Tired and aching ---as hell, finally put some garden plants into the ground today,

[Jack Valentino]

and roto-tilled a little more ground--- that thing KILLS me, get's a little harder every year,
and now I am 62...
and as I once said, "the rototiller is the most perverse tool known to mankind"--
sometimes not unlike trying to "ride a bull" through your garden space

(starting to wish I'd bought something that could drag a plow---
suppose some riding mowers would do it, but didn't think I needed a riding mower,
back when I could have bought one... except for this---
still using an old rototiller which belonged to my late father,
and looks as if it may be a mid-1970's model, which he bought used)

Been cool in Michigan, compared to most other years---
started all my own seeds inside, but they've only started to do better this week...
Even last weekend, I took many plants back inside, as night-time temps were dropping into the 30's...

Also been delaying planting while trying to deal with a groundhog and rabbit problem---

this year I resolved to KILL the groundhog, but I got bad advice about
an air rifle with pellets being adequate for the job---

I did finally hit it, but it didn't die... and went back into its hole
before I could reload and shoot it again--- well, actually I had a chance
but hesitated. It was rather a grim scene. After it got back to it's main hole,
I hoped it was going to die in there, but I saw it once this week, and also a rabbit
with its face in the chives, but neither likes that kind of thing...

Well, think I found a better solution with a "motion-activated sprinkler"
which can guard the whole garden space--- it should arrive within the next week...
So, having already ordered that, I didn't attempt to kill the rabbit, although I had a very clear shot...
(Rabbits have been a constant enemy for my okra, but nothing in the ground, yet)

Got big and small tomatoes into the ground today, and part of my cucumbers---
saving the rest until that sprinkler "weapon" arrives--- just in case.

Two years ago the animals ate almost everything I planted,
things which they had never bothered before--- even nibbled tomato plants, whose greens are toxic....
I think it was because we had rather "droughty" conditions that spring,
and they were desperate for water--- but it has left me paranoid...
They cleaned out almost everything that year, cucumbers, green beans, hot pepper plants---
all while the plants were still very small....

I am very optimistic that the motion-activated sprinkler will solve my problem without blood,
and be much more effective than I can be with a pellet rife,
since it will work 24 hours a day, which I have no hope of doing...
neither species cares to be out in the rain, much less sprayed with a sprinkler,
so it should be an excellent deterrent, presuming it works as advertised...

Wish I'd discovered that possibility before I spent about $80 on the pellet rifle and ammo...
and, I won't have to feel bad after one of them gets shot with the sprinkler....

[Bayard]

1. I feel for you

We fenced all the gardens this year--vege, melon, and flowers. Mostly to keep our own dogs out. We don't get much in the way of wild varmints inside the perimeter fencing with all the dogs and cats.

Got rid of the rototiller too. Pain in the ass--literally. Since the big vege garden would be new, I shoveled up the sod in the strips I'd be planting (2.5 ft wide), then put down landscape fabric on the paths (3 ft wide). Then, on the planting rows, I put mixed used bedding/wood shavings/goat poop, and top soil on top of that. Its worked pretty well, and I don't spend all my time weeding. The used bedding and old hay also serves as mulch.

I don't have anyplace to start seeds inside, so I probably planted them too early. Lots of rain and cold soon as I did, so I'd have to cover everything. Its finally taking off now.

Happy gardening!

[Jack Valentino]

3. Yeah, wish I could afford to keep a decent-sized dog,

that would help... but, health care for animals is WAY out of sight now, as I have heard....


My seed starting this year wasn't too bad, mostly successful, except for green beans--
THREE plants started out of 3 seed packets, that was ALL---

Good thing I'm not that fond of them anyway, unless cooked with cheese--
should get enough to add to a few meals, at least, but not much to freeze. Oh well...


I would have preferred to buy starter plants from a nursery, as usual,
but I lack transportation this year and decided to try to grow my own---
with my way earlier start than usual, I have failed to improve on my
"in the ground" schedule at all. Oh well... the weather has not cooperated much this year,
that is the main reason... running the furnace as much as I did in MAY?? definately climate "CHANGE".....

[dweller]

2. I'm going to hold off

on groundhog and rabbit recipes … for now
🤔



✌🏻

[Jack Valentino]

4. ehhhh--- I do wish I had any experience in skinning and butchering

any such animal, but that would be a step beyond my sensibilities, I'm afraid...


I would not shrink from cooking and eating it, but taking a knife to the body
is more than I could handle...

[dweller]

5. Well , Hell

It’s not like you’ve Annie Oakley’d the pellet gun anyway , so you’re safe

😃


✌🏻

[Jack Valentino]

6. I took one of its goddamn EYES out with the pellet rifle---

but it did not die.... just looked very confused and disoriented

it would have been history with a regular .22, seems I just lacked adequate firepower,
and tried to deal with it "on the cheap"-- my aim was not the problem,
I was going for a "head shot" and I got it...

(And, had some experience with *real* firearms about 30 years ago,
I was a pretty good shot with a real rifle...once put 4 out of 10 shots in the small bullseye
with a 32-20 at 25 yards-- the rifle belonged to my best friend)

((YEAH, I know 25 yds is pretty close with a rifle-- but that was on my first and only try
with that particular weapon))

Also, using a firearm within city limits is "against the law",
but who pays any attention to THAT anymore, right?? LOL

[Figarosmom]

7. I stopped using bone shakers

Used to rent one every other year but have just switched to doing it myself with my spade and fork. I can only handle small patches at a time. But this year (in Feb.) I covered the areas I wanted dug up with cardboard ( a way to be rid of all the home shopping boxes) and wet it down. It makes it easier to dig and can be reused as paths between plantings.

Put out the rest of my tomatoes I started on the builtin porch today and dug up another small patch for an edible flower mix I have.

Yesterday I added over 20 new Oriental lilies to my front garden.

So yeah, I'm sore tonight.

Also lungs are burning because of smoke from Canada making air quality really bad. I'm in WI so l bet MI had it just as bad

[Jack Valentino]

8. As I recall, one year I tried to cover some area early in the spring

with some vinyl ground cloths, prior to tilling, trying to keep the weeds from starting---
but instead of keeping them down, it seemed to act as a "greenhouse" for them!!!! lmao


Yeah, the cardboard thing would probably work much better,
and I could re-purpose such that I usually send to recycling!!!

thanks, think I'll try that NEXT year.... to make the tilling easier....
I suffer much from early-sprouting weeds and vines here--

Hell, maybe I should do it BEFORE the snow falls at the end of the garden season----
THAT might be much more effective!

[Figarosmom]

9. Yeah thats what i was thinking

Just cover the ground with the cardboard right after I clean out all the remaining harvest at the end of the season and leave it all winter.

[Jack Valentino]

10. Think I will do that late this fall, myself---

and it will promote a little more "physical activity"
in a season where I could use a little more, before the long winter!


God knows, I could do without these weeds in the spring---
have to clean them off the tiller with a screwdriver, after a few yards....

THANKS for the inspiration! That would make things easier next year

[Figarosmom]

11. Your welcome

It's a good use of all the cardboard too.