Texas Veggie Gardeners!! Stories, Tips and ADVICE!

[Little Wing]

Thank you. I tried square foot but I like being able to use the tiller. It's just easier for me to till in the coop leavings without the borders. I really like the looks of square foot gardens though.

The squirrels are giving me heck this year. I've killed 2 so far (hope there's no PETA folks reading) and there seem to be an endless supply.

 

[Little Wing]

Thank you. I tried square foot but I like being able to use the tiller. It's just easier for me to till in the coop leavings without the borders. I really like the looks of square foot gardens though.

The squirrels are giving me heck this year. I've killed 2 so far (hope there's no PETA folks reading) and there seem to be an endless supply.

 

[Little Wing]

Opps, double post.Sorry.

 

[galanie]

Thank you. I tried square foot but I like being able to use the tiller. It's just easier for me to till in the coop leavings without the borders. I really like the looks of square foot gardens though. The squirrels are giving me heck this year. I've killed 2 so far (hope there's no PETA folks reading) and there seem to be an endless supply.

I've had an endless supply of those monsters for years. Killed many of them but don't seem to have dented the population. As it stands, I have an apple and a pear tree that both, long ago, I used to get fruit off of. But for the last 10 years, I've gotten nothing. Because the squirrels won't even wait till they are anywhere close to being ready. They pull them off. Sometimes without even taking a bite first. But usually the take one bite and throw them down. Trees are too big for me to net. Hate those little buggers. Had them in my attic once too. Boy were they ever hard to get out of there. Managed to lock them in for a day or two, during the summer, and once their entry was opened up, wow did they scatter.

 

[Little Wing]

I've had an endless supply of those monsters for years. Killed many of them but don't seem to have dented the population. As it stands, I have an apple and a pear tree that both, long ago, I used to get fruit off of. But for the last 10 years, I've gotten nothing. Because the squirrels won't even wait till they are anywhere close to being ready. They pull them off. Sometimes without even taking a bite first. But usually the take one bite and throw them down. Trees are too big for me to net.

Hate those little buggers. Had them in my attic once too. Boy were they ever hard to get out of there. Managed to lock them in for a day or two, during the summer, and once their entry was opened up, wow did they scatter.

They get my green tomatoes and leave the ripe ones. I have a pear, a fig and 4 pecan trees and they hit them pretty hard for the last few years. I did get some figs last year but not enough to do anything with. I'm gonna get those varmints this year!

 

[cmcanallen]

Thank you. I tried square foot but I like being able to use the tiller. It's just easier for me to till in the coop leavings without the borders. I really like the looks of square foot gardens though. The squirrels are giving me heck this year. I've killed 2 so far (hope there's no PETA folks reading) and there seem to be an endless supply.

I had a bad squirrel problem when we first moved in. That is until my dogs realized that the squirrels tasted good. We also have a couple of outdoor cats that help keep them out of the yard. It's quite funny to watch the squirrels run all through the neighbors' properties but they will only run on top of our outside fence.

 

[txnative]

Where are your chickens?

If your chickens aren't near your garden, try to get them there and see if it works for you as well as it has worked for us.

That's just the thing...I don't have my chickens yet They were supposed to ship today, but I had to postpone for 2 weeks due to a death in my family. Believe me, every time I see all those hoppers I can just imagine what my chickens will do to them!!!!

 

[cmcanallen]

Anyone else having a bad time with ants this year? My garden and yard are covered in ant hills, fire, black and army. They don't seem to be inhibiting the plants, just biting the heck out of me. I'm trying natural means to get rid of them first. Grits and dried molasses went down in the garden today and will go in the yard tomorrow. Any other ideas?

 

[cmcanallen]

And unfortunately my plans to get chickens and guineas to help with the bugs got put on hold til fall due to budget issues.

 

[joan1708]

Anyone else having a bad time with ants this year? My garden and yard are covered in ant hills, fire, black and army. They don't seem to be inhibiting the plants, just biting the heck out of me. I'm trying natural means to get rid of them first. Grits and dried molasses went down in the garden today and will go in the yard tomorrow. Any other ideas?

yes I'm having a terrible time with them. They are crawling out from the eggplant stems in the ground. They are in the compost, along the sidewalks. I generally get at least a couple bites every time I go into the garden. They don't seem to be bothering the chickens thankfully. I do keep their feed hanging up in the run and no food in the coop to help manage these awful ants. I use diatomacous earth in the chicken run and vegetable areas. It helps a little. I use amdro where the chickens can't go and none vegetable areas. Hitting them with water and stomping their mounds (with a shovel or something, can do this once before they attack), annoys them some and sometimes they move.