Author Topic: Build Your Own Post Apocalyptic Vermin Proof Vegetable Garden  (Read 4057 times)

121 Seconds

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
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Hi All,

I thought you might be interested to check out a Possum Proof Vegetable Cage I have been working on. I have been growing vegetables for years and have often had my precious harvest destroyed by the local wildlife. As cute as the militant marsupials are, it was high time I increased my defense battle plans. The following photo shows the cage in its pre-planting stage. The chooks were eating up the grass for me prior to planting.




The following film shows the Vegetable Cage in its finished state and the construction process. I hope you enjoy.


Have a great day, and happy gardening.


former player

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Re: Build Your Own Post Apocalyptic Vermin Proof Vegetable Garden
« Reply #1 on: March 19, 2016, 07:08:31 PM »
Looks good.  Although if possums dig, you might want a trench and some wire around the bottom, which is necessary for full rabbit-proofing in my neck of the UK woods.

nnls

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Re: Build Your Own Post Apocalyptic Vermin Proof Vegetable Garden
« Reply #2 on: March 19, 2016, 07:18:01 PM »
Looks good :)

Astatine

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Re: Build Your Own Post Apocalyptic Vermin Proof Vegetable Garden
« Reply #3 on: March 19, 2016, 08:22:48 PM »
Nice! Do you have problems keeping the chooks safe from foxes? I've never had chooks myself but friends have lost some to urban foxes a few times :/

I'm lucky that I've only lost a few apples to possums and some nectarines to wattle birds. Most of my predation comes from @#$@ insects.

121 Seconds

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
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Re: Build Your Own Post Apocalyptic Vermin Proof Vegetable Garden
« Reply #4 on: March 19, 2016, 08:59:21 PM »
Nice! Do you have problems keeping the chooks safe from foxes? I've never had chooks myself but friends have lost some to urban foxes a few times :/

I'm lucky that I've only lost a few apples to possums and some nectarines to wattle birds. Most of my predation comes from @#$@ insects.

We do have foxes around, but none of the chooks have been killed. When they are not eating the grass in this Vegetable Cage they have their own chook coop on a concrete paving floor (under sugar cane mulch). They have two chook runs that are fully fenced with galvanised piping. I have put bricks around the base of the Vegetable Cage that I hope to show with a photo soon. The cage has also been buried about 15cm since this photo was taken.

Arktinkerer

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Re: Build Your Own Post Apocalyptic Vermin Proof Vegetable Garden
« Reply #5 on: March 21, 2016, 07:54:08 PM »
Get an air rifle and eat the possum for dinner!

Mtngrl

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Re: Build Your Own Post Apocalyptic Vermin Proof Vegetable Garden
« Reply #6 on: March 22, 2016, 07:50:04 AM »
According to my late mother, who grew up in Appalachia and actually ate possum, you have to trap the possum and feed it on bread and milk for three days -- then kill it and eat it -- otherwise it tastes nasty. I can't vouch for this, as I have never wanted to try it myself.

Arktinkerer

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Re: Build Your Own Post Apocalyptic Vermin Proof Vegetable Garden
« Reply #7 on: March 22, 2016, 10:33:08 AM »
Smart a$$ replies aside, I have never tried this.  The do have a coon supper here where they barbecue Mr. Possum's relatives.  Foxfire has a section on how to prepare possum.  Involves parboiling if I recall.  In general, we don't usually like the taste of predators or carrion eaters.

I really doubt 3 days of feeding would significantly change the meat but a similar suggestion is made for preparing snapping turtles for consumption.

Mtngrl

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Re: Build Your Own Post Apocalyptic Vermin Proof Vegetable Garden
« Reply #8 on: March 22, 2016, 11:30:37 AM »
I'm with you Arktinkerer, and after three days of feeding the little critter I would probably view it as a pet and be unable to kill it anyway! So I think I'll pass on the whole idea.

Now -- if only someone could come up with a sure-fire way of keeping voles from destroying my garden. I am waging an all-out war here. I've lined all the raised beds with hardware cloth, set traps, used repellents, etc. I have a terrier who is pretty good at catching and killing them, but he's no match for the hoards of the little devils we have.

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!