A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Food Garden Forum Vegetable Gardening planning next year and worried about weeds, bugs & critters

I have some problems that keep running around in my head regarding next year and weeds, potato bugs and rabbits/deer/gophers. Maybe you can help me.

First I read that a good way to control potato beetles is to dig a trench around your plants and put plastic in it. Then the beetles march in and get stuck in the moat. That sounds great but what I am worried about is that they would march over to the tomatoes, eggplant and peppers if they can't get to the potatoes. I have one eggplant and they are destroying it so I know they like other nightshade plants just fine (none have tried to eat my peppers or sweet potatoes but they would if starving I think). So I can't dig a trench around everything so what should I do? I thought about putting some decoy plants off to the edge to let them eat and keep them busy so they stay off the other stuff. The red tomato trays would protect them and that would leave the eggplant and peppers. I am just not sure what to do.

As for weeds I am using a lot more weed blocker and newspaper with mulch on top next year. That leaves the carrots, lettuce, onions, garlic and corn to weed. I read online that a crop of vetch seeded in fall where the corn will be then lightly tilled once in the spring will keep the weeds out of the corn but not choke the corn (if it is tilled a little once or twice). Do you think this will work? Is vetch a good cover crop to introduce?
As for critters. One thing I am going to do is plant much larger seedlings. Rabbits don't seem interested in stuff once it gets big and tough. Also maybe making several plantings of peas and beans all over makes it harder for them to get it all. I will grow my cucumbers in raised circle things and the melons will have wall o waters til big. Maybe I need to get chicken wire or bird net or something for protection. Also bating the deer and rabbits with a bale of grass hay seems to help. And I read that growing a row of alfalfa in the perimeter keeps out bugs and must give rabbits something else to eat. But I am still worried about what they might find to destroy, especially since I am hoping to go semi-pro next year (haven't told hubby yet). So what do you think about these ideas and what else I can do to 'fortify my defenses'?

wow! tam from men, you have certainly been doing your homework. do marigolds grow where you are? they are a great overall deterent of many insects as well as they attract benefical ones.
I'm doing carrots for the first time this fall and just read the other day that planting chives around them help with...??? whatever bug usually gets on carrots.
I don't know about the other stuff you mentioned, so I'll 'bug' out and let someone else address those.
I'm guessing your garden is too big to fence in? fencing would at least keep out the rabbits.

This doesn't directly address your specific questions, but it's something you would probably enjoy. Get a used copy of "Plowman's Folly" (Edward H. Faulkner, 1943, "Plowman's Folly," University of Oklahoma Press). Careful, b/c I've seen some going for close to $100 & other on-line book re-sellers next to nothing. Point is a lot that you talk about in terms of "green manure" (vetch, etc.) and critter & pest control comes out in the later chapters of tis short book. It's an excellent book. Might be good inspiration for thinking about how to prevent the problems you know you'll have.

Go pro! Good for you!

Just a quick question. How do you hoe up your veggies if you use weed blocker?

I've heard that kale is a deterent for rabbits if you make a thick row of it that they can't hop over.

Thanks for the replies.
I only used weed blocker this year on melons and peppers and will probably add squash and tomatoes to that next year. I don't use it by potatoes, onions, carrots, peas, beans, lettuce etc. I meant to use it on some paths but ran out and couldn't.

I'll try kale next year. The biggest rabbit problem is with the peas and beans and also broccoli and cabbage and other kole crops like that. I have never had a rabbit nibble my carrot tops. I do plan on growing lots of marigolds next year! I have a few this year.
The thing I've noticed about rabbits and also deer, is that they chew on stuff a lot in the spring when it is young and then they disappear. It seems like if you cover stuff when young and let it get a good start they don't bother it after that. But if I am going to sell (hope to take Thursday off work all summer and sell at the farmer's market and so I need to take in around $80 a week) I need to make sure to not lose stuff and that is why I have to think it over so much.