Unfortunately, I came home and saw this...
That's right, coons are back. And only a few weeks after I sprinkled Stay Away brand predator urine for dear and raccoons. Grrrr. At least a dozen stalks were flattened. I tried to use 8 inch wood stakes to brace the stalks, but I doubt they'll hold. I am so mad I could scream. About the only good thing is that they only plowed down the Precocious corn that isn't doing as well. Small favors.
Speaking of corn, look at this tassel. I did what Judy suggested and flick the silk to see if any polin flew off, and nothing. I sure hope I didn't miss the window of opportunity.
They also trampled my bolting lettuce plants. Which isn't such a bad thing since I was going to pull them and compost them anyway. I've got plenty of seed left so I don't need to save any this year. Besides I'm chicken to try. One leap at a time...
And lastly, the coons visited my yukon gold potato bins again. I can't tell if they're digging. I don't think they are. But this time I'm not going to try to fix it. They seem to be surviving so I'll leave them flat.
I can't believe that Judy said that I have to wait until the flowers DIE to START growing potatoes. First off, the Yukon's have never flowered (unless like Tim said, I may have missed them). But the Russets have been flowering forever. At least 3 months. And now I'm told they have to die before potatoes start to grow? What the heck have they been doing all this time in there? There have got to be potatoes growing inside these bins. I sure hope I don't have to wait forever. I'm not sure how much longer I can keep the coons off them.
Well that's all the coon damage today. I reapplied more than half the canister of Shake Away. Let's hope it works this time. I don't know if my plants can handle it... especially these babies...
Funny how they all ripen at different rates. We've already eaten one each. They were bitter. I hope they get sweeter as they ripen more. They should fall off in your hand and the ones we ate didn't. I sure hope I can keep the birds and coons from these. They're all I saved and didn't pick off to allow for root and cane growth.
Another cool thing to bring me out of my coon doldrums. In less than a week of crappy weather I went from one true leaf on my cantaloupe plants to two. Funny thing is that the first leaf didn't get bigger, but a new leaf grew huge!
And it seems that my pole beans have heard my complaining about how slow they are to produce. Here is what looks a ton like the spot where beans will grow.
And finally, and I say finally because it was the last thing I saw before I headed in to go on a walk in the nice weather. It appears that my playing match maker with the cucumber plants. Lookie lookie!
But now I find other flowers that haven't done anything. I don't know if I should try again, but I am not even sure if I can find another male flower to propagate more cucumbers. All I could find last time were females. Glad to see it because that means more cukes! And if Toasty told me this I've forgotten again, but when I showed them off to my wife and kids, I found out the cukes are prickley. Ow! Hope it keeps the coons off of them.
Anyway, I didn't go back out after the walk. Tomorrow I'll get more done.
Lastly, if you've come over from Judy's blog, she's my mentor and the one that convinced me to start this adventure. I hope you like what you see and keep coming back. The more people who care to read about my experiences keep me writing about them. And I need to write about them since I'm terrible about taking notes, so next year I'll be re-reading to see what to do when, hehe.
Enjoy your garden!
When I heard you had a raccoon problem I was figuring they would get into your corn eventually, they love corn.
ReplyDeleteI had ornamental corn growing in a pot with other annuals and the raccoons pulled them right out of the pot, down my yard and eat the immature cobs.
I have also had raccoons in my redundant chimney and when I was renoing the porch, I had the soffit off they were in the porch roof in the first night.
I really don't know when society came to the conclusion that these pests should be allowed to run freely through cities with out any control. They really created a lot of havoc, damage and disease.
I'd be setting a trap with a can of tuna or corn in it and make it so they don't return.
:D :D :D
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your cuke(s)! I have had massive crop failure this year... all my plants are dying or about to. They just never took off. Ah well, try again next year. I've still got my heirloom tomatoes and bush beans, though.