Thursday, October 30, 2008

Fall Thinks About Sneaking In


I suppose it's fall here now but the wisteria is putting up the good fight. A plant after my own heart! Looking at the front path, however, I see the beginnings of the leaf inundation which will indeed come in waves. It was easier to rake leaves back in the days of lawn but now it's just a meditative experience to ease the masses out from around plants. And if a few remain it's all good anyway...they just compost in place!
Back in the garden I'm trying to get the winter veggies going and I've succumbed to the allure of the Gardener's Supply plant covers. The sparrows just aren't satisfied with the seed I offer them...they need greens for the first course. My greens. My carrots. My beets. My spinach. My peas. They've already finished off one round of lettuce that was not under cover...guess I'm a slow learner. Every year I've jury rigged a cover out of window screen or bird net. Nothing has been totally successful so this year I asked for these nifty covers for my birthday and my dad came through.
So we've got spinach, broccoli, carrots, beets, swiss chard, cippollini and scallions gathered safely under the covers. I'm hoping they will be easier to use and do the job well. The peas are still making do with bird netting...once the plants are of a certain size they seem to be less appealing to the sparrows. If these covers work as well as I hope they will I'll be ordering a few more next fall. And the sparrows will be looking elsewhere for their greens!

12 comments:

Kathy said...

Are those covers pinned down? They look like they could fly away in the first breeze.

Kristi said...

I like that idea, that might be a good alternative for me to keep my dogs out of the vegetable patches.

EAL said...

Those plant covers look nice. I will recommend them for my varmint-harassed friends.

Cindy, MCOK said...

Sounds like there will be some very tasty veggies on your dinner table in the months to come, especially now you've figured out how to foil the sparrows!

growingagardenindavis said...

Yes, Kathy, they come with metal stakes and there are loops to hook them into the ground...not heavy duty but I'm hoping sufficient!
They're for keeping pests out Kristi...I think they'd work with dogs (and cats) well too.
Hi EAL...if I have any complaints I'll let you know but so far, so good!
I'm hoping, Cindy...I'm really wanting lots of peas...I love garden peas!

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said...

I love the look of the leaves on that walkway. Kind of reminds me of the leaves they brought in to film the movie "Halloween."

Anonymous said...

I had to enlarge and look at that second photo of the garden path with leaves. It's a very nice area of your garden. I like the irregular stone path, the brick edging, the little stone seat and the understory plants.

growingagardenindavis said...

I like the leaves too, MMD, I just wish I could keep it at about that level and not 3 inches deeper.
Welcome, Northern Shade! That's the front walk and I got the little bench so the day care children could use it when they're coming and going. But mostly I sit on it when I'm hand watering.

Anonymous said...

Cool covers, Leslie. I want some too. Maybe next year.~~Dee

kate smudges said...

What a neat idea... I've never seen these before. You are fortunate to be able to grow veggies during the winter...

Carol Michel said...

Oh, I want some of those covers. They look so nice and neat in your garden. Let us know how they work out.

By the way, fall landed here with a killing frost, but it has warmed up since then.

Carol, May Dreams Gardens

Annie in Austin said...

The nets might work against sparrows but I'm not so sure about squirrels, Leslie! Good luck with the new protectors of the crop.
I also like the way the leaves look on the paths.

Annie at the Transplantable Rose