the feral gardener

Last time I lamented that half of my rainbow chard was consumed by an unknown wild beast. Guess what: yesterday, while we were either sleeping or touring the County Fair at the neighboring Hancock Shaker Village (which was great and I’ll post a photo report shortly), the intruder(s) returned and cleaned out the rest.

We still don’t know who did it but judging by dental imprints (and occasional hoof prints around the garden), I suspect the deer.

It might be time for a fresh bar of Irish Spring soap! (Last year, local professional gardeners recommended hanging a bar of fragrant soap as an effective deer deterrent.  You’re supposed to hang it on a string, unpacked, in the box. According to them, deer have a special aversion to Irish Spring brand, for some reason…)  The old one that’s been hanging there for over a year has, evidently, worn off.

Here’s the same bed of my beautiful and delicious rainbow chard back in . . . CONTINUE READING → The End of a Rainbow: Chard Crop Devastated, Culprit Remains at Large