May 16, 2016
We have been harvesting lettuce
spinach
and strawberries this week.
We have been dealing with a strawberry thief as well. Last year, we were sure it was a groundhog because we saw it roaming throughout the garden. So this year, we put up an electric fence. Something was still getting to the strawberries. My husband thought maybe a rabbit, since it can hop over the electric fence. So we put up a fence (not electric) specifically around the strawberries.
Nope. They are digging a hole under the fence and getting to the strawberries. They dig a hole about 5 inches deep so we are still thinking rabbit. We think a groundhog is too big to fit in a hole that size. I need to borrow my neighbor’s camera so we can see the critter in action!
Another thing we’re ‘harvesting’ is poop (I’ll spare you the picture). I am taking fresh manure from the roosting table and spreading it out in the sun to dry. When it dries, I’m going to sprinkle it around the base of the plants so when it rains, they will get manure tea. I am also making my own manure tea and watering the plants with it. Anything I can do to make my soil and plants healthy! This is how I am planning on combating bugs this year.
What are you harvesting? Check out what other gardeners are up to over at Our Happy Acres.
Gardening Without... 
I do hope you catch your strawberry thief. We have something that stole our blackberries last year, and I still don’t know what is responsible for that. The berries you got sure look yummy! And I am sure your garden will like the chicken manure, even if it isn’t very photogenic. 🙂
The strawberries are beautiful. You certainly want to protect those. In our community garden, the thieves are usually birds, chipmunks and mice, which are hard to keep out. When we installed the deer fence around the garden, we put 3 feet of coated chicken wire around the bottom, with half buried in the ground to prevent tunneling. A lot of work but necessary.
I think we’re going to have to do that (with fencing)
Do you just cover your strawberries with mulch like Paul?
yes! 🙂 for 3 years. it works wonderfully!