Garden Updated -- The Raccoons Develop A Taste For Watermelon

There have been raccoons around my house for decades. One even got in my house through an old chimney clean out. That was one very unlucky raccoon. First he found the hot peppers I had out to dry, then he got into some horseradish packets, and finally an entire industrial size jar of chili powder. Tracks ended there. Anyway back to the garden. So far they have kept to raiding the bird feeders. Pretty sure I've had a few cucumbers disappear but no evidence of that. Well yesterday they upgraded their game to watermelons. I found 2 that had been eaten in the back of the garden.

I know there is no way to keep them out of the yard and even trapping them won't do any good as another will just take it's place within a week. So I came up with a quick deterrent. I used to use these cages to thwart rabbits trying to eat my tomato seedlings. Instead of trying to fence in the garden and have the rabbits just hop over or tunnel under I made small cages for each seedling. Most I made out of chicken wire but a few I made out of wire mesh. The chicken wire ones rusted and had to be tossed. The wire mesh ones were still in good shape. I put them around each watermelon. They have no chance of keeping a determined raccoon out but are more of a deterrent. The ends are sharp so any raccoon trying to reach in there with his paws or snout is going to get a rude awakening.

I still had some of a roll of wire mesh left so I made 6 more and now have them around 8 watermelons. One spare one for the next one to get bigger. I took metal rods and shoved them down through the mesh so the cages can't be moved. Unfortunately the cages are probably a bit too small. I do have some other ideas. I have a bunch of bigger starter pots I could put over the fruit and stake down. Only problem is they are black so might burn the plant up. I could give them a quick coat of white paint. I think I have an old bottle of chili powder or red pepper flakes in the bar. Going to sprinkle that around the plants too. See if I can keep them at bay that way.

In other news the first watermelon wasn't quite ripe. Could have used another day on the vine. It was green when I cut it but started turning pink by the end of the day. It's in the ice box getting ripe now. Still no ripe tomatoes. Weather is just not cooperating. No rain and hot temperatures.

Totals:

• Cucumbers: 316
• Zucchini: 15
• Watermelon: 1