Kikiriki
Songster
I have some homemade containers of the "Earthbox" style and here in Florida it is still temperate enough for growing. Unfortunately, the chickens decided these were faboulous places to dine and scratch, and they destroyed my bean crop, leaving naked soil with not one green thing left! They were after my one remaining tomoto plant, too, and I was at my wits end! How would I protect my plants without spending a fortune, creating an ugly wire cage, or something that made my own life more difficult?
I used sticks. Yup, just plain old sticks stuck around the outer edge of each container. I made them varying heights and left about 3 inches between them. They are stuck into the soil at angle, so that they point slightly outward in order to give the plant tops more room.
It actually works! The chickens keep looking at them, but the varied heights of the sticks makes it look very off-putting to them: they have gone onto a patio chair to see if they could go over the sticks, but it just looks too hazardous to them, I think.
It is kind of attractive in a very rustic sort of way...I suppose one could fancy them up if desired by painting them, gluing or wire-wrapping on plastic flowers, or something...
I also think taller sticks would work for ground planted gardens, but it would need some kind of a rock border to protects the sticks from being dug out by scratching. It is cheaper than fence, and less work, especially if you move your garden or want to expand it.
I used sticks. Yup, just plain old sticks stuck around the outer edge of each container. I made them varying heights and left about 3 inches between them. They are stuck into the soil at angle, so that they point slightly outward in order to give the plant tops more room.
It actually works! The chickens keep looking at them, but the varied heights of the sticks makes it look very off-putting to them: they have gone onto a patio chair to see if they could go over the sticks, but it just looks too hazardous to them, I think.
It is kind of attractive in a very rustic sort of way...I suppose one could fancy them up if desired by painting them, gluing or wire-wrapping on plastic flowers, or something...
I also think taller sticks would work for ground planted gardens, but it would need some kind of a rock border to protects the sticks from being dug out by scratching. It is cheaper than fence, and less work, especially if you move your garden or want to expand it.
