Caryb.com Outdoors

Rabbits Under Control. Chipmunks, Not so Much

Cary — Sat, 26 May 2012 16:51:21 +0000

After returning home from our fishing trip Zachary and I went to the back yard to check out the progress of the garden. Specifically I wanted to see how close the roma tomato was to ripening.

Over the past week we’ve been noticing small holes around the base of our tomato and pepper plants. Initially I chalked it up to birds but when the small holes got larger and more aggressive it became obvious that something else was the culprit. All along the clues were there, exposed roots and exposed onion bulbs.

Thursday evening my neighbor stopped by to chat a while. I smiled when I saw him carrying an owl statue in his hand. After exchanging salutations he offered the owl and I accepted with no reservations. I hoped the owl would help to keep the critter at bay. After two days it looked like the owl was pulling its weight. Today however, to my surprise the tomato was riddled with small teeth marks and a gaping hole. My blood pressure immediately spiked as I tried to figure out what had ruined my harvest.

Fueled with the anger of a mother bear protecting her cubs I sat around the garden waiting to get a glance of the trouble maker. I was not disappointed. Shortly after getting situated I observed a chipmunk dart under the fence and confidently gallop into the garden. Half way into the garden the chipmunk noticed me and froze in its tracks. It was too late. I yelled at the top of my lungs and it darted back under the fence and ran into my neighbor’s yard.

Now that I know the source of my frustration how do I remedy it? I’ve posted an article on the square foot garden forum in hopes that more experienced gardeners will be able to provide advice. While waiting on the response I’m also going to check out the world wide web. In the end I’ll probably buy another whiskey barrel and transplant the tomato but that won’t address the root cause. I guess it’s time to put my 2-3/4 dove shells to use (LOL).

Garden Update Weeks 6 & 7

Cary — Mon, 21 May 2012 00:18:54 +0000

Over the past two weeks we’ve had a storm pass through which snapped a sweet gum tree almost in half and dumped much needed rain. The snapped tree provided firewood that I’ll burn throughout the summer while the rains provided complementary watering for the garden. As a result we’ve noticed measureable progress.

The lettuce, cilantro, basil, radish and beets have almost doubled in size while the squash has started to sprawl. Today was somewhat of a milestone for us. We harvested our first jalapeno pepper and cherry tomato. We also noticed that some of the flowers on the bean plants have fallen making way for our first green beans. Even in the limited sunlight the carrots, watermelon and cantaloupe seem to be doing well also.

The flowers on the bell peppers have withered and the unmistakable green buds of bell peppers have taken their place. Right now the only thing that concerns me a bit is the fact that the garden is not getting as much sunlight as I had originally hoped. The thick canopy of oaks, maple, sweet gum and poplar trees have shaded the garden for the majority of the day. I kind of figured this first year would be a learning experience and so far I’ve taken plenty of notes.

Just a Few Casts

Cary — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:11:06 +0000

After several long days at work I decided to unwind by hitting the Flint River today. The water level was normal for this time of year but it seemed a little cooler than expected. Vibrant green reeds lined the river banks while the middle of the knee deep water was littered by random boulders and smaller rocks.

The setting sun punched through openings in the mature trees bordering the river’s edge and an assortment of dragon flies and small gnats hovered above the moss filtered water. This was the perfect backdrop to my third trip of the 2012 season.

Armed with my ultra lite rod and reel and a red and black hot grub with a chartreuse tail I made my first series of casts. My initial focus was the grass reeds and a few casts later I was rewarded with a decent rock bass. The fish hit the lure hard and put up a decent fight. After landing the fish and taking a few photos I released it.

Children playing in the distance could be heard and their voices became louder and louder. One uttered the words “I’m going to throw sticks in the water” and with that I knew it was time to head toward the house. On my way up river I noticed a fish snapping at something in the shallowest of waters. I figured what the heck and made two casts in the vicinity. As the lure hit the water on the second cast a fish immediately hit and started to swim off. I set the hook and finessed the little guy in. It turned out to be a palm sized bream. The thought of taking it home crossed my mind but instead I opted to take a photo and release it. Who wants to clean a single fish anyway?

Overall this was a great trip. I got a chance to get in some much needed exercise and caught three fish along the way. Not too shabby.

Garden Update Week 5

Cary — Sat, 05 May 2012 16:09:17 +0000

This week there has been a great deal of activity in the garden. Warmer temperatures and rain showers have really given the plants a boost. The Roma tomato plant has put on two more tomatoes while the Cherry tomato plant has put on six. As of today the Cherry tomato plant stands around three feet and from the looks of the new flowers she’ll add a few more fruit real soon.

The squash plant has doubled in size and sports what I call elephant ears. For some reason the cucumbers seems to be taking their sweet time developing. I’m starting to wonder if the beans and Roma tomato plants are shading its share of sunlight. To put my theory to the test I transplanted it approximately eight inches from its original home. Hopefully it will survive the transplant. Speaking of beans, they have really taken off. In another week or so I expect to begin training them to climb the trellis.

The other runners, watermelon and cantaloupe, seem to be doing well. Both are starting to grow leaves that resemble their associated varieties. If they make it I’m wondering how I’ll manage their vines. Research on http://squarefoot.creatingforum.com has yielded solutions to the potential problem but I’m still undecided on suspending the fruit on a trellis. I still have plenty of time to make a decision so I guess I’ll cross that bridge later.

Almost three weeks ago a rabbit made its way into my backyard under the cover of darkness. Its destination was the newly grown garden. As Sheba slept on the back porch the rabbit had its way with the tender lettuce, radish and beets. To round out its diet it turned its attention to the tomato and pepper plants. While the tomato and pepper plants went relatively unscathed the lettuce, beets and radish were decimated. I gave the plants a week or so to recover but only the lettuce showed signs of recovery. As such, I replanted most of the beets and all the radish. Today I’m proud to say that everything is growing well.

A couple of days ago I thinned out the carrots. They have been doing really well but I knew I would have to thin them eventually. I almost transplanted them to another area but in the end I felt they were not mature enough to survive the transplant so I discarded them. Chalk that up to inexperience.

The peppers appear to be doing well. The jalapeno plant in the garden has produced its first peppers. Closer inspection revealed that two more peppers are on their way also. The peppers in the old whiskey barrel look good but have yet to put on any fruit. Due to the later planting I’m not getting discouraged yet.

The bell peppers have had me scratching my head. Their leaves have gone from being a deep green color to displaying a yellowish tint. My initial assessment is that I’ve been over watering them. Since I’ve adjusted their watering cycle the leaves have put on a more natural green color and buds are appearing at the top of the plant. I think they’ll be ok.

With that being said it’s time to head to the garden to do some pruning and weeding. Be sure to check out the photo journal for additional photos.

Garden Update Weeks 3 & 4

Cary — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 23:14:51 +0000

After being raided by the neighborhood rabbit some of the beet plants have recovered but none of the radish plants survived. As such, I made the decision today to replant. The lettuce, which was mowed down to the soil, has made a remarkable recovery. Also in the recovery category are the tomato and pepper plants. Since my last posting the green beans, squash, cucumber, cantaloupe and watermelons have made great progress. To date the only consistent plants have been onions, cherry and Roma tomatoes. Each plant has started to bear its respective fruit and that puts a smile on my face. Adding to the good news, today another plant joined thier ranks. The first Jalapeno plant is sporting its first peppers.

Hopefully over the next few weeks the replanted radish and beets will really start to grow. But who knows, the rabbit may be sitting in the distance licking its chops planning another attack. I guess time will tell.