Deer in the Garden: A Love Hate Relationship

Deer at the Bird Feeders

I am thrilled to see deer meandering through the woods skirting my property. The spotted fawns are so cute. 

Sadly, our electric-fenced vegetable garden was breached by deer that destroyed the pepper plants and defoliated the tomato plants as well as eating entire clusters of cherry tomatoes. The devastation was complete. All that was left was squash and eggplant.

Our 4 foot high 5-strand electrified fence was 3-sided. The 4^th side was a wire fence covered with brambles and vines. That was non-electric access into the garden. The other vulnerability is that deer can jump a 4 foot fence.

 My husband was disgusted with the carnage. He threw down a perimeter of tarpaulins reasoning a horse would spook at walking on a tarp so maybe a deer would too.

After the peppers had fresh new growth, the tarps were breached as well, and more destruction ensued. One of the culprits was spotted in the early morning hours, and made his frantic escape losing hair on the non-electric fence.

This time, my solution was to use temporary stakes and add electricity to the 4^th side plus a series of wires running parallel through the garden. It’s a labyrinth of wire-both hot and cold. It’s sure to annoy the heck out of the deer, and maybe it’ll keep them from finishing off the struggling plants.

Electrified fence is my answer to deer problems, but now I must amend that with a higher fence requirement. 4 feet is too short, so perhaps 6 or 8 feet will do the trick. I am not a fan of chemical deer sprays because they are expensive and need to be reapplied after rain. I know deer dislike prickly squash so I’ll try planting tomato plants inside a perimeter of squash next year.

Update: August 23, 2012

The labyrinth of wire added to keep the deer out worked! 

Pepper plants that were chewed in half on two different occasions have sprouted peppers to be harvested next week. Likewise, the tomato plants recovered, and we’re looking for things to do with all the tomatoes. After the deer debacle, I let many tomatoes and peppers grow from last year’s dropped seeds, and those plants have also produced tomatoes and jalapeño peppers. It’s not the prettiest garden, but it’s yielding wonderful vegetables.

The lesson is to not give up when deer [or bugs] rampage your garden. Come up with creative solutions to keep them out the next time. A garden can recover.

Gluten - Free Peach Cobbler

It’s peach season and here’s a very easy gluten-free cobbler recipe.

Ingredients:

½ stick of butter or margarine
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk (I used skim)
1 cup gluten-free Bisquick mix
2 cups fresh peaches 

1. Melt the margarine in a 9 inch square pan in a 350 F oven.

2. By hand mix sugar, Bisquick, and milk together in a bowl.

3. Pour over melted butter and do not stir.

4. Evenly distribute peaches on top of batter.

5. Bake for 40 minutes allowing the top to brown.

A Fun Recipe for Jalapeños

If you find yourself with an abundant harvest of Jalapenos, this is a recipe we use for an appetizer or main dish.

1. Wash and core peppers. Remove seeds.

2. Spread cream cheese inside pepper.

3. Wrap in bacon.

4. Place on cookie sheet and cook for 45 minutes at 400 F or until bacon is done.

Update 3/15/2015:  A video of this recipe is available here. 

At the end of Summer 2014, we had more jalapenos than we could eat. I prepared the poppers for freezing by keeping the vegetable whole. I sliced a lengthwise cut shaped like an "L." Through this opening I removed the seeds and added cream cheese. Then I closed the flap with a toothpick run through the jalapeno. I froze them first on a cookie sheet and them moved them to a  freezer bag.

Today I cooked the jalapenos from frozen after wrapping a half slice of bacon around using the toothpick as an anchor. Cooking as instructed above, they were delicious.

Frozen Jalapeno Poppers

Bacon Wrapped Frozen Poppers

Cooked Jalapeno Poppers

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Harvesting and Cooking Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti Squash is ready for harvest when the color is predominantly yellow. The stem may have a dried appearance. Cut the stem and avoid touching it as it’s very prickly.

Store in a cool, dry place. Spaghetti squash will keep for months.

Preparation:

Wash the outside of the squash.

Cut the stem end off.

Pierce the skin several times with a fork.

Cook in the microwave for 5 minutes. The skin should give slightly to pressure.

Depending on the size of the squash and power of the microwave, additional or less time may be required.

I cooked a 12 inch long squash (large) for 8 minutes in a 1200 watt microwave.

The squash should be cooled before handling further. I usually microwave the squash one day, refrigerate it, and prepare it further another day. 

Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop the pulp and seeds out of the squash.

With a fork, scrape the meat, and it will release from the skin in spaghetti strands.

Sauté the spaghetti strands in olive oil and margarine for about 10 minutes. Serve.

Alternately, add spaghetti sauce. Serve.

Managing Japanese Beetles

Hibiscus - A favorite of Japanese Beetles

As reported previously, Japanese beetle numbers are down significantly. What can you do with the few persistent beetles on your flowers? 

The commercial beetle traps contain pheromones or mating hormones that attract beetles to the trap. 

This trap will draw beetles from all over the neighborhood to your yard. Do not go that route.

I keep a plastic container with soap solution in my garage. When I see beetles on flowers, I knock them into the container and close it. The bugs are slow and sluggish thus easily caught.  I also use old lotion or perfume in the place of soap when making homemade beetle traps.

Zucchini Recipe

1. Using a food processor or grater, shred 2-3 zucchini. Drain in colander or on paper towels.

2. Sauté in olive oil in large sauce pan.

3. Add drained Hillshire Farm Beef Sausage that has been sliced and heated in microwave.

4. Move zucchini sausage mixture to the side, and scramble 3 eggs in the pan.

5. Mix eggs into zucchini mixture along with seasoning like oregano.

6. Top with grated cheddar cheese, and cover until cheese melts. 

VEGETARIAN: skip step 3 leaving out the sausage

Zucchini hiding in the garden

Butterflies of North Carolina

Grand Spangled Fritillary

Silver-spotted Skipper

Hummingbird Moth

The Hummingbird Moth is, of course, not a butterfly, but it is commonly seen during the day while one is viewing butterflies.

American Lady

Tiger Swallowtail

The dark form of the Tiger Swallowtail is meant to mimic the Pipevine Swallowtail  that is toxic to birds.

Here's a video of Tiger Swallowtails on a Butterfly Bush:

Spicebush Swallowtail

The Spicebush Swallowtail is also a Pipevine mimic to avoid predation.

Red-banded Hairstreak

Red-spotted Purple Butterfly

Ventral view shows spots

Monarch

Pearl Crescent

See more North Carolina butterflies in my August 8, 2012 post.

My references:
I am lucky enough to have a copy of Butterflies of the East Coast by Rick Cech and Guy Tudor. For moth and insect information, I use The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Insects & Spiders.

What are these craters?

These craters are built by the larvae of the antlion who is also known as a doodlebug. 

With huge claw-like jaws, the antlion sits partially submerged in the sand at the crater bottom and waits for an ant or other insect to fall in the trap.

These pits were found in the dry sandy soil of my barn overhang.

To see an excellent video of an antlion trapping its prey go to Wikipedia.

Japanese Beetles Decline in Numbers in North Carolina

Steve Frank, North Carolina Extension Entomologist, reports that severe droughts the past 3 years have resulted in fewer Japanese Beetles. The beetle depends on moist soil for keeping eggs viable and to allow burrowing of larvae.  Dry weather during this part of the life cycle results in fewer adult beetles.

I have destroyed many plants and trees because they attracted too many Japanese Beetles so I’m thrilled that nature is giving us a break from this pest.

Japanese Beetle eating a hibiscus bloom 

Spaghetti Squash

Spaghetti Squash is fun to grow. I started my squash from seeds in late March and planted in the garden in May. Presently I have beautiful plants with hard-to-see green fruits. Last year, the spaghetti traveled like a pumpkin vine around the garden. This year, the fruits are directly under the plants. No fragile vines. I can only assume this is a different variety. 

The squash will be harvested when the color changes to yellow. I’ll post a recipe or two then.

Wildlife in the Garden

Bunny reclining in the clover.

Deer helping herself to Virginia Creeper.

Red-eyed Box Turtle.

Black snakes.

Wood lizard on statuary.

Red Daylilies

 

I have mostly all orange daylilies and a few yellows. For some reason, a plant surprised me last year with red flowers. After it finished blooming, I moved it to a more visible location so I could enjoy the unusual color.

It did not disappoint me this year. As shown above, there are beautiful red flowers on this plant.

 Yellow Daylily

Squash Times 2012

I picked the first squash today. It’s hard to believe the plants were put in the ground a mere 3 ½ weeks ago. 

The first squash bug made its appearance last week. Squash bugs will affect the xylem or water transporting part of the plant and lay eggs under the leaves. The plant will wilt and collapse. The best solution is a generous treatment with Sevin spray.

Refrain from harvesting for 3 days after the Sevin treatment. 

Squash Bug

Squash Bug eggs on underside of leaf

More on the attributes of squash…

All varieties are fast-growing and easy to cook. I started spaghetti and yellow squash seeds in a cold frame in late March (it was unseasonably warm). I can confess now that the yellow squash seeds were leftovers that I found in the potting shed. The spaghetti seeds were recently purchased.

An easy way to prepare yellow squash:

Slice into bite- size pieces, mix with diced onion, toss generously with olive oil, season,  and bake at 400 F for 30 minutes.