On with the fight! Duckproofing the garden

© 2011 Joshua Stark

In my attempts at urban homesteading, I'd come upon a small problem:  My laying ducks eat everything we humans might, especially those things that come from plants.  I've since also discovered that domestic ducks can jump high, that they can fly, and that they don't mind throwing their weight around to get what they want. 

Basically, I'd reached the conclusion that, if I wanted both free-ranging ducks and a garden, I was going to have to build something like the key-hole raised beds I'd seen - at considerable cost.  If you know me, you understand that the end of that last sentence rendered the concept out-of-bounds (although I am toying with a design that would include a first level of wall stones, then the next three or four levels of doubled-up cedar fenceboards...)

But earlier this year, I was inspired by two new ideas, and yesterday I put them to work.

The first idea was that one didn't necessarily need dirt to garden.  A.G. commented on a post about rained-on straw bales, and mentioned bale gardens, a very interesting idea. 

Next, at Little Master House's 1st birthday party, we noticed some interesting "raised" beds in the front yard of the Littlest Master's aunt and uncle's place.  At first, we took little notice - both the front and back yards were beautiful, and there was so much from which to take inspiration.  But as we were leaving, I noticed what appeared to be bamboo beach mats standing on their sides, shaped into cylinders, and filled with straw.  From between the bamboo slats, I saw plants growing... wait, those are potatos! 

Genius.

What I liked about the idea (in theory) is that my ducks could pick some leaves, and the rest could grow above their grasp.  Then, when the potatoes were done, I could just remove the mat, "dig" the potatoes from the straw, and leave the pile for the happy ducks.

Well, a couple of weeks back, I walked into Big Lots and found bamboo mini-blinds for 50% off.  Yesterday, I pulled off the hardware and used zip ties and river reed poles to form a cylinder, filled it with some ducked-up straw, and added potatoes. 

My twist?  On top, I put some worm compost, then planted some potato companion plants:  Nasturtium, swiss chard, radishes, and a couple of bush beans.  As part of the experiment, I put some of the seeds straight into the straw, and others into a little bit of compost. 

Now I sit back and wait to see how the ducks will ruin this one.

Finishing raised beds, and planting

© 2010 Joshua Stark

The backyard is looking less like it was hit by a bomb, and more like a garden-in-waiting.  Here it is, with the latest raised bed (about $25 in materials).  Note the new pond liner, too.

I should explain the strange-looking structures in the back, I suppose.  On the left is my 'cleanin' tub', for cleaning fish and game, but that isn't it's permanent location.  The tower of crates to the right in the background is my worm-bin, high enough for the ducks not to raid it, and with a rock on it to keep other animals out.

Speaking of the worm-bin, we looked in it today, and although it had become home to a crowd of ants (which I will hopefully take care of by just moving stuff around a bit more), it had also shown good worm activity.  I'm hoping my two tiny contributions of worms (100 worms, total, give or take) will start to reap benefits, as they reproduce.  In researching worms, (those of you who know me don't blink at that statement), I found out that their eggs hatch in 21 days.  Hopefully, they've been laying a lot of eggs.

The bed on the right in the back has been planted with corn, cucumbers, gourds, radishes, bok choy, and lettuce.  I'm hoping to plant the next bed with onions, tomatoes, peppers, basil, and other friendlies.

The big front bed, just behind the pond, will get some nice perennial flowers, along with some herbs and a few other plants (not sure yet).  The pond edges will get some waterplants, mostly horsetails and tules and sedges - things that the ducks won't eat.  We hope.

Immediately to the left of the pond will be a higher water feature, where I hope to keep duckweed to supplement the ducks.  I had an interesting encounter trying to get duckweed at a local nursery... they accidentally gave me water fern, and neither of us were smart enough to know the difference.  But, the ducks sure did.  Water fern is as invasive as duckweed, but ducks don't like to eat it, so I don't want it. 

We also found a surprise under our giant redwood tree when we came home one day:

Yes, that's a graphic description of a half-eaten striper on our lawn.  Judging from the bite marks, I agree with my brother-in-law's suggestion that it was dropped by an osprey.  Pretty cool!  And gross, too, I suppose.  Also, it probably would have just barely been legal, (18 inches), so it was a good-sized fish.