When I was small we had a lovely fruit-n-veg garden, ruled over by 'Fuller the Gardener'.
He was a wise old fellow, who taught us how to wring the necks of Chickens, sow Radishes, and shoot Rats.
However, the only bit of Fuller wisdom that I remember was about how much of what to grow. He reckoned you should grow 75% for your own consumption, and 25% for the wildlife.
I was reminded of this yesterday morning when I went to pick Strawberries. Loads of them had been half eaten, and I couldn't really understand how or why. I had put down Slug Pellets, the plants themselves are off the ground in old wheelbarrows, and I had been paying them special attention as it's Strawberry season.
When I went down later to pick a few for lunch, I found the culprits; about five Blackbirds were in amongst the plants fattening themselves on my fruit.
The plants are now covered with fine netting.
The wretched scoundrels!
29 comments:
We have Pack Rats that eat, everything from plants, cactus, veggies, fruit and destroy the engine and inside of your car.
Your strawberries look wonderful and the dish is lovely.
cheers, parsnip
Nice looking strawberries - Mr. Fuller would be proud
I wonder if Robin is still in Lingfield?
I passed a Cherry tree recently that was filled with Magpies. I should think they ate every Cherry within ten mins.
Last I heard he was - Maud died. I don't remember any strawberries being grown at Lingfield - Lots and lots of raspberries.
I'm glad you've found the culprits in time!
Lovely strawberries and they look like they are the very sweet ones.
Greetings Maria x
They are called Gariguette (not sure of spelling), and are the best of the locally grown varieties. As you say, very sweet, with a very pronounced Strawberry flavour. Delicious.
We always called the men who helped my Mum in the garden Monument. I know that the last 'young man' was Gerry, but he always phoned and said 'Monument here...'
Did you net 75% of the strawberry bed?
Alphie
I think I should dig out my netting. I had a suburban upbringing in Twickenham, but a third of our long garden was devoted to fruit growing. My mum was a passionate and artistic gardener and our Edwardian semi was built on land that previously was orchard so we had a swing in an old apple tree and my favourite job was picking raspberries. Right at the end of the garden hidden from view was a garage where my dad restored wooden boats as a hobby. Anyway every summer holiday we decamped with two other families to one of the gatehouses on the Saltram estate near Plymouth for a month of sailing and surfing and diving for shellfish and exploring Dartmoor and wringing chicken’s necks and catapulting and skinning rabbits and digging our own vegetables for dinner and it was heaven on Earth. My husband removed the roof from the old chicken run at the weekend so I now have my four square metres of growing space. I thought the ground would be a dream to dig but it was baked hard so I thoroughly dug one quarter for sowing and will do the remaining quarters gradually. I am supposedly a no dig gardener and even my good shoulder is complaining but needs must. Very heavy rain all day yesterday so hopefully that will have softened the ground for more digging.
Why? We always called Fuller; Fuller. His wife worked in the house and she was called MRS Fuller. Lovely people.
No, but I've cut 25% of the lead off my airgun pellets, to give them a fighting chance!
It's a constant battle against wildlife here. Just when you think you've covered all possibilities, some creature comes along and proves you wrong. Yes, get plenty of netting, slug pellets, and a .22 rifle.
If only they would just 25% of all the strawberries, instead of ruining so many. I guess they go for the very ripe bits. Not happened before?
I love Summer soft fruits .... I went to a friends for lunch last week and she had made Summer pudding for dessert from the fruit from her garden ..... delicious !!! I gave up growing fruit and veg because of the battle against wildlife and insecty pests !!! XXXX
'Wringing the neck of a chicken' is a euphemism in these parts.
He was the gardener in Mrs Dales Diary. Come on you are not that young!
I don't remember having bird trouble before. They always eat our Cherries, but that's normal.
They can be a right pain, it's just a matter of limiting the damage.
Don't tell me; I can imagine!
I can remember my mother listening to Mrs Dales Diary, but not me!
I could describe it.
Those that have survived look very morish.
It's been a good year for strawberries and cherries. I'm actually a bit fed up of strawberries now, I've eaten soooo many.
I'd bar the blackbirds, too. Dark colored birds are thuggish thieves, in my observation, and deserve any deterrent we're up to. Baked in a pie...?
They are really delicious Weave. They are called Gariguette, and are so much better than many lesser varieties.
Ours are certainly being very productive (at last). As for the Cherries, I'm not so sure; everyone's been saying it's not a good year. Our Yellow Cherry has plenty as usual.
They sing beautifully, and on occasions are very friendly, but on the whole; the pie wins!
The feathered "peck and run" merchants!
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