July 23, 2008
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Rhubarb Security Tunnel
Last year, early in the growing season, I brought some hardy perennial plants from our old place across the highway and planted them here. Most went into containers near the house, since the ground here is too acid for those species. I planted two chunks of rhubarb root into large “planters” the previous owner had created from chicken wire lined with black plastic sheet. He made a dozen or more of them, on the south edge of the property where they get more sun than we get back here in the trees.
My plan had been to wait 3 years before harvesting any of the stalks, to allow the roots time to develop enough that the plants wouldn’t be set back by the loss. Then a thief/vandal cut back all my mature stalks late in the season, not even having the smarts or consideration to twist them off properly to avoid letting disease get to the plant. One reason this happened is that at the time, there was no direct sight line between the house and the garden area. The path out to the garden meanders through the trees and bushes, so that the house can’t be seen from the road. It is possible, though unlikely, that the malefactor thought my garden belonged to the abandoned cabin next door.
A few weeks ago, when I saw that my rhubarb was alive and growing, although not thriving with the abundance it had last year, I decided to take steps to prevent a repeat of last year’s plunder. Doug took a hand saw and I took my pruner, and we cleared a tunnel through the trees. Now, people passing on the road can see that there is a house back here, and I can sit in my bed and see the rhubarb, and anyone who might be messing with it. The tunnel, with lighter green at the end, is beautiful. Right now, some fireweed is blooming in it and bushes are encroaching already, so it will need maintenance.
A “no trespassing” sign is the next step. If it stops raining, I’ll get a picture of the tunnel for you.
Comments (10)
pictures!
Drives me nuts that people do that and the thing is when I have extra I share…but they don’t understand is that sometimes we grow things to eat to supplement our budgets
I hope the rhubarb is left undisturbed this season.
Who on earth steals rhubarb? Hope your deterrence works this year~!
Get ‘em! I’m glad you’ve taken precautions this year.
I must’ve given away close to a TON of zucchini and squash last year….I had SO much! I would have begged someone to come take it off my hands! But wow, I cannot imagine how angry I’d have been if someone had just stolen it…that’s just so wrong!
I’m very sorry that happened to you, and I guess it just goes to show that crime is everywhere! Amazing!
How far can Doug shoot spit wads? ha ha. Thwack! “Off the rhubarb sucker!”
Consider going for red over black for your “no trespassing” sign.
Apparentleh, red evokes the strongest reaction as compared to anything else in the colour spectrum. Plus, we’ve got a lot of cultural symbolism associated with it, some of which would be appropriate to your situation… of course, red would be disadvantageous if it turns out to be too much of an eyesore.
Pix of tunnel, I’d like to see it.
@Jaynebug - Spit wads? He’s got a rifle and a revolver, but rhubarb hardly seems worth the violence.
To my own opinion most of what you shout seems cool
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