Michigan Gardening: Is it hot at your place?, 1 by nancyruhl

nancyruhl wrote:
We are getting tons of green beans. All I have is about a 10 foot section of chain link fence they are climbing and yesterday my hubby picked 2 bags of them. We have been picking for a couple of weeks already. A few years ago, I planted some prestarted bush ones I bought locally, and one of the plants vined like crazy. I saved seed because the beans were just as tender as the bush beans, which I hadn't found in a climber before. They continue to be our green bean of choice.

We savored our first tomato, a new variety for us. I got really carried away and am trying about 50 new varieties this year. This one was called Terhune, and at this point, is not invited back next year. No zing. So far, only one of the new cherries is returning, and that is Koralik, a small red cherry. I was on a mission to find a red cherry I really liked this year, so I tried 5 new ones. Beside great taste, no tough skin like so many cherries.

Ah yes, the deer. Big problem at the cottage where they get mad and snort at us when we interrupt their munching. Soon they will be charging at us. Worse than ever this year. I think it is because their population is up, they cannot be hunted where out cottage is. They live in the woods across the street from us. Only bad smelling stuff seems to deter them. In frustration, I tried a new product (for me) called Plantskydd®. Looks ugly initially, but is supposed to last all season. Organic, too. My hubby was up there this weekend and said they were leaving things alone. I also use Milorganite fertilizer in my beds, which is supposed to deter them, and is a wonderful fertilizer. Can't use anything that would be harmful in my butterfly garden which is the bed closest to the street, or I won't have any butterflies. Mostly I plant what they don't like to eat out there. I've accumulated a pretty good list of perennials they leave alone. This is a picture of my "Under the tree" garden at the cottage, mostly things they won't eat. The bright grass in the front of the picture is Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola', variegated Japanese forest grass, one of my favorites for brightening up a shady spot. Best of all, the deer don't touch it.