Between year one and year two of having our garden we erected a 12 foot tall soccer netting fence around it. Year one taught us that the deer loved the salad bar we’ed toiled away at. We felt sure our deer defense system would solve our critter problems.

Turns out that buns and squirrels chew through soccer netting with ease, and they wouldn’t be dissuaded from our delectable broccoli, lettuces, and squashes. So, we’re looking at adding another later to our deer defense system in the form of chicken wire around the base of it. This upgrade should keep the buns at bay, and our broccoli and lettuces should flourish unimpeded by nibbles.

But the squirrels present a whole a problem that chicken wire cannot solve. I had no idea that squirrels would eat squashes, and not just eat but devour all but the skin of spaghetti and butternut squashes the size of an infant. And take two or three of said squashes a week. I am astounded by how much squash those little critters can get through.

So. I think I have to bribe the squirrel cartel into leaving my squashes alone. I’m going to bribe them with food that they might enjoy more than my squashes. I’m running experiments this fall on what those little guys like. Stay turned for operation squirrel bait.