We're having an early summer, I think. Today it's raining, but the weekend was busy with outside things. The garden is almost entirely planted. My back yard container plants seem happier than ever. It's been neither too hot nor too cold; it's been just right. Friends visiting, late nights, food carts, pinball, bike ride, tomato planting, piano recital, fabric shopping, neighborhood potluck, eclispse watching. And something ate all of leaves off of about a third of my beet plants. It doesn't look like insect or slug; it looks like . . . something with teeth or beak? They went from one plant to the next plant, to the next plant in the row. Cafeteria style. Losers!
Today I'm trying to get organized. I've cut everything for the new quilt but the house is kind of trashed so I think I have some chores to do first. Getting kind of a slow start today. But it will be good to spend some time inside, I think. I've got some projects to show you.
Cats love to eat the new leaves off plants, and that's probably what got your beets. I got some light netting to put over my sprouts until they are big enough not to appeal to kitties. When it stops raining, cayenne pepper sprinkled around the beds will keep them out. Or hazelnut hulls, I hear.
Posted by: liz | May 21, 2012 at 09:12 AM
DeLovely. **sigh**
Posted by: Deborah Bauernfeind | May 21, 2012 at 09:15 AM
rabbits?
Posted by: pbach1 | May 21, 2012 at 09:17 AM
The summer is here in Sweden too and I hope it stays - it´s so wonderful! :-)
Posted by: tinajo | May 21, 2012 at 09:18 AM
Projects :), Plant eating monster :(
Posted by: Rebecca Clark | May 21, 2012 at 09:18 AM
Sounds like you had a lovely summery weekend! We did as well here in Eastern MI. I'm facing our home's insistence that I organize and clean, myself, today. Here's to the lovely weekends and the creativity that make for messy homes...and the good feeling that comes when there kind of sort of tidy again! Can't wait to see your new projects!
Posted by: anna | May 21, 2012 at 09:24 AM
love these pictures.
it all sounds so lovely and relaxing.
What fun it must be to live where you are.
Amy
Posted by: vintage market place | May 21, 2012 at 09:26 AM
If the withered chopped-off beet tops are still laying around on the soil, it's cut worms. They slice plants off at ground level, and they go right down the row of plants...
Otherwise, rabbits, groundhogs, crows, maybe squirrels. Netting or caging (willow hoops covered in cheesecloth?) will deter the pest.
Posted by: Kristina Strain | May 21, 2012 at 09:27 AM
Netting is great - just make sure the holes are small enough to keep out whatever's giving you problems, and make sure it's weighted/attached all around
I had a baby bunny problem two years ago, since it could squeeze through the holes in a chain link fence. It was not a very big problem, though, since it was alone, and it was a very polite bunny and only ate *one* carrot top, all the way down, each visit, and it was awfully, awfully cute whenever I did see it. It eventually grew to be too large to get through the chain link fence and my few remaining carrots remained unmolested.
But I think I enjoyed the ones the baby bunny ate more than the ones I ate that year.
The Groundhog Wars were more unfortunate; I'd visit the garden and discover that all 12 tomato seedlings had been eaten in one night, or that half the carrot tops have been bitten off but not entirely eaten (what a waste!). Very aggravating.
They sell bird netting in big rolls if you want to just cover the whole beds to keep things out until they're not quite as tender; you could probably thumbtack or staple it to the raised bed frames if you wanted to, or just weight it down.
Posted by: MC | May 21, 2012 at 09:28 AM
Oh my - is this what I can expect with my itty bitty beet tops which are just coming up?
Posted by: Lisa G. | May 21, 2012 at 09:30 AM
Here is a link to some garden pests that target beet greens:
http://www.bugsinthegarden.com/category/plants-affected/beets/
Sounds like slugs to me, they like to take dainty little bites of things and they are very methodical. Food-grade diatomaceous earth is a good, safe method of repelling them (and it's a good soil amendment too).
Posted by: Melissa L. | May 21, 2012 at 09:30 AM
Just as I was thinking we needed to check the tomato plants to see if they needed to be watered we started to get rain showers yesterday(: I am still working on knitting a hat...slowly, and my quilt squares are still not cut for my patchwork quilt. I am 61 and still afraid to cut material. Were you ever afraid to cut material, and if you were, how did you overcome your fear, Alicia?
Posted by: Gracie Saylor | May 21, 2012 at 09:36 AM
Alicia, that is such a darling kitters photo!
Posted by: Erika | May 21, 2012 at 09:37 AM
Cayenne pepper works wonders if the invader is warm blooded...I buy it 5lbs at a time at the bulk food store. Might we hope for another samplerpleeeeeezzzzz??? Cant wait!!
Posted by: Patti | May 21, 2012 at 09:44 AM
Alicia,
Beautiful nights!!
You know, rodents and especially rabbits bring me to tears with all they eat. I have had to resort to fox scent because nothing else worked and the damage was grave over the years. Now it is worlds better. The rabbits here even eat tree bark.
Although, we also have a gopher epidemic, and they suck things down underneath - so another cry fest ensues ;)
But, I have learned lots of tricks. And to be blunt, I was taught by a blog friend to put dog poo poo in my plant holes, and I have to say, it keep gophers away for sure.
Also - my bean and pea plants were very light green and sickly looking at first as they grew from seed, and as they got bigger they have gotten the "right" green. Healthy and lovely looking.
Just a few thoughts sharing ;)
Posted by: Vanessa {A Fanciful Twist} | May 21, 2012 at 09:50 AM
I had a lovely weekend as well ~ my son graduated from PNCA!
I think I'm going to need to take a photography class ~ I love your photos and makes me want to improve my photo taking!
Posted by: elsa | May 21, 2012 at 09:51 AM
Oh my gosh! The illuminated cat face is just too much!
Posted by: Linda in Waterloo | May 21, 2012 at 10:17 AM
hmmm...sounds "bunny-ish" to me. But what sweet pictures!
Posted by: sharon from sharon stanley writes | May 21, 2012 at 11:12 AM
Beautiful photos! We had the same thing happen to us last year when we planted our seedlings, and we thought it was squirrels. This year we have an elaborate netting system installed over the raised bed, and so far, so good! Happy harvesting!
Posted by: Wylie | May 21, 2012 at 11:13 AM
Oh my gosh! The pic of the kitty.....adorable! LOVE the expression!
Posted by: Kim | May 21, 2012 at 11:18 AM
Your pictures are so evocative, an absolute treat. Warms the cockles of my heart.
Posted by: Jean | May 21, 2012 at 11:21 AM
I also am particularly in love with the cat photo...very magical...cayenne pepper and garlic powder sprinkled about have helped keep deer and rabbits away from my tulips and such...must reapply after a rain...a great love of garlic is a requirement because you do smell it for a time...
Looking forward to your project photoes.
Posted by: C | May 21, 2012 at 11:22 AM
It's probably sheep. My pesky sheep have been sneaking into my vegetable garden to eat my peas, and sneaking into the front yard to eat my irises off at the ground. I bet they decided to visit the city this weekend when I wasn't looking and took a tour of all the pretty yards in Portland, sampling as they went. They probably wore disguises so no one would suspect anything.
Posted by: Michelle | May 21, 2012 at 11:22 AM
Ugly stupid gross earwigs, I betcha...
Posted by: Michelle | May 21, 2012 at 11:24 AM
Hmmmm....I'm suspecting DEER! You live in Portland if I remember correctly. I'm in Corvallis and they are eating the leaves off of everything around here right now. And I join the others in my love of the kitty photo. It's pure magic. :)
Posted by: Victoria Smith | May 21, 2012 at 11:36 AM