Vegetable Gardening and Me (#7)

As I mentioned in my first post on gardening, I want to make this a weekly post. I am not an expert gardener, and I have made plenty of mistakes, but my adventures may help others have more fun and success. 

Also, I now have a page dedicated to gardening, that will contain all past and future posts, as well as resources I have found useful.

This week has been a roller coaster of emotions when it came to my gardening experiences.

Disclaimer: I am not a professional. All my posts are for informational and entertainment purposes only. I reserve the right to change, edit, or correct any of the content found on the blog at any time without notification. Use at your own risk. 

Last week, I left off excited that the gates were in place, and my main garden area was nearly sealed off from those pesky rabbits. Well, the gates were not secured with hinges and locks, however they were leaning tight up against the openings (they were built a few inches wider than the actual opening). I would at least know if a rabbit managed to squeeze through the gap--the gate would be knocked over. Two nights would pass before I could purchase the hinges and locks, but I was not worried: the corn had not come in yet, and nothing else had been planted.

Gate without hinges and locks.

Gate with hinges and locks.

And then it happened. 

My kitchen window overlooks the one edge of the fence. Every morning, I look out it to observe the weather conditions, and enjoy my backyard. Since I nearly completed the fence, I have also taken pleasure in seeing the rabbits munching on the grass outside the enclosed area. Well, a few days ago, I took stock of the situation, and saw a rabbit munching away on some blades of grass. And I smiled at myself, knowing that it was not in the garden.

The spots where I planted corn. Safe behind
the fencing.

Big mistake. 

About thirty minutes later, I stepped out the back door, onto my deck, and glanced over to the garden. And there it was, a single rabbit, but a rabbit nonetheless, chomping away at the grass INSIDE the fence, in between my beautiful rows. I was angry. The gates were still in place. So, was also confused. Then I walked toward the garden, which scared the rabbit. It darted off toward the the fencing in the opposite direction. And that is when I became frustrated and despaired.

The other, longer gate, all secured.

The rabbit squeezed itself, with difficulty, through the fencing itself. 

There I stood, alone, in my pajamas and slippers, sad and defeated. Why bother getting the hinges and locks, if the gates were meaningless? Heck, at the moment, I was convinced that the fencing itself was a complete waste.  Whatever I planted now would be eaten up the moment the seedlings broke through the dirt. It happened last year. 

But something resisted surrender. Maybe it was the memory of those delicious pickles I made from last year's cucumber harvest--my mouth is watering right now as I type this out. Or the thought of those crushed tomatoes that I processed last August, and pulled out in late January in order to make a tasty pasta sauce. Or the smell of a fire burning all that money I had spent putting these gardens together, and purchasing the seeds. Whatever inspired it, my will to continue on took hold.

The raised bed, fenced in completely,
and untouched by rabbits.

I began to think.

In the end, I decided to try a few things. First, I purchased fox urine from Amazon. While there were mixed reviews, I figured it would not hurt to try it (unless the contents of the packaging managed to spill all over me as I try to open it). Second, I bought the hinges and locks, and installed them. At the very least, there will be no large, inviting gaps in the fencing to encourage invaders. Third, I assumed that since the other fenced in garden plots have not been attacked (they have plantings available for consumption), then having an unsecured gate was too enticing. Finally, I am going to pretend all of this is helping, plant my vegetables, and just wait to see if they get eaten. 

If I find one morning my young seedlings are chewed up, then I know that the fox urine and fencing have failed. However, if they are still around after two weeks, I am going to assume it was all worth the effort.

In the end, that is what gardening is all about: build, watch, wait, cry, rinse, change something, repeat. 

(To hell with the rabbits, I am going to have my pickles...)

The other area, no gates, but completely
fenced in, and untouched by rabbits.