2018 Garden Cleanup Report

Today we cleaned up the garden for the year. That is the before picture. The after picture is below. Garlic, strawberries, carrots, tomatoes rhubarb are still in the ground. But we cleaned up the cornstalks, green beans (which were still producing), squashes, cabbages and sunflowers.

Zuchinni, cabbage, green beans, potato and crook neck squash

The deer and rabbits were still getting into the garden this year. They decimated the cabbages and tomatoes, in addition to attacking the carrots and squashes. We double fenced the corners where the deer were jumping in. And we arched chicken wire over some of the crops. Next year I will just have to build an 8 foot tall fence. But in addition to that, a friend with a hunting license came out and harvested a beautiful buck this week. Two more friends will stop by for late deer season in two weeks. So that should help reduce browsing pressures.

Our man-child is very comfortable outside

Productive wife

We spent two hours today with the fork and hoe to weed the beds. My siblings have orders to move piles of leaves onto the beds this next week. After three years of battling blackberries, it sure is nice to pull the leaves off in the Spring and have beds that are softer than they were in the Fall.

Beds ready for leaves

For next year we want to do more of the same, but with no deer.