Of course, I'm saying WE but the truth was my husband did all the gardening. I have a total black thumb and kill all plant life. Good luck! I hope you can get the critters to stop snacking.
ReplyDeleteOMG...I remember you saying you had a "black thumb". hahaha I really enjoy working with plants and earth. It's been a super-fun project this summer.
DeleteOur pumpkins never grew. Good luck with your amazon purchase.
ReplyDeleteIt came today! On a Sunday, no less. I'll keep you posted.
DeleteI would love to have a garden. I'm waiting for retirement when I can actually spend time with it. Good luck with the repellent!
ReplyDeleteIt is time consuming, Kara, but it's time well spent. I love the garden atmosphere and find it quite soothing.
DeleteI hate garden pests! You get 'em girl! We have deer galore. Steel built a fence to keep them out, but this year a bunny discovered our pea patch.
ReplyDeleteOh no! hahaha Good thing they're so cute, right?! We have SO MANY rabbits, chipmunks, and squirrels. Who knows which ones are the culprits. Thanks for reading!
DeleteYou are so fortunate. The only vegetable garden I can grow is around my pool. A neighbor tried planting peas on my side yard. Didn't last too long.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry for your frustration but this wa such a fun post. Reminded me of the first year we lived in a rural area and had a large garden. Every time Hero thought the watermelons would be ripe the next day, he'd go out the following day to discover deer had been there. They always got the best melons. The next year, he moved the garden to a less secluded spot and the deer stayed away. We also tried one of those electronic rodent discouragers, but I'm sorry to tell you ours didn't repel anything. I'll be looking forward to next month's report!
ReplyDeleteUgh...it's so frustrating when they swoop in right when stuff is ready to harvest. It IS funny though, and honestly we laugh. I've sacrificed the first pumpkin to the little furry guys, hoping they'll stick with just the one and not go hog wild on everything. Well see! So...my Nimbus 2000 is a dud, eh? I figured, as it wasn't expensive. Should be good for some laughs anyway. Thanks for reading!
DeleteWe tried an electronic gopher repeller. Didn't do a thing to deter the little critterss. We have chicken wire enclosures around all the trees to keep the deer from rubbing the bark off in the spring and eating the fruit. We try not to plant anything that's accessible to the deer. They do love to eat! Last night, we placed the rind of a watermelon half where the yard meets the field. Around 11:00 that night, the deer arrived for their banquet and consumed every bit of it. Good luck with the cute, furry, hungry critters.
ReplyDeleteWow! Dear and gophers... We have ground hogs here, but I think the major culprits are chipmunks and squirrels. Thankfully, the little pumpkins (Kandy Korns) are early harvest. We're picking some already! Thanks for sharing, Joan. Good luck with your gardens!
DeleteI'll be curious if it works. I tried a deer repellent that seemed to do little for me while others swore by it. Even after the pumpkins were grown one years I had to watch them. I was inside and kept hearing a noise I couldn't identify. I looked out the dog next door had come over and turned one of my pumpkins on its side and was rolling it down my driveway with his paws and snout! He thought it was great fun. Me, not so much.
ReplyDeleteHahahahaha...Nora... OMG, that's crazy! My dogs are locked out of the garden for that very reason. They DO love the veggies though, and they would likely decimate the place in mere minutes. Your story should go in a book!
DeleteThat's great to see your pumpkins are growing well, we have this little strawberry plant which survived last winter, and growing again now. Never planted pumpkins before, some strawberries.. but squirrels or birds got it.. Oh and grapes.. but we don't fertilize it so they're not sweet.
ReplyDeletepores(at)live(dot)com
I bet grapes and berries would be tough with the birds. How cool though! We actually brought in new soil to blend in, and I fertilized - it's pretty out of control in the garden now. But we love it! Sharing our bounty with family all the time. Thanks for reading and sharing, Calvin!
DeleteI can't grow things without feeding every bird in the state. Nothing repels them.
ReplyDeletemarypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com
fun pics
ReplyDeletebn100candg at hotmail dot com
Kindred spirits, we be, Mary! hahahaha I'll keep you posted on how things turn out. 🙂
DeleteGood luck on the pumpkins, I never have been one to get vet able a or flowers to grow! Thanks for the chance!
ReplyDeleterbooth43(at)yahoo(dot)com
Thank you! Cross your fingers for me. 😂
DeleteLOL ... you farmer lady you! I'd say chicken wire cages. Although they'd have to be big enough to allow for growth and anchored so the culprits don't just knock them over.
ReplyDeleteExactly, Nancy! There are garden cloches and nets, but the same thing happens. What can I say? Fodder for books... 😂😂😂
DeleteThat must be tough - Doing all that work on a garden and someone else reaps the benefits.
ReplyDeletedebby236 at hotmail dot com
They are SO LUCKY they're cute, Debby LOL Thanks for reading and commenting!
DeleteMy one pumpkin died this year. :( I accidentally cut off its umbilical cord when I was pulling up the dying zucchini runners. So sad. I'm envious of your pumpkin patch!
ReplyDeleteOh no! You should try these bush varieties next year. Much more compact. I'm pleased. My Nimbus 2000 (hahaha) arrived yesterday afternoon. Today's the day it goes in!
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