30-Day Garden Challenge Update: Rabbits, Deer & Crop Lessons

Five weeks post-challenge—here's the month's triumphs and struggles. Full details on my blog (link in Street Articles profile).

Wildlife Pressure

Rabbits

Returned from mountain trip to find a rabbit chewing pole beans. Chased it—returned overnight, destroyed 10+ green bean plants, left 3.

Deer

Neighbor (few yards away) reported deer hooves and damage—first in 15 years. Ate bell/banana peppers, tomatoes. My raised bed: deep hoof prints, 3 green beans gone, 1 pole bean tip, 1–2 small bell peppers (ripe ones picked that morning), 1 jalapeño top. Jalapeño may have deterred further browsing!

Struggling Plants

Squash & Zucchini

Stalled first month. Double-dose liquid fertilizer + Epsom salts + reduced watering kicked them into gear. Lost one zucchini, but harvested first yellow squash today with more coming. Plants now large—taking over that bed side. Glad I didn't pull them!

Broccoli & Cauliflower

Never formed heads—likely due to unusually warm spring. Held optimism past normal harvest. Finally surrendered. Researching recipes for massive leaves and 2-ft stalks. Cauliflower greens: inventing something!

Pickling Cucumbers

20+ plants from pods (unexpected 100% germination). Most in Topsy Turvey planters. Slow first month but many male flowers. Now 4 cucumbers growing, first picked yesterday. Question: What do you do with ONE pickling cucumber?

Current Harvest

Picking lots of tomatoes and peppers. Enjoying pepper casseroles. Inching toward all-homegrown meals!