Allotment disaster

[Noosner]

Thanks once again everyone - I really appreciate your taking the time out to reply. The very fact that you have replied makes me feel better. Mr Noosner, not being a gardener, said 'your plot still looks very nice to me' which is lovely, but fellow gardener's responses really hit the spot.

Bill, your story made me laugh (in a sympathetic kind of a way, naturally ). I scoured the lottie for droppings yesterday but couldn't see any. Was delighted when I thought I'd spotted a big poo (it takes all sorts) but it turned out to be a rotting avocado stone.

I'm hoping it doesn't return, Mr Bones. If it does I may have to buy a shotgun and camp out in the shed all night with a fanatical gleam in my eyes.

[Bren In Pots]

Noosner can you get your hands on some netting probable try charity shops and cover over your plants not sure if that would stop Deer though.

[Bill HH]

I'm hoping it doesn't return, Mr Bones. If it does I may have to buy a shotgun and camp out in the shed all night with a fanatical gleam in my eyes.

Makes mental note, don't visit Noosner's plot after dark, particularly if wearing a sheep skin coat.

[Pineberry]

My french, and runner beans were sheared all summer long, by unknow creatue, until we saw that it was rabbits.
We have deers (muntjacks and big ones too) on our lotties too, so if you want it to be more secure fence it off.
Rabbits made a hole in plastic fencing on my plot and ate all the leaves on my newly planted strawberries and apple tree. Luckily the rabbit was caught red handed, so sealed everything and plants are recovering now again.

[Richard Eldritch]

Sorry to here that, I was about to moan about the neighbours cat digging up me lettuce again, but I'll shut up now......

edit *Hear* oh my gawwd....

[Hazel at the Hill]

I scoured the lottie for droppings yesterday but couldn't see any. Was delighted when I thought I'd spotted a big poo (it takes all sorts) but it turned out to be a rotting avocado stone.

Brilliant - laugh out loud moment of the morning!

[Noosner]

Thanks again everyone. Yes, it could be rabbits (there is a vast rabbit warren next to our lotties, also known as Yorkshire Water) but I do have a v.g. rabbit-proof fence, and the fence at the back is 7' tall. I may be wrong of course and will look for a breach next time I go down as I know from bitter experience that they are determined little devils. I've not known rabbits to break bean canes down, though I suppose several of them might have got organised and charged the canes at once to get a battering ram effect... or should that be a battering bun effect... or a buttered bun effect, oh dear now I'm getting silly...

[CurlyGreen]

Roughly this time last year something ate every beetroot/chard leaf in the small allotment area in our village and all my unripe strawberries - but not the leaves to any noticeable level. It ignored lots of young brassicas and various sort of young beans.

I briefly saw a very small rabbit eating chard so I assume it was a rabbit with very particular tastes.

Luckily no repeat this year and I've just netted a nice lot of ripening strawberries, not long now (fingers crossed)!

Probably totally different to Noosner but I thought I'd join in.

[Noosner]

Oh no. Just went down to lottie to check that all was okay and it wasn't. Another major attack: this time the animal(s) knocked down half of my globe artichoke plant (and uprooted the biggest stem, which had two lovely artichokes on it), eaten my sweet peas (I thought they were poisonous), my jerusalem artichokes (I thought nothing ate those) and all my sweet corn.

Felt gutted again! But I was being too optimistic to think that if I ignored it, it might not happen again. Another plot holder was down there and came to have a look. He thought it looked like an animal with some strength too. Badgers and deer were mentioned, but we can't work out how they got in as the fence at the back of the allotments is 7' high. I'm not ruling rabbits out either, even though I don't see how they can have done so much damage.

Anyway, I did a fence survey. All looked secure at ground level but I saw that something had jumped over into the raspberry plants, as one was really crushed. It's where my front fence sags a bit (it's made of chicken wire with a 'soft' top). The front fence is the most dodgy. So I shored it up at that point and put some extra chicken wire at another low place, to make the fence about 9' higher. Not sure what more I can do!

On the plus side, the French beans, as Hazel said, are sprouting new leaves! And they've done it in just a few days. I think some of the runner beans will be okay too. The peas, having had another attack, are now just stalks.

Really hoping I've nailed this now.... will be down again at the weekend to see if there's been another break-in!

[Penellype]

How awful for you

I hope you have managed to keep the animal out now. Fingers crossed for you.

[Scarlet]

Noosner, I have deer problems, they can jump fences no problem they love sweetcorn! I've stopped growing it. They trample everything in their path. Really upsetting for you.

[Bigmallly]

I'm gutted for you...........

[Bill HH]

I could cry for you. So disheartening.

[TrialAndError]

A hard lesson learned, don't give up. Plant some more radish, lettuce, potatoes (if you can find any) and try again growing the peas from seed. Never know, they may turn out better planting them at this time of year. Keep smiling!

[Bill HH]

How about planting some arsenic trees.