The Enemy

This is Buffy. She is the cat that will potentially single-handedly destroy the efforts of our garden. She has already knocked over our attempt to grow an avocado and enjoys playing in the dirt. Hopefully our seedlings will be able to survive her destructive efforts. We have planted a few plants so far. Unfortunately it decided to snow today so we may have to wait a little longer to plant then expected. So far we've got tomatoes, some peas and I believe eggplants, I'll have to double check later.

For now, she is the enemy but once the season starts other enemies will be in our garden. One hope is to potentially grow some corn in our small space as well. I've read many places online that raccoons like to eat corn and that is one animal that I'm sure will become our enemy. So far we've seen three possibilities suggested for this potential problem.

1. An electric fence - not an option (too expensive)
2. A floppy fence - not an option (the family member that actually "owns" the plot would not allow this because of numerous reasons)
3. Spices - our most plausible option

Number 3 is our most plausible option. Supposedly putting a ring of cayenne pepper, black pepper and/or cinnamon will deter the raccoons from wanting to enter the garden because the strong smell of the spices is undesirable to them. Obviously other people have said that simply shooting them is the easiest sure fire way to get rid of them, but seeing as Lolamosk is a vegan and I am a vegetarian that is definitely not an option. Someone else mentioned growing cucumbers around the perimeter of the garden as the vines have small spikes that keep raccoons away, but we do not like cucumbers enough to want to even try that option.

We will see if Buffy will be the only enemy or if another will take up the challenge. Hopefully our seeds will be able to germinate and then grow into healthy plants without being killed by the cat or another animal... Or us.