Downriver - 2021

Well, I hear tell it's (past) time to start a Glog, so why not give it a try. I've been on here for years and always enjoyed reading them. So, I thought it might be fun to write one for a change...or not? lol
 
Anyway, for this year's grow, I came up with a few themes. First, I'm participating in a couple of the THP grows, namely the Growdown Throwdown and the P. Dreadie SB grow. I'm doing a Bhut grow and a Jalapeno grow. I've already had some successful seed pops. Left half - Chinense, right half everything else (three weeks later). Needing some potting up.
 

 
Also, I'm attempting to do an “old seed” re-stock. I'm going back to the original seed I received many years ago from folks and try to isolate and produce new seed stock. They have to germinate first of course, lol.
 

 
Then, there's starting tomatoes April 01, but I need to finish up the pepper starts first. More on toms later.
 
So, here's the players this season (hopefully):
 
Chinense

 

[CraftyFox]

Do what I do for Rabbits.. Fence plants in with chicken or other wire fencing.. 2' works effectively. They started to take out my whole grow in 2019, put up the fence.. No more issues. I just use the 2"x3" mesh green garden fencing and it works wonders. I just wrapped the whole roll around the grow area and weighted it down where it was likely to pop up. Make sure none of the branches hang over within reach, or they'll get pruned. 
Rabbits are easy.. And so destructive. We sat and watched one eat a 3'+ high chicory in the back like some kind of wood chipper being fed branches. They just bite it off and eat it from the bottom up.. Love to get it on film.
I have a dog and two cats that love eating rabbits and voles.. So that helps too. 
Sorry I didn't check back sooner, I'd know that bite mark anywhere after 2018.. I initially thought my kids were doing it with one of the pruners. 

 

[PaulG]

Hey, DR. Sorry to hear about the rabbit problem.
Hope you have it in control now. It was a shame
to see that beautiful garden ravaged like that.
 
Good luck going forward, buddy.

 

[Downriver]

Do what I do for Rabbits.. Fence plants in with chicken or other wire fencing..

 
Fencing is the solution for sure, but the garden is (24) 20-24ft rows. That's a lot of chicken wire lol. The garden itself is about 50x50, so I think I'll just fence the whole thing in - again. I had it fenced in with 5ft CW initially, but it rusted out after 10-12 years. Switched over to electric and didn't have any problems - until now lol.
 
 

Hey, DR. Sorry to hear about the rabbit problem.
Hope you have it in control now. It was a shame
to see that beautiful garden ravaged like that.
 
Good luck going forward, buddy.

 
Thanks Paul. It's still a work in progress,as the saying goes.

 

[Downriver]

So, as mentioned above, I think I'm going to fence in the entire garden with CW but that's gonna take some time. In the interim, I remembered I had an old wire mesh electric fence I used around the chicken run several years ago. The fence won't carry a charge anymore, but it sure should keep rabbit(s) out temporarily. I just surrounded the peppers with it.
 

 
WRONG! It's hard to see, but the damn thing chewed a HOLE in the fence. I think you can see a piece laying on the ground. I might have lost another plant, but there's so many gone it's getting hard to tell.
 

 
Sure is a determined SOB. I guess I need to step it up and get the fence done. Either that or dig out the .22 lol.

 

[skullbiker]

Like Elmer Fudd used to say "PESKY WABBIT".
Hopefully you'll get it before you're cleaned out.
Most of my pests become food for the vultures.

 

[dragonsfire]

I got one feeding on my Swiss chard, funny how "Cute little Bunny" goes to "@$%#^" ill thoughts.

 

[Demented]

I hear rabbit goes really good with some scotch bonnet and charapita. 

 

[Downriver]

So, with all the newfound time on my hands due to the THP hiatus, I was able to finish the rabbit fencing. I decided not to use chicken wire, opting for a longer lasting solution (hopefully). I ended up using his stuff.

So, what I've got now is the electric fence on the outside of the T-post and the rabbit fencing on the inside. My theory is if the rabbit ducks under the low wire of the electric fence, it will run into the rabbit fence. When it starts digging to get under the rabbit fence, it will stick its' ass up in the air and get bit by the electric fence. Yee-haa!

As a side note, it took several days to get this completed. One day, about halfway done, I got down to the garden and found this little guy.

I know the fence is gonna work because he couldn't get OUT lol. Took several minutes to steer him in the right direction out the gate. He's much cuter on the OUTSIDE of the garden, ha.

So, the fence has been completed now for two or three weeks and so far, so good. Fingers crossed.

 

[PaulG]

Reminds me of Peter Rabbit in Mr. McGregor's garden!

 

[MikeUSMC]

Finally getting around to catching up on your glog, Rick. Jeeze, man! You’ve been battling all kinds of creatures from Day One, huh?! What in the Hell kind of rabbit chews a hole in a fence like that?!

Best of luck, bud, and I hope you’ve got everything under control now!

 

[ahayastani]

The Rabbit of Caerbannog! Sounds Welsh

Hand grenades seem to work

 

[PaulG]

The Rabbit of Caerbannog! Sounds Welsh

ie yn wir!

 

[Jackson13]

Great list of peppers and maters. I’m glad to see the rabbits are under control and looks like it’s everything coming along.

 

[Downriver]

Great list of peppers and maters. I’m glad to see the rabbits are under control and looks like it’s everything coming along.

Thanks! So far, so good on the bunnies. Also, thanks for waking this glog up - 'bout time I update it some lol.

For my next gardening challenge, this guy has taken up residence in my pole barn. So far. the fence has kept him out. The neighbor is a retired Sheriff and he still likes to shoot shit. I've found dead possums, groundhogs and a racoon on my property over the last few years. I heard him shoot the other day, and I haven't seen this guy since. Just sayin.

 

[Downriver]

So, in support of The Boss's desire to refocus on being a pepper-centric website, I will not post about non-pepper things, or things that don't affect my pepper grow, in this thread. I would start another GLOG in 'Growing – Other Than Hot Peppers' forum, but prolly not this year. Maybe in the future.

So, onward pepper friends.

Although bunny bingo with my plants was not enjoyable, the plants themselves actually handled it pretty well. Most generated new growth from the stumps that remained. Many are setting flowers. I should still have a month plus before first frost, so we'll see what happens.

Then...and now

 

[PaulG]

Impressive rebound from the attack of the killer bunny, DR!

Hope the next month is productive for you.

 

[talas]

DownRiver take my hat of to you for dealing with the Rabbits so you can get back to growing and enjoying your gardening days.

 

[Downriver]

With all the trials and tribulations this season has had, I figure the harvest is about 30 days behind. We've picked a few of the early annuums, but I think the bulk is ready now. Rain is coming tonight, so hopefully I'll get down there and pick what I can so they don't crack. With the Chinense, the first early pods of some plants are ripening, but the bulk of the pods are still hanging green. With upper 30's forecast for Oct 1, my stress level has increased. A big harvest of Chinense is gonna be close this year.

Another Then...then...and now (March, June, Sept)

 

[talas]

Lovely to see the transition photos through the Season,will do that myself next year and you can see the full extent of Nothing to that lush grow.Nice one.

 

[PaulG]

+1, @talas