Bountiful Harvest!

With a late start, well into June, 

after rebuilding all the frames and fence, we still managed to have 

a successful season and a bountiful harvest. 

(See July 1 blog entry for the back story)

The tomatoes were amazingly delicious, especially the cherry tomatoes, which were like eating candy. It was our first year for butternut squash, which grew well and we still have one more on the way.

The 4 eggplant matured late and are still producing, despite the beetles, with at least 8 more
to grow larger.

The 3 green pepper plants did well and produced 5 fruits each, even though they were in
the shadows of the basil plants.

The only issue we have is that the deer are somehow managing to jump or climb into the garden the last couple of weeks, eating the last few tomatoes and plants. Luckily, everything else is still intact. I added more fencing, more wire, but sadly still found hoof prints this morning.

As I was shooting these photos, the suspects were watching me from behind the pines and also eyeing my neighbors garden. 

More on Deer-Resistant Plants

We have tremendous deer pressure here and our plants are constantly under fire. Although, forsythia and peony are considered "deer resistant", this summer, the deer have eaten both to the point of killing the plants.

In Ruth Rogers Clausen's excellent book, "50 Beautiful Deer-Resistant Plants",  a helpful rating scale is provided for each plant. The scale is just 7-10 with plants under 7 not even included in the book, as those plants are regularly browsed by deer.  So, 7 is described as "deer sometimes nip off flowers but leave foliage alone", 8 is "deer occasionally nip off one or two flowers but mostly ignore plant", 9 - just browse new spring foliage and 10 - rarely browse and usually avoid plant altogether. Bloom times, and growing and design tips are also included.

So, I was curious if my 2 plants were listed in the book.  Forsythia is not even included in the book! The Peony is included in the list of 50 but with a rating of 7-10.

(http://www.peonysenvy.com/art/care/IMG_3073.jpg)

For the most part, I find most of her choices and rating scales spot on, for example the Lenten Rose and Fringed Bleeding Heart have a rating of 9-10, which I completely agree with.

Some plants I didn't realize were deer resistant and I look forward to planting outside the fence include, Blue False Indigo, Yarrow, Castor Oil Plant and Hybrid Sage.

(http://www.monjilandscape.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/yarrowpink.jpg)

What is truly deer proof?

I created a deer test garden to determine exactly what is deer proof for our immediate area during all the seasons. When they are hungry enough or curious they will try just about anything. Several deer meander by daily always investigating what I have recently planted. Thus far, I can say with confidence that they will not eat the following:

Lavandula sp.- lavender, Digitalis sp. foxglove, Nepeta - catmint, ferns, Asclepias tuberosa - butterfly weed, milkweed, magnolia, gingko tree, thistle, Paeonia - peonies, spirea, Caryopteris –blue mist spirea, Helleborus sp. - hellebores, and Solidago sp. - goldenrod.

I have found many plants that appear on deer resistant plant lists to actually still be eaten such as: Lindera benzoin (spicebush), Viburnum spp, hollies, forsythia, weigula, especially young plants.

http://pike.extension.psu.edu/Horticulture/DeerResistantPlants.pdf

http://www.npsnj.org/references/Deer_Tolerant_Resistant_Native_Plants.pdf