The squirrels, which use the fences on the property lines as highways, regularly make forays into my raised beds to stash nuts for the winter, sometimes destroying by veggies or seedlings.Using Agribond row covers has mostly solved that, but the pests just bury their food in my woodchip-covered paths, slightly more preferable, I guess. I'll know the full extent of the damage when the little oak seedlings emerge in the Spring.
I 've had to do a better job keeping the compost bins covered, as my wife was recently awoken by a family of raccoons chowing down in the middle of the night, and heartily enjoying themselves. That was on me, as I failed to complete a full layer - i.e., greens, browns, soil, tarp, boards - leaving veggie scraps on top that were too good to resist.
Finally, the skunks are occasionally digging around, looking for the abundant worms in my ever-improving soil. Oddly, even before I placed the row covers, they were only digging at the base of the the wood enclosing the beds. That happens to be where the mole-runs are. Will skunks eat moles?
My Fall/Winter garden includes the following: broccoli, red and green cabbage, Brussels sprouts, Nero di Toscano kale, red and white chard, leeks, lettuces, carrots, celeriac, parsnips, arugula, bok choy, cilantro,350 onions from both sets and plants, as well over 150 cloves of garlic, black Spanish radishes, two types of spinach. We planted four artichoke plants, as well. If all goes as planned, by days end I will have small sections of turnips and beets planted, too.
I have a greenhouse that needs clearing and replanting, extra compost bins to fill with manure for rotting down, carrots to harvest and process for the freezer, weeding and feeding of the growing beds. I have managed to add today,Monday, as an off day to the Veterans Day holiday I already get off (tomorrow), giving me a four day weekend.Still, time is slipping away. Just not enough time, ambition, or funds to take care of the many tasks around here.
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