Kitchen Garden Update - Late March 2005
Whisper it, but we have full confidence that the Kitchen Garden is rabbit proof.
After assessing the pests that are likely to venture into the garden to pilfer and forage, we decided that these bobtailed rodents are likely to pose slightly more of a threat than the aerial attack from birds, so there will not be any Easter bunnies in the garden – famous last words?
We have created our Rabbit Exclusion Zone by erecting a perimeter fence constructed of timber posts and 25mm gauge rabbit wire, which has also been dug into the ground to a depth of 5 to 10cm to prevent any subterranean burrowing attacks. Since the fencing has been in place, including two removable gates to allow access, we have checked the perimeter almost daily, and have yet to report any attempted break-ins. We have also placed the pots of garlic outside the greenhouse as a form of temptation, so at this stage it would appear that either a). our fence is impregnable and the garden is a fortress or b). rabbits dislike garlic. We prefer to believe the former. So far, the only intruder has been a cat but we are unsure of the damage to the plants this creature may cause, so will monitor the situation to ascertain if any action is required. If you have suffered horticulturally at the hands (paws) of feline intruders, please contact us without delay by clicking on this link.
We will of course be taking the potential attack from the air very seriously, and plan to erect a fruit cage and various protection systems to prevent our feathered friends from dining out alfresco at Chez Kitchen Garden this summer. Displaying our fickle side, the robin we fed and befriended in the cold days of winter is now to be excluded, but we will
definitely pass on any tasty caterpillars/grubs/larvae if (when!) we discover them.
We are sure you are awaiting, with great excitement, further news on the Great Potato Chitting Debate, and who are we to disappoint? The latest developments have seen the dark, furry - but firm - chits rubbed from the tubers and the potatoes placed in the confines of the gardeners Shed. As we are sure you are unfamiliar with this location, 
a brief description is necessary – this venue is cool, devoid of bright sunshine and has no heating and therefore should be ideal for the purpose of chitting potatoes. Both sets of tubers, dark and light, are now resident in this location, along with the gardener of course. We will carry an update in our next report; in the meantime, please keep your advice and experiences on this interesting subject flooding in.
So, to recap – the beds are ready, the construction phase is nearing completion and spring is most certainly in the air – it appears that the next few weeks promise much in the Kitchen Garden.
