Over the years of writing this blog, I've written a few posts about my battles with the bush turkeys. They love my garden; especially my veggie garden beds...many readers from around the world have commented on previous posts about the turkeys, telling me of their battles with wildlife...deer, rabbits, birds, kangaroos etc
this was last year...
Last year and the year before that, I didn't have many issues with the turkeys....lulled into a sense of false security eh? My 'fake turkey' made by a friend has been pretty good at discouraging the male birds but maybe the turkeys are getting smarter?
The use of wire and plastic netting and wooden stakes is an integral part of gardening; this is the veggie bed adjacent to the raised 'sweet potato' bed...
Last month I was so proud of my 'sweet potato' garden bed. The plants had grown thickly and completely filled the raised bed that I use for growing them. I was looking forward to digging up a bumper crop in October. A male turkey had dug up some veggies in my larger veggie patch but the smaller sweet potato bed had been left untouched. I had put plastic mesh over that bed though, just in case.
Then one morning I came out to the garden and found this...
Silly me thinking that the plastic mesh would keep the turkeys out of the bed. It was just flung aside!
I replanted any plants that had been left and we got out the wire mesh. I put one layer over and then decided to put another layer over; all weighted down with pavers.
While we were away in Sydney, the plants didn't do very well but since we've been home, with some TLC the plants are gradually 'coming back'.
Knowing that a lot of friends who live nearby have their own battles with the turkeys, I posted photos on Facebook. One friend wrote this comment...I realise that I really shouldn't whinge/complain about the turkeys in my yard, after reading this! But maybe just a bit of a grizzle now and then! Lol
But I haven't lost my sense of humour!
this was last year...
Last year and the year before that, I didn't have many issues with the turkeys....lulled into a sense of false security eh? My 'fake turkey' made by a friend has been pretty good at discouraging the male birds but maybe the turkeys are getting smarter?
The use of wire and plastic netting and wooden stakes is an integral part of gardening; this is the veggie bed adjacent to the raised 'sweet potato' bed...
Last month I was so proud of my 'sweet potato' garden bed. The plants had grown thickly and completely filled the raised bed that I use for growing them. I was looking forward to digging up a bumper crop in October. A male turkey had dug up some veggies in my larger veggie patch but the smaller sweet potato bed had been left untouched. I had put plastic mesh over that bed though, just in case.
Then one morning I came out to the garden and found this...
Silly me thinking that the plastic mesh would keep the turkeys out of the bed. It was just flung aside!
I replanted any plants that had been left and we got out the wire mesh. I put one layer over and then decided to put another layer over; all weighted down with pavers.
While we were away in Sydney, the plants didn't do very well but since we've been home, with some TLC the plants are gradually 'coming back'.
Knowing that a lot of friends who live nearby have their own battles with the turkeys, I posted photos on Facebook. One friend wrote this comment...I realise that I really shouldn't whinge/complain about the turkeys in my yard, after reading this! But maybe just a bit of a grizzle now and then! Lol
But I haven't lost my sense of humour!
11 comments:
Oh dear Maria, I am so glad that all we need to worry about in our garden over the last few years are creepy crawlies, robins and the occasional rabbit. Those turkeys sure mess things up.
God bless.
Catching up on a few of your posts - it's been busy at your end with weddings and bus trips and now turkey stalking! Love the pretend turkey, but wow that FB comment sure puts it in perspective!!! I'm hoping to grow sweet potato once we sell here and move north! How do you start your plants? Love the idea of the raised bed to make it easy for harvesting and to keep them under control - would love tips to put aside! We will be moving to Maryborough, approx 3 hrs north of Brisbane so not sure when the best time to grow them in that area
Heartbreaking.
Yup. I have a rabbit issue. All my plants have been dug up and there are holes everywhere. As soon as the rain stops I'm getting some wire and fencing it all off. It won't look attractive it at leat I'll be able to plant it up and have them grow enough that the rabbits won't be able to hurt them
I hope!
Kinda nice to see the wildlife back again! I know they are a pain, though. Much of my garden is currently surrounded by an ugly electric fence to protect it from wallabies. I hate the look of it, but it has allowed the roses to recover after the wallabies stripped off all the leaves.
We don't have bush turkeys here, Maria but we have had to stop the chooks from free ranging as they were decimating the garden.
I do love to see wild life but not like you are experiencing with the destruction of your veg plots etc.All I get is birds and cats of course but being a at lover that is fine, now have a stray that I feed every day, we have found out that it has no home but is fed by lots of people. A fox used to visit but not seen that for a few years it id wake me up during the night once as it killed a chicken on my lawn that had come from the house at the back of me.Oh dear it took ages for all the feathers to blow away
Hi Maria
Oh what a big pain in the neck! Being that they are a problem in a few gardens, maybe your local council might be able to give you some advice? Maybe a way of humane euthanasing?
They sure are determined little birds!
I never knew turkeys would destroy a garden. My sister has them and they visit her bird feeder. They must be content with the seeds because they have never bothered her garden. Maybe you could offer them a delicious snack to lure them away from your garden!
Oh gosh, There are wild turkeys here all over the place, though not in MY yard. I had no idea that raided gardens. Maybe that's why I mostly see them along the road and in fields by farms.
xx, Carol
How wonderful! I love the Powerhouse, and always go there when I am in Sydney. However the last time I was there was quite a few years ago.
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