Galvanized Gardener

Much of what we plant needs to be protected from the natives that live here tax free. 2" X 4" galvanized wire is the barrier of choice. Smaller areas get a wire cage that easily lifts off when we need to work among the plants. Here an inverted cage provides a marked grid if all of the plants need to be evenly spaced in parallel rows. Mel Bartholomew's square foot system was an obvious influence when we planned our garden.

Tomatoes are finally starting to ripen but our fourth planting of lettuce is past. The hot July and August days quickly pushed it to seed. Many of those plants never supplied a leaf to be eaten. BLT sandwiches without our own lettuce now seems the only choice. These lettuce seedlings were started in the basement where the soil temperature remains a cool 65 degrees. We will watch this planting closely likely taking leaves a little early.

A shade cover will protect the new transplants from the hot sun. If the days stay warm, we will leave the cover in place to give the lettuce a little cool shade. The plants have been watered and covered so now we wait. One final note a baby rabbit can slide thru that wire like it wasn't there. Our protection is only partial.