Elk Proof Fence

Copyright 2013

Elk Proof Fence For Your Garden 

Traditional Elk Fencing. Most elk fencing used in Alaska, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and throughout the West measures 7‘-8’ tall. Past experience stipulated that going to greater heights or electrifying the fence was the best way to elk and deer proof an area. This is usually the recommended choice by government agencies to protect highway frontage, pastures and acreage. But this fencing can be expensive, time consuming, difficult to install and may not be ascetically appealing for homeowners.

Elk Proof with Double Fence. We have another fence design that is simple, well designed, environmentally friendly, long lasting and attractive. It is fencing offers another path toward elk and deer proofing your precious landscaping and gardens. It is not taller fencing, but smarter fencing. Simply, it consists of two fences – four feet tall and four feet apart.

Our first attempt to create a garden for our family gave us plenty of wildlife experiences - but no vegetables. The rabbits, gophers and especially deer and elk destroyed the plants before they ripened. Sometimes the elk would just walk around in the garden, tasting, never eating anything - but trampling everything. The first attempt at garden fencing was a 4 ft tall vintage, looped wire design. It was beautiful, but useless when it came to elk.

Our bedroom overlooked the flower and vegetable garden, so we kept our window slightly ajar and listened for the invaders throughout the night. Using this technique, we harvested plenty of sleep deprivation, and gained an education into the nocturnal habits of Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni).

Observing these large, horse-sized creatures trying to enter the garden always followed a precise well-learned process, and was usually instigated by cow (female) elk. Below are the methods they use:

1.    Sizing up the fence. First the elk push against the fence. This tells the elk how tall and how sturdy the fence is built. Elk prefer to enter a garden or yard by simply muscling their way into the structure. It's safer for them and they aren't as likely to get tangled in wire or fencing material. If the fence is not extremely strong (which many are not) this is a fastest way for elk to get to food.

2.    Jump the fence. If the elk are unsuccessful at pushing down a fence, they then attempt to jump from a standing position. The jump is usually easy for them, even at heights of 6 feet or more. Watching them jump a fence looks quite effortless. In reality, they jump only after careful consideration and sizing up the height and width, or if they have jumped the fence in the past. Elk almost always tap the top of the fence with their hind feet, which we always noted as well. Experts believe they “remember” each fence and store its height for reference when fleeing predators.

3.    Repeated process. Each night, the elk start all over: pushing, bumping, leaning, and finally jumping into the forbidden area. The elk would enter and exit the garden on the same side, always away from the house.

4.  Think Outside the Fence. After reading a pioneer Alaskan’s advice on moose fencing and watching the elk purge our garden night after night, we decided to add another fence outside of the original garden fence. We made the fence four feet away from the first one. It was made from juniper poles and rails, and about the same height – 4 feet. The results were immediate and unfailing. We have only had one elk in the garden in five years (we left the gate open).

5.   Size Matters. Elk do not like being restrained in small spaces. They will enter a small area if they can quickly escape - but as prey animals, if they cannot flee, they do not feel safe. This game animal behavior is the basis for the double fence design. Our specifications are below.

Install the 48” high inside fence first. This fence works best if it is made of wire and garden was 25 feet square (25’ x 25’ x 25’ x 25’). This size works well when purchasing a 100 foot roll of fencing. Remember to plan ahead for a gate and leave tops of posts up to 72” tall. Tall posts allow good space for bird houses, gathering baskets and other garden décor.

Measure 4 feet from inside fence, and then install the outside fence. (We determined this measurement using our horse as a model, and standing her between the proposed outside and inside fences. Since four feet was tight for her – we used these dimensions for our fence separation).

6.   Use split cedar, three-rail or wooden slats for outside fence. This fence should be 48” tall. The tops of posts should be set at 50” high and at about 28” deep. The sturdiness of the posts is crucial.  Elk will not jump into the alleyway that is created between the two fences and therefore do not get into your garden.

Note: if each fence is a different style or type, the elk pay better attention to the fences – viewing them as two obstacles instead of one.

Popular Wire Fence. Vintage style, double looped garden wire is once again becoming popular. Gardeners are re-stretching the old wire and buying reproduction wire from new manufacturers. The double loop design can be important because the bottom half of the wire is smaller and will discourage rabbits and large rodents.

A Good Story to Retell

In the midst of sometimes “not so good” news, I tend to search for a story that just makes me smile. Here's one of my favorites. Hope you like it too..

NEW YORK — Dennis Hopper, the "Easy Rider" star, put two bullets through Warhol's 1972 screen print portrait of Mao Zedong, which he owned. In 2011, the portrait sold at Christie's for $302,500, more than 10 times its estimate, in some part due to the unique bullet holes.

The auction house reported that Hopper got spooked and "mistook the portrait on his wall for Mao himself and shot at it." Warhol considered the bullets holes part of a collaboration drawing circles around the holes, labeling one "warning shot" and the other other "bullet hole".

Credit: The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc.

Butterfly Gardens

Christine Haese

Copyright 2017

Butterfly Gardens

Before you buy plants or seeds know what to plant for your area. Here are a few tips if you want to encourage butterflies in your garden. Remember, when you have colorful butterflies and moths you will also have caterpillars and worms.

 Butterfly Gardens Can Be Peaceful and Colorful. Most butterfly gardens create a relaxing and peaceful atmosphere, while providing educational benefits for adults and children. Anyone can learn to identify wild and domestic flowering plants that grow in these specialized gardens, apply a few simple gardening techniques, and then prepare in advance for seasonal plants and visiting butterflies.
Butterflies in Danger. Butterflies are on the decline, so most gardeners encourage them into their yard and garden. Growth and development of our country has created crucial habitat loss, like essential fields and meadows with grasses and wildflowers. But it is possible to re-establish butterfly havens in most areas. All you need is a sunny spot, drinking water and a few well chosen plants.

Pollination – What’s the Attraction? Butterflies and moths can be important pollinators as they flirt with flowers. Although they are not as efficient as bees, butterflies and moths create an important partnership with specific host plants. They taste each flower with their feet and drink with their mouth (proboscis). As they travel from flower to flower looking for nectar to drink, they carry pollen on their legs. Unlike bees, they cannot carry pollen on their bodies, nor do they have specialized ways of distributing the powdery substance. But the pollen that they do carry is usually from their favorite flowers and this is important in the reproduction of these specific flower varieties.
Planting for Success. Learning what to plant is crucial in attracting the right kinds of butterflies and moths. It all starts with what the larva or caterpillar likes to eat. This can include trees, shrubs, vegetables, wildflowers and weeds. Some favorite caterpillar cuisine includes: parsley, milkweed, dill, passion vine, jasmine and succulents. Take a walk around your neighborhood or countryside to learn what native plants are specific to your area. These are a good bet for attracting colorful pollinators. Also consider gathering your own seeds from native plants where you live.
     Different species of butterflies prefer specific plants, but there are some similarities in the type of flowers they visit most frequently. Most prefer to drink from specific plants and will seek them out for food. Knowing what butterflies like to eat will help you determine what to plant in your butterfly garden. Butterflies do not taste with their mouth, but their feet. They also use their legs to taste a suitable lay to lay their eggs. They make sure that the tiny caterpillars have a leaf that is edible when they hatch. 
     Butterflies typically visit flowers that provide landing platforms (zinnia, petunia, sweet pea, rudbeckia, daisy, cosmos, calendula) and are brightly colored. Did you know that unlike bees, butterflies can see the color red? They are also attracted to flowers that are open during the day, provide nectar hidden inside long-throated flowers (honeysuckle, nicotiana, penstemon, salvia) and contain clusters of small flowers (goldenrod and Spirea)
Butterfly Life Cycle. The stages of a butterfly life cycle include: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. This life cycle is known as complete metamorphosis. Attracting, feeding and growing worms and caterpillars can be important in order to enjoy colorful butterflies and moths.
Water and Important Nutrients. Butterflies are cold blooded. They need to warm themselves in the morning sun, so they seek out flat, warm stones. They also hunt for water in shallow areas where the water is fresh and warm. It is possible to provide this water source in your garden by finding flat rocks with shallow areas that hold water. Refresh the water several times a day in the warm summer months. Simulate a rock watering refuge by filling a shallow bird bath three-fourths full of sand, then topping it with fresh water. Butterflies will also find precious minerals in low-water areas.

Moving With Your Garden

Copyright 2004

Moving With Your Garden

     Moving day has arrived. You're packed and ready and excitement fills the air. But what about the garden you're leaving behind? Here's how to move a garden…

     Why leave behind all those valuable memories and labors of love? During one of our family's moves, a precious rosebush given to us by our daughters was forgotten. Thankfully, we were able to retrieve it later when I explained the situation to the new owners, but I regretted not planning ahead. I should have transplanted it into a pot before we moved.

     More and more gardeners are learning the importance of planning ahead for moving day. It's easy to gather seeds, dig bulbs and take stem cuttings that can be transferred to a new home. Take time to research the climate and soils of your future home, and determine which of the plants in your current garden are suitable for moving. Your favorite plants and garden keepsakes will impart a sense of familiarity to new surroundings, while giving you a head start on creating a new garden.

Seeds. Many gardeners perpetuate their favorite annual flowers and open-pollinated vegetables by gathering and storing their seeds. We have taken our favorite Ozark purple pole bean with us on three different moves. Saving seeds allows you to move part of your garden without having to transport much weight or bulk. Seal the dried seeds in envelopes and label them with the variety name and date collected. Seed collecting can be done a year or even longer before the move; just be sure to store the envelopes of seeds in an airtight container, such as a plastic food storage container.

Dormant Bulbs and Roots. Depending on the season, you can dig bulbs, rhizomes and tubers well in advance of your move. The timing is best, of course, if your move happens during the natural dormant season of plants. Many spring-blooming bulbs, such as crocuses and daffodils, can be dug immediately after their foliage withers naturally, dried and stored for up to six months before replanting. Tender rooted flowers like dahlias and caladiums are typically dug in fall, so are easiest to transport during their winter dormancy. A mixture of loose, dry peat moss and vermiculite provides a lightweight, yet protective transport medium.

Potted Plants. Many perennial flowers are best moved in a container of soil. Several weeks - or even months - before the move, transplant divisions or offsets of prized perennials into plastic pots, so by the time moving day arrives they will have acclimated to their containers. Moving plants in damp soil is a heavy proposition, so use a lightweight potting soil instead of garden loam, and the smallest size pot that will sustain the plant until it has reached its new home. As you pot plants to move, examine them pests and diseases; you don't want to move your problems with you. To lessen transplant shock, keep potted transplants out of direct sunlight, and check their soil moisture daily.

Garden Tools. About one month before you move, take inventory of your garden tools and accessories. Decide which are to be packed and moved and what will be discarded or left behind. While doing so, take time for some routine tool maintenance. Clean and sharpen the blades of pruning shears, clippers, lawn mowers and edgers. Apply a thin coating of household oil or motor oil to protect the paint and metal parts. A thin coat of linseed oil protects wood handles.

Clean and disinfect trowels, rakes, hoes and sprinklers before packing them. Mix one part household bleach to ten parts water, then let these tools to soak in the solution for one hour. Rinse and dry them thoroughly before packing. Even birdhouses and feeders can be cleaned in the same manner. The bleach kills most bacteria, snails, insects, their eggs, and even weed seeds.

Regulations for Moving Plants. There are many specialized rules that govern transporting plants, especially across state lines. It is important to learn the rules ahead of time for your destination state and any state you may cross en route. Some states, including Arizona, California, Florida and Texas. You may even be stopped for plant inspection. Hawaii has quarantine laws governing plant importation.

     The inspectors are looking for plants infested with insects or disease - especially troublesome pests such as gypsy moth, imported fire ant, Japanese beetle and Mediterranean fruit fly. Inspectors may refuse entry to plants that show signs of infestation. To find requirements for states where you are relocating, or your local county agricultural agent.

     Air carriers and commercial highway movers have specific guidelines for transporting plants. Check with your county agricultural agent to learn if you must have plants certified before shipping. Consider the size and weight of packages and pots before deciding to transport too many plants. Plants transported in a commercial moving van may remain unattended for several days and should be packed to withstand any temperature extremes they will face along the way.

     With all its work and aggravation, moving can also bring excitement and challenges for a new beginning. As you prepare to move, don't forget to share extra seeds, bulbs and perennial divisions with friends, family and neighbors. These garden mementos are a beautiful, long-lasting way to say good-bye, but not to your precious garden heirlooms.