2025 Garden Thread

Update after I put up the fencing around the broccoli and cauliflower seedlings on Wednesday. Seemed to be working. Watered Friday AM and went biking. All good.

Friday PM half the plants were gone. Critter dug under the fencing. There are a few leaves where it dragged the plants out through the hole it dug. So, this is a critter active during the daytime. Hmmm. I could only bury the fence an inch or two deep. Online, I read bury the fence 10" deep for voles. I was nowhere near that.
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Removed the remaining plants from the bed and ordered this trap from Amazon ($18) and got it next day (Saturday). Thanks China. Baited it with a cauliflower seedling. Also, sprinkled some oatmeal over the trap trigger.
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On Saturday afternoon, I put the trap in the bed where the broccoli and cauliflower were. Checked it a couple of times a day but no takers. Checked it this morning (Monday) and still nothing. Went out this afternoon and I got 'em. I think it is a vole, based on look and length of the tail. It ate all the cauliflower seedling and oatmeal bait.
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I put the trap back out in case there are more. Baited with oatmeal and I'll try various other baits. Online, it suggests to bait with peanut butter for voles. Apparently, peanut butter doesn't work for my voles or they are wise to the rodent traps I baited.
 
Good job on finding them, though I'm not sure a buried fencing will stop them. I buried 4' hardwire cloth around the perimeter when I put in the garden 14 years ago. 10" down and 12" across in a right angle. But that was mostly to prevent groundhogs not small rodents. They can easily climb over the above ground sections of the hardwire and through the fence holes. Bird and slugs are my regular intruders for the past 14 years
 
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Yeah, probably the best way to deter digging is to turn the fence outward at ground level 6 - 10 inches and bury that. Then add some 3/4" red rock or similar over it on the outside. That's what I did with the garden fence and never had a rabbit or other animal dig underneath. Climbers might still climb, though. Only 1" mesh on the main garden fence, so rodents can still slip though.
 
stb222 said:
Is this a bumper year for maple seeds? I think i have sugar maples, 3 big ones, and the helicopters have seemed alot more than other years.
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Yeah, I have them flying everywhere. Coated the driveway.
 
stb222 said:
Is this a bumper year for maple seeds? I think i have sugar maples, 3 big ones, and the helicopters have seemed alot more than other years.
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stb222 said:
Is this a bumper year for maple seeds? I think i have sugar maples, 3 big ones, and the helicopters have seemed alot more than other years.
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We have 5 maples along the back of the house. It has been so bad the past couple of years that we don’t want to sit out on the deck at this time of year because we get pelted by them incessantly. Hate to take down nice mature trees but am getting tired of it. Plus they clog the guttersIMG_5854.jpeg
 
@stb222 did you lose any ash trees? I wonder if the added sun is spurring growth. Also trees cycle and are productive some years more than others. I've observed this in oak trees but not sure this happens with maples
 
qclabrat said:
@stb222 did you lose any ash trees? I wonder if the added sun is spurring growth. Also trees cycle and are productive some years more than others. I've observed this in oak trees but not sure this happens with maples
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No, no ash trees lost in my yard or the surrounding. No heavy pruning either. I have been fertilizing gardens near these trees more than in previous year but it seems to be my entire street
 
Curious if you experts here have a preferred "cover crop" for dormant planters. We won't be home a lot this summer so we want to reduce garden maintenance. We put in a ton of garlic which is growing nicely, but still have two empty 4x6 planters. I was going to throw a bunch of beans in there but that seemed like a waste.

Suggestions?
 
Veggie garden is planted, 20 tomatoes, some eggplant, sweet peppers, and three different cukes. Saw this on IG to use a utility hook to make the holes for the plants. Worked well and makes the soil below the plant nice and loose.
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However i used it to plant some flowers in a bed and it caught a root it didnt break and almost ripped my wrist off. Lol
 
wanger114 said:
Curious if you experts here have a preferred "cover crop" for dormant planters. We won't be home a lot this summer so we want to reduce garden maintenance. We put in a ton of garlic which is growing nicely, but still have two empty 4x6 planters. I was going to throw a bunch of beans in there but that seemed like a waste.

Suggestions?
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I'm not an expert, but for planters/raised beds, I'd just leave them empty (and try to keep them cleaned up). I think a cover crop would just deplete the soil (even if you turned it under) and attract unwanted critters/pests. That's what happens to me when I don't clean up the beds in the fall and early spring. No benefit IMO.
 
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