Raised Gardens

[dimbee]

If I want to grow tomatoes, cucumbers and jalapenos, when is the best time to plant?

I typically sow my seeds the last couple weeks of march

[ThPantherFan]

A good deer deterrent in large fields (could be adapted for small areas) is to take 2 inch chicken fence, 24 inches tall and place it on stakes in the rows (stretch out horizontally). The stakes close to plants should be one to two feet off the ground and the stakes out from the row should be 1/2 the height of the stakes next to the plants. This will put the stretched out fence about a 45 degree angle. Stretch it tight enough and have enough stakes so when the deer step into the wire it will not break easy. Once a deer steps into the wire it will tangle in their legs causing the deer to fall. You will need to shoot the deer (probably broke it legs by the time you find it). The other deer will stay away for a long time to come. Check the area often so the deer will not damage too many crops.

Does this sound cruel? Probably does. However a person that is raising crops as income has the right to protect the crops. Sorry if this offends some people. I would only use this method as a last resort. Check with local codes to make sure you can fire a gun in the townships. If you are a registered farmer that is not an issue as long as you can prove they were damaging the crops to a point that it is becoming a hardship for you. You may want to make sure they don't classify this as trapping.

Just to make sure everyone doesn't think I perform this act, I don't. I shoot the deer or bear or raccoon that bothers my crops. Electric fences work too. I use an electric fence around the chicken coop to deter bears. Yes, it works. I have a very powerful fence. I know from experience. It will deter big foot as well. It hurts very badly.

[ThPantherFan]

I typically sow my seeds the last couple weeks of march

You're right. Watch for the frost. I buy my tomatoes and peppers in bulk bundles. If I sow seed it is indoors. I rather not take the time to sow seed for a lot of plants. All the cucurbits (winter and summer squash, pumpkin, cukes, etc.) I plant are sown directly. They do a lot better if you sow directly.

[Darth Urious]

Deer deterrents...

human hair - if you shave your own head like me you can save the hair in a bag and sprinkle it around your garden

urine - lol... I've never done this but my grandpa does... he pisses in an old detergent bottle and eventually spreads it along the outsides of his own garden... he's been a farmer for over 94 years, so I trust he knows what he's talking about...

and an idea I read in the last issue of Mother Earth News... fishing line... apparently if you run a couple strands of it around your garden like a fence, it spooks them because it touches them but they can't see it... so they don't know how to jump over it...

[CLTPanther]

Yea, deer will not come around if they smell humans. Maybe I should go take a leak on my garden every morning

[Darth Urious]

Yea, deer will not come around if they smell humans. Maybe I should go take a leak on my garden every morning

you mean you don't already?

my neighbor lady loves it

[CLTPanther]

I hate my neighbor, so maybe this will work to my benefit. I can just casually let the flow head towards her dog

[dimbee]

Peeing and hair are fun options, but I don't put much weight into their effectiveness. I'll take the more effective obstructive deterrence over scent.