A week ago, the latest pineapple was almost ready for harvesting. It needed a few more days to go, but hubby was worried that the garden squirrels would get to it. So he quickly harvested the fruit. However, we had to let it sit in the kitchen to fully ripen before eating it.
The trick to ensure the fruit ripens well is to hang it upside down and let gravity do the job to aid the process. So far, it is going very well. As each day passed, I could smell the fragrance of the pineapple whenever I walked past the cabinet where we hung the pineapple. Mmm, so wonderful!
See the string?
In a day or two, we should be able to savor the aromatic pineapple harvested from our garden. Lovely.
The Starbucks brown bags are not the perfect solution to protect our figs after all! The squirrels are getting smarter and have managed to beat us to the game. Darn them!
So we have up our defenses against them by using plastic fruit, vege, and egg containers instead of brown bags. These containers are much more effective in keeping the raiders out. We can also see the figs to monitor their growth.
A more effective protection for our figs
Previously, with the brown bags, it took more effort to monitor as we had to open each one to inspect. With the clear plastic now, there is no need for this step. So far, it’s going well with the figs thriving for us to harvest.
It is a constant learning process to be good fig defenders against those sneaky garden squirrels.
We found the perfect solution to protect our figs from being raided on the trees in the garden. Who would have known that used Starbucks brown bags work better than the much-touted netting bags and reflecting CDs?
After the last raid, we had to do something. I found some Starbucks takeaway bags tucked between the storage containers on the kitchen counter and decided to use them. I cut one bag into three pieces and wrapped the ripening fruits individually. And I added staples to secure the bag firmly on the plants.
This little extra effort has proven to be fruitful, literally. Yesterday afternoon, hubby harvested a large fig thus far compared to all previous harvests. Measuring four centimeters across, it was the sweetest and juiciest home-grown fig! Delicious.
Previous harvests were puny because hubby plucked them before the squirrels could eat them. And this prevented the fruits from growing to their maximum. So now we know that brown paper bags can protect and, at the same time, allow the fig to grow even more – we will have to get more paper bags.
Juiciest fig from the garden!
However, we are using a Lunar New Year red packet because we ran out of brown bags. Perhaps this can work too? As long as we cover the ripening figs in sight and smell, the garden squirrels have no chance to raid.
Fig Defenders are now one up against the Fig Raiders. Yay.
The battle with the fig raiders has become a daily affair because the plants are fruiting. So far, I think the score is even. Hubby harvested some ripened figs, and the garden squirrel ate some from the plant. Hrmph.
We have resorted to a new method, wrapping the fruit with takeaway brown paper bags. Stapled for added strength, we hope this will protect the fruit. But alas, the rain came down yesterday evening, and the bag got wet and weakened. Oh no!
The netting bags have not been much good in protecting the figs, hence the raids now and then. Maybe I add brown bags to the netting bags for reinforcement? Hmm, whatever it takes to prevent the fig raiders, we will do it.
The darn garden squirrels are at it again, beating us to the fruits! Aaargh. Last week, when we were away, several figs were ripening on one fig plant. But we couldn’t get to harvest them on time upon our return.
The four-legged furries were faster than us and helped themselves to not one or two but four figs on the plant. Four figs! They must be hungry or very daring. Unfortunately, hubby did not cover the fruits with netting bags, so the fruits were exposed.
Evidence of the raid. Hrmph
But even the netting bags cannot deter these darn fig raiders, for we have seen fig fruits disappear inside a bag, still intact in its place! We have even tied old CDs as light reflectors to scare the raiders, but this method is not working too. Sigh.
We need new methods to prevent the fig-raiding squirrels from eating the fresh figs off the plants. Any ideas?
Every morning, when I look out my kitchen window, I see the pineapple in the garden growing beautifully. It crosses my mind daily, will we get to savor the fruit this time? The garden squirrel got to the last ripened fruit before us, eating it until the core.
Well, horrors of all horrors, history has repeated itself! The heavy pineapple somehow fell to the ground despite being propped up with a stick. And the garden squirrel started on it as the wire mesh fell off, devouring about a third of the fruit before being discovered. Hrmph.
The mesh, the fruit and the fruitless plant
We have decided not to plant pineapples anymore after this latest mishap. They take too long even though we don’t have to care for the growth constantly. And when it comes time to harvest, the garden squirrels are a tad too fast for us. Sigh.
Last week, I had this brilliant idea to DIY a bird feeder instead of buying one from the pet store. I had this sudden urge to train the freeloaders that come daily for their bird seeds to eat from a feeder. With my being in and out most time these days, it’s hard to feed them at the expected time.
There are days when the birds would come into the garden porch, looking in through the glass door for me, and expect me to serve them! Well, sometimes I do so but not always.
I googled up ideas and found the easiest contraption, using recycled things that I found in the kitchen. And voila! I have a bird feeder that I thought was brilliant. But the birds do not think so.
Several days have gone by, and they are still wary of the thing, thinking it’s some weird new garden ornament. But I have stopped feeding the birds to train them on this new arrangement, and the feeder remains in the garden under rain and shine. However, being the rainy season, when it rains, the bird feeder gets drenched by rainwater. Sigh.
The only animal not cautious of it is the garden squirrel! I have spotted it a few times, running toward the feeder and having a quick bite. Well, when choices are limited, hunger precedes caution.
After several days of rain, one part of the feeder came out, but I did not fix it. My bad, for the next thing I knew, the wet seeds started sprouting! Hahahaha. My goodness. This DIY bird feeder does not quite work during the rainy season, so I have to go back to the drawing board on it.
Last week, hubby finally removed the stump of our last papaya tree. It has been sitting on precious land while we are undecisive about what to plant there. Perhaps we can transfer the little papayas from the nursery, or the fig plants can have a permanent spot instead of being in a pot.
The old papaya tree
Whatever we plant in that place, we must guard the fruits of our labor when the plant starts fruiting. Or else, those darn critters in the garden will get to it first before us.
Our fig plants are growing well. Yesterday, hubby saw one fruit ripening on the tree, and he thought it would be ready for us to eat the next day. But guess what? Those darn garden critters got to it before us! Argh.
The fig must be really good, almost gone!
Remember when we had that pineapple that ripened, and the garden squirrel helped itself to it, standing precariously in between the blades of the pineapple plant? Double ugh.
We have to be more vigilant when it comes to our precious fruits in the garden. If we see one ripened, we’d better wrap it, protect it or do whatever to prevent those darn critters from eating them before us.
It looks like our garden lights have another usage other than lighting the garden up when the sun goes down. One morning, I spotted our regular garden squirrel perched on one of the structures.
Our furry friend looked contented, chilling on top of the garden light and basking under the sun! It stayed there for some time, enjoying the heat, before scurrying off into the bushes. Perhaps it sensed my presence, even though I was indoors and looking out the window at it with amusement.
Look at that contented face!
It’s nice to know that our garden and the fittings are enjoyed not just by us but by furry four-legged friends.
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