Growing Coastal wrote: ↑Tue Jul 20, 2021 4:27 pm It was a mother rat and her young. Looks like only one is left now from the size of recent meals. I got two, so far. They leave the fruit and return each night.
I have 4 traps out but the old one is smart and either takes the bait somehow or avoids the traps altogether I'll keep trying different locations and baits because soon it will be into the figs.
Very disappointing. I wish neighbours would stop feeding birds during the summer months.

There is a bird disease going around and birds are dying everywhere here. The DNR is asking everyone to take down their bird feeders. It is even being broadcast on the news. So, perhaps you can tell your neighbor about this if the birds are sick there too and tell them that it is strongly suggested to remove the feeders for now.

This is on the news here every year now, the "frounce" kills birds so please don't feed during the summer, as the feeder becomes a hotspot for passing on the infection.
You mentioned that rats turn up in a dry year, and that makes me wonder if it is the water source attracting them to nest near your home. Is there a way to keep them from getting water from your birdbath/fountain?
Unlike mice, rats need to drink water every day. If there's no water source handy, they won't nest nearby. One of the first things I had to do with the rats here, was to round up any buckets that had been carelessly left to fill up with rain. That reminds me, since it's raining now and I have all their favorite things growing, to make sure i'm not providing their must-have as well.

Seems to make no difference. There are rats in this town. Dry years more, wetter years less but always rats, now.
I used to be able to safely ripen fruit in the garage years ago but no longer unless it is covered.
There is another water source for them by the tomatoes now but still eating tomatoes.
I am picking at first blush and wrapping the green ones. Tiresome but seems to work.

Well, now that this is done no more signs of rat. Perhaps a neighbour got it. I saw it one evening when it made a lot of noise in the garage while I was putting something onto the hot plate to cook. Foolish rat. I rocked the shelving unit where it was and it shortly ran out the doggie door. Has not been back since.

Pre-packaged fruit.


Pole beans are doing well. They're at the very back of the garden and need watching to keep them out of the rose etc overhead as they travel along the wire roof. Picked a few Fortex, so far.



I don't usually grow eggplant but this little cutie appealed to me when a friend offered up a seedling. It's got lots of fruit and flowers on it. So far, about 50 of them coming along.


Patio Baby. Now about 2 ft tall. Fruit 2 - 2.5 inches long.











Green sprouting broccoli is doing very well in their pot. The next one is larger than this one.





Babylon cucumber impressed me last year. It is doing well now, too. They are small fruit which suits me just fine.

Wow, everything looks great and the eggplant is adorable. Hope it tastes well!

The eggplant is delightful. Sweet and mild.

Thought I ought to post results of the Bush Baby zucchini, as requested above, before I pack it up. Busy days.

The one potted plant produced 22 lbs of 17 med sized zucchini. Like all the rest, if you turn your back for one night they double in size. They are meant to be picked on the smaller side.
It grew quite well until August, or so, then started to produce fewer flowers and some days it was hard to find two different sexed blooms to pollinate.
It also sprang a pup at the base and I still wonder if I had cut the first stem whether that little one might have done better.
Notes say that I terminated it Sept 12th, after the powdery mildew got too heavy on it.
Still have a bit left in the freezer.

That flavourful cuke, Babylon, produced 55 cukes for a total of 29.5 lbs.