My garden has been ravaged many times this year between my chicken, rabbit, and some damned rats! The chicken and rabbit had to be rehomed due to pricks of the HOA but the rats are still at it. I need to trap them in a cage since I can't put out sticky traps, poison, or snap traps due to small children and a young dog. Our cat keeps them at bay but if he's not around...well you know the rest...lol! I've never heard of rats that eat marigolds!!! So in short my garden is small and struggling a bit. Certainly not worthy of a prize but I keep at it. Starting from seed can be hard. Takes a bit more attention to watering here in So. Cal. and for me a lot of contention with small children and animals. (Rats also went after my seeds and seedlings. Grrr...) Right now I have green & yellow beans (had scarlet ones but not anymore, maybe soon when my mom's start producing!) mini & pie pumpkins, corn (small because it's round 4 of planting), four heirloom variety tomato plants, a peach tree, mandarin tree, an avo tree (still too young to produce), and green & purple bell peppers (green one just got mowed by rats last night). I also have rosemary, basil, and lavender growing, oh and a handful of flowers to give some color. Modest at best. I believe the best thing about my garden are the quirks and experimental items in it. I heard about planting in a roof gutter so I bought one, cut it into three even pieces, capped them, and attached them to a pallet. I tried radishes and carrots but soon discovered it was much too shallow (even for small ones) and my chicken and rabbit could get to them. (Next year I hope to get strawberries in time!) I wanted metal arched trellises but couldn't afford fancy think ones so I bought thin gauged wire fencing material and 6' garden stakes and made my own 7' x 3' x 3' trellises. My fencing is made if reclaimed pallets with wire fencing stapled to it, staked with 4' garden stakes (or whatever I could find that length). I have a pallet being used for holding garden tools. Where the ghostly dog is now, my rabbit and chicken hutches were though both animals free ranged almost 24/7 (hence why I had to replant three times!!!) It hurts my soul to throw any kind of plastic in the trash, even the recycle bin is not much better. I planted up several pairs of defunked rain boots with flowers. I had an old kids' bike helmet I glued broken pieces of tile/ceramic/glass to and reclaimed string from an old worn out farm hat to create a new looking planter. I reuse old plastic bins until they nearly disintegrate. I reuse any bread, cereal, tortilla bags for stinky diapers and picking up dog poop on walks or in the garden area. I save and reuse the plastic bread tabs so that I can pull the paper covered wire ones off for use in tying up wild and stray plants. I keep and cut up mylar and other shiny bags to attach to my fruit trees or short garden stakes to help deter birds and crows. As a mother of four, aged 10, 9, 7, & 2, three of which are homeschooled, finding time to battle the "elements" can be tough but I press on, for my sanity, for my family, for my garden. Thank you for reading this silly tale and for all you do. Love One Another, Amanda L.

P.S. I hope the pics are the correct ones...lol!

I am loving the scarecrow;) Ha ha ha! He a buddy of yours?

Be sure to "Add to Post". Not a big deal or anything because I fixed it but try adding photos to post the next time so we can see the photos:) Keep the posts coming my friend!!

Try putting some mothballs in old stockings or socks & hanging them throughout your garden area. Mothballs are a rat deterrent, so maybe that will help keep the critters out of your garden. If you use old socks, you could have your kids decorate them with permanent markers....the hanging mothballs will look a little cuter. You could also try planting peppermint in different sections of your garden. Good luck!!