Tomato Update – the saga continues!

Tomato boxes fortified with makeshift critter barrier (masking tape and heating duct material)...

Earlier this fall I wrote about the challenges of backyard farming amidst a rampant rodent invasion.

For the story, click here:  Gophers, Tomatoes and Peaceful Coexistence

Since that installment, friends have asked for a status update and I must sheepishly admit, the saga continues…

A little background – we live in a lovely area, just on the edge of development, rolling hills on one side, secluded creek on the other.  Devoted nature lovers, we’re fortunate to catch glimpses of wild creatures every day – quail broods running across the yard, lizards climbing stucco walls, hawks, rabbits, deer and when we’re really lucky the occasional bobcat sighting at dusk.  Unfortunately, there’s also a couple of critter varieties we’re less excited about – the toothy, subterranean pocket gopher, at work devouring unprotected roots.  Perhaps even more notorious is the Norwegian roof rat, not just a household pest, an unseemly intruder in the kitchen garden as well.

Essentially we’re squatters in gopher territory – our house is perched atop a yard completely overrun by mile upon mile of underground tunnels. When I wrote back in September we were gloating a bit.  Having successfully battled the insatiable herbivores for control of our carefully tended raised tomato beds, we looked forward to the imminent harvest.   In hindsight our gloating was premature.  The other shoe had yet to drop.

As our huge “mortgage lifters” ripened, we waited patiently – hesitant to harvest until the juicy red orbs were perfectly ready, wanting to reap full benefit from the last bit of summer heat.  One morning, during my daily inspection, I noticed a bite.  A hungry bird, I thought.  By the next day, the bite had grown into a half devoured mess, hanging by a thread.  Having done battle just a few short weeks earlier, I felt a slightly sick déjà vu sensation in the pit of my stomach, but tried to think positively while adding extra mesh at the base of the beds and netting over the top.   My frustration grew daily, as one by one the perfectly ripened fruits disappeared – bite by luscious bite.  We were quickly losing ground.

How were the culprits (rats we think) entering the fortress?  In fact the beds were so fortified our own access had become severely restricted. My husband suggested we rip everything out – if we couldn’t have the tomatoes ourselves, no one would!  Overwrought with frustration, it’s no wonder he’d reached this bitter point, and I was tempted to join in his self-destructive plan – but how could we give up after so many months of careful tending, nurturing and just plain waiting?  Surely we could outwit creatures a mere fraction of our size and with brains equally miniscule?  To be on the safe side, we resolved to work together to devise a plan.

With net and mesh encapsulating the boxes in every direction, there was little else of an obvious nature to do.  Not willing to admit defeat we considered other challenges we’d faced in the yard, for instance the squirrels that would nimbly climb the bird feeder post for a quick and ready meal.  We’d had success with a slippery barrier around the post that upset their once sure footing.  Perhaps a smooth covering over the planter box would have a similar effect with Mr. Rat?

Amazing what can be fashioned with a quick trip to Home Depot for metal heating duct panels and painter’s masking tape.  The solution looked crude but within a day we had results – and two weeks later, still no more bites.  We seem to have emerged from another battle with the upper hand.  Have we won the war?  I won’t let hubris jinx us again – we’re still watching our backs.  What I can say is there are ripe tomatoes on the vine, and I’m going to pick them today!

October is the time to set out seedlings for winter and spring harvest:  broccoli, cauliflower, beets, carrots, radishes, kale and chard to name just a few.  It’s also a great time to replace herbs that have developed woody stems with age.  If you don’t have a lot of experience with gardening, herbs are a fun and simple way to get your feet wet.  Rosemary, sage, thyme and other perennial herbs will do well through cooler months, and in spring you can add some basil, parsley, cilantro and chives.

The truly splendid garden starts in a sunny spot (6-8 hours per day) with some really top-notch soil.  Many experts agree that the most nutritious food is grown in the healthiest soil, rich in organic matter and free of pesticides.  Before planting your seedlings add plenty of organic compost to the dirt and work it in well.  We have our own kitchen-waste based compost pile – which is easy to do, but you can always buy organic compost at any garden store.  My husband also swears by a mixture of worm castings (available at the nursery) and water – mix it in a watering can and sprinkle on the soil around plants once a week or so as they get established.

There are many great gardening websites.  Here’s one we love:  www.growbetterveggies.com/

Try some backyard farming – there’s nothing more satisfying than eating produce from your own yard – except maybe what we get from Freshness Farms!

Try these easy fall recipes with this week’s bounty:

Recipe – Apple Salsa

Recipe – Quick Sautéed Collard Ribbons

Recipe – Colcannon (Irish Mashed Potatoes with Leeks and Cabbage)

Recipe – Mixed Green Salad with Persimmon and Pomegranate Seeds

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