pig watering can

Finally … Weather to Plant and Then Weather to Water

(Cazenovia, NY – June 2011) This Pig City gardener could not be happier. Sure, we are all a little late due to the weather, BUT I now have all of my garden in with space set aside for successive plantings of certain vegetables (8-Ball squash, lettuce, carrots and Swiss chard).

Today, I felt good in putting up a fence to keep the rabbits and other varmints from eating our harvest.

Speaking of harvest, I sure do hope and pray that those who garden make certain they take a percentage of their harvest to Caz Cares to help those who don’t have a job, can’t afford to plant a garden and who are a part of this very vital community.

And, when you do, make certain you give the best of the harvest to help others, knowing you will be rewarded one day by our Lord to show His appreciation for what you did for others. When I was between 8 and 12 years old, during the Great Depression and the beginning of World War II, we were poor and lived in Southside Chicago.

We were blessed by being able to get free food at the Catholic Church soup kitchen in St. Ambrose Church on 47th Street and – perhaps more to the point of today’s column – I would go to the back doors of many homes of rich people not far from our neighborhood and ask for food of any kind. Not a one ever refused, and I pray that none of our Cazenovia gardeners refuse to help Caz Cares help others who need the help.

A friend sent the following tip: To deter rabbits from eating beans, lettuce, cabbage family, put one heaping tablespoon of ground cayenne pepper plus a squirt of dish detergent (as a sticking agent) into a 10-quart sprinkler-head watering can, mix and sprinkle over plants.

Happy gardening!

Daniel Marvin is a retired lieutenant colonel and hobbyist gardener. He can be reached at madnews@m3pmedia.com.