Starting from scratch!-Now I'm Excited!

[mrbstephens]

Hello everyone! We moved just this past October and I'm in the very early planning phase for a new garden. I had a vegetable garden at the old house....it was tiny, had too much shade and a bit disappointing, but I did get lots of mulberries, raspberries and blackberries. Edamame was really easy to grow too. There, we had a 1/2 acre and now we have 1.75 acres with clearing restrictions because we're on top of an aquifer. I have plans to clear 10,000 square feet in the southern most area of the property which butts up to the end of our neighbor's yard. This will give me the most sun exposure possible. The area has several dead trees in the middle already, but we'll have to cut down more. We live in a pine barrens here so most of the trees are pitch pines which are big and unfortunately can't be burned in the fireplace. We could, however, burn them outside in the fire pit. The deer are rampant here. So are raccoons, foxes, hawks, owls, and my neighbor says she has a groundhog living under her shed. So, I'll need a good deer fence, but wondering how to keep the groundhog out. I'll post pics of the area where the garden will go ASAP. I do need to figure out how we'll get irrigation out to it, but I'm thinking we'll put in a pump for ground water. I'll like to keep the job as affordable as possible. As far as what I want to grow, well..........asparagus will have to go in right away, strawberries (are these perennial?), grape vines, raspberries, blackberries, apples, peaches, tomatoes, cucumbers, squashes, beans, peas, eggplants, greens, root veggies, herbs........did I miss anything?

 

[mrbstephens]

Here you can see the pathway that will take us to the garden. It will be all the way in the back which is the southern-most part of the property. It is also on the highest elevation of the property.

Here, you see the trees that have already fallen. The house you see in this pic is our neighbor. Our property ends about 30 feet from their house.

Here you see the view of our house from where the garden will be.

 

[hqueen13]

There is already a thread started on here about deer protection, and it is unbelievably simple. I have no doubt it will work when you understand how deer think, and it has worked for Bee for 35 years I think she said.
For the groundhogs, well, I'd like to know that too... other than trap and relocate (the kind version). We also have rabbits in our area, as well as coons and fox. We have dogs, but they are indoor dogs, and at 10 years old they are not likely to learn how to be outdoor dogs any time soon. Next dog will be a different story I suspect.

Welcome to SS! Great group of people, I am sure someone will have more answers than I

 

[ORChick]

I've never had to deal with groundhogs, but I believe that I read somewhere that lining your garden beds with wire mesh will work to keep them out - they can't burrow up into the bed. Of course, that would be a lot of mesh if you are planning a big garden.
Welcome back. Are you still on Long Island?

 

[mrbstephens]

I've never had to deal with groundhog, but I believe that I read somewhere that lining your garden beds with wire mesh will work to keep them out - they can't burrow up into the bed. Of course, that would be a lot of mesh if you are planning a big garden.
Welcome back. Are you still on Long Island?

Yes, I'm still on Long Island and actually still in the same town. LOL! We looked into moving to Maryland then somewhere else on Long Island, but wound up finding our dream home right here in the same town....just the other end where it's less built up. Where away from the suburbs and now in the woods. We're across the road from over 200 acres of preserved land with hiking trails.

Maybe we should get a dog, but I'm really not a dog person. We have two cats and 10 chickens. Would love to get ducks and a goat or two. Do goats need to be kidded every year to keep them producing milk?

 

[~gd]

Ground hogs or woodchucks are Tough! where it can be done safely sniping with a high speed low caliber scoped rifle works because of their tendency to freeze upright and look around at any strange sound. Traps rarely work, they are just too carefull to be caught. Dogs might get them to move to a safer location but they soon learn that dogs are easy to avoid. That leaves baits. There is one based on poisioned peanuts dyed Yuck green, I have never tried these because even placed down a burrow I felt they were just too risky for children pets or poultry, others say they work. I use one based on dried apple chunks, they look like scat not appealing [but a chicken will eat anything. I place them down a burrow and block the hole. If it is found to be dug out later I repeat the treatment. If not dug out I assume the varmit is dead because they usually try to keep all exits open. Check feed stores and 'horsey' stores because if a large animal steps wrong they can break a leg which can be fatal.~gd Lots of luck helps too.

 

[hqueen13]

Actually, we have had success trapping them - they LOVE cantaloupe. You have to allow them to get used to the trap, you can lock it open and let them eat the bait for a while, and then actually set it with the 'loupes and you've got a whistle pig!
You would of course have to be careful with other small critters around that you don't want trapped, but it is possible to trap them

Best of luck, we are going to be struggling with that issue too, and I have no idea what we're going to do! I've got the deer figured out... its all the others that I am not sure of!

 

[Joel_BC]

I have plans to clear 10,000 square feet in the southern most area of the property which butts up to the end of our neighbor's yard. This will give me the most sun exposure possible. The area has several dead trees in the middle already, but we'll have to cut down more. We live in a pine barrens here so most of the trees are pitch pines which are big and unfortunately can't be burned in the fireplace. We could, however, burn them outside in the fire pit.

A "fireplace" (if you mean by that an open-hearth, traditional or conventional fireplace) is just one option. Are you sure that there is no space-heating woodburner that can handle these trees? They may not be good fuel for an ordinary fireplace. But there have been so many innovations in recent decades. Thinking of home heat or heat for a shop building, for examples.

I'm supposing (maybe incorrectly) that the main issue is the residue from the pitch. If this is the issue, then I'd think that a woodburner that ensured high combustion heat and the maintenance of heat through the flue and chimney would be what is required.

 

[mrbstephens]

Actually, we have had success trapping them - they LOVE cantaloupe. You have to allow them to get used to the trap, you can lock it open and let them eat the bait for a while, and then actually set it with the 'loupes and you've got a whistle pig!
You would of course have to be careful with other small critters around that you don't want trapped, but it is possible to trap them

Best of luck, we are going to be struggling with that issue too, and I have no idea what we're going to do! I've got the deer figured out... its all the others that I am not sure of!

Thanks for the tip! I'll have to get myself a trap.

 

[mrbstephens]

I have plans to clear 10,000 square feet in the southern most area of the property which butts up to the end of our neighbor's yard. This will give me the most sun exposure possible. The area has several dead trees in the middle already, but we'll have to cut down more. We live in a pine barrens here so most of the trees are pitch pines which are big and unfortunately can't be burned in the fireplace. We could, however, burn them outside in the fire pit.

A "fireplace" (if you mean by that an open-hearth, traditional or conventional fireplace) is just one option. Are you sure that there is no space-heating woodburner that can handle these trees? They may not be good fuel for an ordinary fireplace. But there have been so many innovations in recent decades. Thinking of home heat or heat for a shop building, for examples.

I'm supposing (maybe incorrectly) that the main issue is the residue from the pitch. If this is the issue, then I'd think that a woodburner that ensured high combustion heat and the maintenance of heat through the flue and chimney would be what is required.

Yes, the pines produce a lot of sap that would cause a chimney fire.