loose, airy soil is ur friend. it's easier for roots to run thru air pockets than thru a brick wall, if you catch my drift. peat, sand, etc is helpful. fence? hammer 4 corner posts (2x3's, 2x4's work fine), then wrap that frame in deer netting, at least 5 or 6 feet tall (motivated deer can hop up to 6 feet), with the bottom netting extending a foot or two over the ground. thro stuff (dirt, etc) over that bottom extension to prevent critters from their ground attack. or, if ur space is limited, just get some hay bales to frame out a space, then fill the interior with dirt. red onions seem to grow really well here in ct, so tomatos, jalapenos, onions, - boom! salsa! I am one of those cilantro-no way! people, but that grows well here too. also, cantaloupe and sugar baby watermelon grow easy, tho critter defense is a must for those. pickling cukes are my fav. mr ganimover in Fairfield says 'why would anybody buy started cuke plants? just toss the seeds anywhere - they know what to do." we've been growing a lot of yellow tomatoes lately, too. and, we've been adding a weaksauce Epsom salts solution every other week or so to the toms and cukes as a supplement, and they seem better for it. finally, I have yet to meet a person in tune with the natural world around them, who doesn't agree with the observation that 'I have never seen a daffodil run last as long as this season.' unreal. like two months long! I wonder if it is connected to the also current epic run of alewife? just the bridebrook alone, over by rocky neck, has aboot 400,000 running this year, while the entire state count only 7 or so years ago, was around 300,000.
