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My Grandmother always said time speeded up when you got older. I guess I thought she meant when I got her age, not my age now! Autumn is here in all her glory. The leaves are full of color and falling on every breeze. This purple birdhouse in the front yard maple looks like a postcard for Autumn to me. Of course it is Arkansas, so I’m out messing around in the garden every day, getting beds cleaned out and covering them with a deep coat of chopped leaves. Ahhh, back to the chopped leaves.
You see for the first time ever, this year I was on the ball enough to plant a cover crop. A lovely cover crop, the “soil-builder” mix from Peaceful Valley Farm Supply. It came up and got about six inches high. Looked completely lovely, like it was doing fabulous things to the soil right before my eyes. Then killer-bambi descended.
We are having deer trouble for the first time in ten years of gardening in two states surrounded by deer. Our big dog Shug is about 13 now. She’s still pretty tough up close – she’s a big chow mix, but her eyesight and hearing have faded enough that she doesn’t see or hear the apparent HERDS of bambi that must march like hungry zombies out of the woods towards the garden while Shug keeps her nearsighted and nearscented watch from the porch many yards away. Ahh, the indignities of old age… Shug would be mortified if she knew there were armies of deer *just* over there in the garden. You can tell them by the crunching…
So anyway, the deer ate the cover crop down to the stubs. Horrors. So I’m back to covering the raised beds with deeps layers of chopped leaves. Not as good for the soil as cover cropping, but the next best thing for me. Sigh… I will get even with killer bambi. I’ve been online and discovered the electric-fence-wire-dabbed-with peanut-butter treatment. Next time I’m at Tractor Supply, a fence charger is on my list. And a big jar of peanut butter. Bambi, prepare for a PB & J (peanut butter & jolt) you won’t forget!
I know this sounds harsh from a person who welcomes (most) wildlife to the garden with open arms. But some wildlife just can’t be good neighbors with the garden. Nevermind there are fields of grass all around that seem fine for cattle. And acres of brushy woods that deer favor. So bambi, please back off a bit. I’ll try the fence and see if that works. It’s not fatal, if a bit startling, no doubt. If that doesn’t work, I may have to sit out in the garden with the shotgun like Ozark gardeners of the past have probably done many a night, protecting the garden, and planning for venison stew!!
4 Comments
I love this post! Sorry to hear the deer have gotten into your garden!!! Hope the fence works!
Beckie & Morning Glories:
You guys are so good to leave comments and it makes my day! Yes, the deer have driven me to firearms. 🙂 haha! I wish we’d gotten a young dog for Shug to train while she still could but we’ve decided to wait so that Shug can enjoy a restful retirement. We did successfully train the dachshund/jack russell mis to defend the birdfeeder in the fenced backyard from squirrels, a job he takes VERY seriously. I’d send him after the deer, but he’d never come back! I see now why people get so crazy about the deer – they can eat A LOT in one single night! Thanks again for the delightful comments. I look foward to a cozy visit to both your blogs soon!
I wonder if your grandmother’s days were as fast and furious as ours are now? I think our fast paced world has made the time fly even faster.
Poor Shug. Maybe she needs a young pup to teach the fine art of chasing deer. My Bocephus and Chrissy have only squirrels to chase. They would love the challenge of a deer.
Now there’s a mental image! You sitting in the garden with a shot gun. 🙂 I’llbet those deer liked the cover crop so well because it was full of nutrients. Poor Shug! At least she doesn’t know they are there. I guess it’s time to let her rest and enjoy the porch. Hope the fence works.