I've continued to battle pests of all kinds in garden through summer and now fall. I have to say though, that I am having a harder time in the fall garden than I ever did in the summer garden.
The squirrels are so disrespectful, it's outrageous. They drag pumpkins from the display, make a huge mess in the garden throwing all of the pumpkin innards everywhere, and this last squirrel was so bold -- that even when the car was right on top of him, he just stood there and looked at us. And then left the carcass of the pumpkin shell behind. Honestly.
My veg garden is another story. It has been squirrel free all summer -- but just this week, I saw a squirrel jump out of the raised bed from the broccoli patch, and scurry off. And once squirrels find something they like - they have great memories. They come back again and again until the whole plant is destroyed. The minute that they found out we had sunflowers in the garden this summer, was the last day we had sunflowers. They ate the heads off of all the sunflowers - both the mammoth ones, and the itty bitty flowers. That was also very frustrating.
So, this year I'm trying to get ahead of them with the daffodil and tulip bulbs. Up in the mountains I planted about 25 daffodil bulbs in the little raised bed by the driveway. And every fall since I've planted them, I have about 10 or so daffodils come up in the raised bed -- and a dozen others that come up in all of the neighbors' yards where the squirrels replanted them!
Well, I am going to fix their wagon this year with the heavy screen that I placed over the plantings. I hope it pays off!
Lastly, it has gotten quite chilly here in Los Angeles. Don't laugh East Coasters! It's gotten close to freezing for a couple of nights - so I bought some plant blankets! And we have been bundling up and heading out after dark to cover all the tender little things, so they will continue to enjoy the fall sunshine.
All in all, I feel like I'm winning. But I need to wait until all the votes come in before I can claim victory! However, the waning days of fall mean less light, more chill, and less time to actually garden.
So, I am already beginning to dream of my spring garden, and the new life that it will bring.