Talk about a challenge.

My first inclination is that its going to take a lot of conductive (and grounded) mesh - including over the top - arranged to force contact with close strung electric fencing about 8-10cm outside/above the mesh barrier.

If only certain crops suffer heavy losses, you might want to build an enclosure just for them.

You might be able to build something about a meter tall of sturdy panels that you could remove alternating sections of to "wade" in and harvest fruits. Would be tall enough to keep the vines from reaching up an grabbing the top, but low enough to minimize expense for the walls and would reduce the profile (so it would hold up to high winds better).

Wow, that's a puzzler for a first post! I regret I have no experience with monkeys, but it sounds exciting. I guess your watermelons are spread on the ground? Or are they trellised somehow?

Here's a suggestion, although it's a bit pricey... quote below taken from info at linked page:

Motion Activated Sprinkler:
This pest-deterring sprinkler is great for protecting gardens by day or night. It has a highly sensitive infrared sensor that operates unattended and sprays when movement is detected. It senses small or large animals and operates 24 hours a day.

I haven't tried one -- yet. I'm considering it as a deer deterrent. Regards,
--Riff.

Here is a link that might be useful: Motion Activated Sprinkler

Awwww, Ray, you got in before me! /grin/ You had good suggestions, though! By the way, I just looked at your instructions for the half-hoop greenhouse, and it's got me thinking about how I could use one around here; just what I need: another project!

--Riff.

Thanks Riff and Ray for the replies.

Pretty interesting ideas. I don't think I want to spend that much money on a deterent...

They only seem to go for the watermelons. I grew toms before and they didn't 'partake'.

The kids grow them (not more than 15 this time)- they're almost ready to plant out. I just don't like the disappoint faces when we've been 'robbed'.

I really need advise on a lot of things...
I'm getting ready to start my first sq ft garden. I was hoping to (with hubby's help) build 8'x4' (16" high) beds out of what we call concrete blocks, cemented together.
Would I be dumb to think that I could dedicate one of these beds to our sugar baby seedlings, without the 'grid' - if so, how many to a bed that is that size?

If above is possible, do you think that a thick wire mesh weighted down with heavy blocks would protect the melons, since they don't grow up...?

Sorry, a couple more questions...
Are there any veg/fruit seedlings that you absolutely should NOT put next to each other in sq ft gardens?

Is there a previous post that deals with how many plants per sq ft? I know most are 1/1... but I think I read somewhere that you can put 4 or 6 peas in one?

That's all for now, thanks
Mikhailah

I can't answer all your questions, definately not the monkey one...

However, I can pass on to you some things I learned this year as this is my first garden...

1) Plant 'compact' varieties of vegetables if possible. For instance, I planted a compact variety of broccoli, Munckin. Even with Munchkin, darn it, my soil was just too good and the broccoli that sprouted took over 4 square feet (each plant!). I made the mistake of planted onions and carrots next to the broccoli and these plants got shaded out and didn't do so well. I kept remove leaves from the broccoli plant, but it was still too big. I am not sure what the solution is for broccoli, but I don't see how they can only take up 1 square foot. Perhaps if you plant only broccoli next to broccoli, that will work.
2) Beans. I planted bush beans next to onions and carrots again. The bush beans were supposed to be contain in the 4 square feet they were planted. However, again, my soil was just too darn good and the bush beans ended up taking over 8 square feet and knocked over the onions and carrots. My pole beans, however, didn't take over so much space. Next year I think I will plant only pole beans and would suggest you do the same.
3) Tomatoes. I planted my tomotoes 1 per square foot and despite pinching suckers, they turned into a huge mess. Producing lots of tomotoes, but definately taking over my deep beds. If you are going to do tomatoes, follow Mel's advice and grow them on a 7 foot high vertical string and prune them well, otherwise your other vegetables will suffer if they are next to tomotoes.
4) Pumpkin plants. Don't bother planting anything next to a pumpkin plant, they are extremely vigorous. My pumpkin plants are taking over my yard. I am thinking of taking Mel's advice and growing them vertically next year. The slugs are eating some of my baby pumpkins, yet another reason not to put pumpkins on the ground.
5) For plant spacings, check out the Square Foot Gardening forum FAQ.
6) Also, check out Mel's website. It has more useful information.

Here is a link that might be useful: Square foot gardening

Thanks for the reply...

I still have some regular beds... I have one prepped (5x12) and one with okra, toms, lettuce and sweet peppers. Peppers were pretty sad but seem to be perking up after a few doses of Safer soap.

I have seedlings that are ready and almost ready to plant out (lettuce, cabbage, peppers, tomatoes, water melons and butternut squash)
I plan on trying to grow the some of the toms upside down in buckets on the patio just for fun (and I need the space!).

I've never 'trelissed' anything before (toms normally grow tied to bamboo) and I'm trying to learn as much about trelissing cukes and BN Squash as I can.

Normally I never attempt to grow root/ground veggies but with the sq ft method I hope to try some carrots and potatoes.

Rather than dotting them about I figured that it would probably be best for me to put brassica (sp) together and cover with a net to stop the cabbage butterfly laying eggs that I never seem to see until its so obvious and almost too late!

Thanks for the brock warning, I seem to always imagine veggies to grow the way you see them in the supermarkets!

Good growing!

Mikhailah

Mikhailah:

Part of the difficulty in helping brainstorm is that I'm not sure how they made out with last years crop. Did they carry it off whole, or did they break the shell in place and eat it on the spot, or some combination of the above? What is the approximate size of the monkeys in question, and how strong / smart are they? I'm also not familiar with the terrain - are they coming overground or dropping from a tree into the garden? I am relieved to see you use standard measurements, I'll quit trying to convert to metric in my head. :)

Watermelons will try to grow *through* a mesh. And IIRC, they are known to try to climb if given a chance.

The dedicated bed is a good idea, but you do need something to go over the top out of vine's reach. A wire hoop-house over a bed might be enough.

Sugar Babies *can* be trellised if on a stout structure. I have not done it yet but have considered it and know of enough others who have pulled it off to consider it easily doable if its necessary. I've got acerage and plenty of cardboard for weed suppression, so my larger melons stay on the ground.

Riff:
On the half-hoop, time has taught me these things not yet reflected in the diagram:
1. It works better with shorter sections (3 arcs) instead of a single long one.
2. Screw connectors for the cross peices are better than cable tension. Screw one side down all the way, line up with the other and screw it hald-way in (thus the other end half-way out). Not water-tight, but plenty to hold the frame together while still being able to break it down for storage.
3. Don't drill the arcs for any reason. They are under constant tension and it makes a weak spot that encourages cracking.
4. Be sure to get it, especially the plastic, out of the sun when not using it. Heavy painter's plastic will last a couple of winters here, flimsy stuff doesn't last a month.

monika1:
I put all my brassicas together and cap either end with a trellis to hold them back from other sections. Whaetver is on the trellis can get above the crowd and the trellis protects the squares beyond.

Ray:
They are green monkeys... they average about the size of a 2-3 year old child!!
They're very smart and very alert and quite strong.
They are wary of humans.
Last time they simply took whole fruit away and ate them. The watermelon's weren't much bigger than your fist.
We had a lot of trees beyond our back wall that had a lot of green monkeys, when that was cut down for a park type area to be made we didn't see very many. But every now and them I see one (not sure if it's the same one, probably not, they are family oriented) casually strolling across the back wall. (couple days ago) Other people in this street have mango trees, pomegranate trees etc, so there's other fruit for them.

You have me thinking of a wire mesh arc type thing now for the sugar baby's... if that's what you mean by 'wire hoop-house. (The walls of the bed will be 16" - how many inches do I fill with mel's mix and how high do you think the wire mesh should be?)
Would be really convenient if I could make a flip top type of mesh structure so it's easier to remove to tend the fruit... not sure how or if that could be attached to cemented concrete block though...

Mikhailah

You're in luck, I've got a 3 y.o boy and a 15 month girl in my house, so there is a point of reference. :) I will keep in mind that other primates are unusually strong for the same weight as a human.

A "quickie" method of building a hoop house is a frame of pipes slipped over metal spikes (or smaller pipe) that have have been driven partly into the ground. Slip the pipe over one spike, bend it over the bed, and slip it over the other spike.

Another is use of T-posts in a line the width of the bed, witht he wire material bent to slide down so the posts hold it bent, and its then tied tot the posts after workign teh bottom of the mesh to the ground.

It is probably going to need to be wider than the bed, and tall enough where they couldn't reach through and grab a leaf or fruit (or else they'll snag a vine and pull the whole thing through). Even if you put the anchors inside the bed you'd want to run the mesh to the ground on the outside of the bed. If you came up about 4' off the ground in the center a kid could still fit in to help do the tending. Keep it 4' above the top of the bed walls and leave about 6-8" of room between teh dirt and the top of hte wall and you could slide a board across form one wall to another to walk/waddle on without stepping on the plants.

Be sure to build your structure to be easily modified. Its going to take a few tries to get to the point where its tolerable to you, yet still effective at keeping the monkeys out. You could always test a structure by baiting the bed with a few fruits placed to try to attract raiders.

I'll keep the ideas coming as I have them, but you are the one seeing things as they happen.

Forgive me, in that I have nothing productive to add. But I have to say, the first thing that popped into my head when I read the post was - "man! sounds like my husband!" The running joke in his parent's house is that the jungle lost a good monkey when the doc cut off his tail! Heh. In fact, I just installed a monkey whirligig in the garden!
Good luck with your monkey problem.

I love this post.

Have you perhaps considered a scarecrow? You said they were warry of humans maybe that would work, though they are probably too smart for that. You could mark the area with your scent (Not for me personally but, people report that human urine is a good nitrogen source) and it might help fool them-I hope this suggestion isn't too crude.

What a wonderful problem, all I have out back is a bunny :)

Kris

I'd trade you your bunny for a monkey in a heartbeat, Kris! LOL

I'm not peeing in our garden! My 15 year old (very squimish) would move out. (Maybe I'll try it in a few years!)

I dug a bed for the Sugar Baby's in the front garden and
the boys and I have planted around seven seedlings.
(They said that they'd planted them there before and didn't
have any problems.... so here goes nothing.)

I had originally planned to 'mesh' them off in a sfg bed
at the back but our structure plans have changed from three
4x8's to one 3x43 and two 4x20's! - trying to round up
the plants in such a large space didn't seem do-able.
I'll let you know if the watermelons survive.

the answer simple you use a modified version of mels corn cage for preventing racoons or pg 25 organic gardening feb 1996 or you can use mels plant protecter on page 29 of same magazine. If wish i send an email with scans of the pages of of mels up dates to squarefoot gardening or you can buy copy of article off mels web site.

Sounds interesting...
I was hoping to plant out some canteloupe... I bought some
really strong wire fencing (mesh) 4x6'- so if you could
give me the info that would be great.

Mikhailah send me an email from this site with you email address in it and I will send you the pages as attachment in email.

Geez, I don't know how you'd keep monkeys out. But maybe you can give them a reason not to go in.

Try planting something they like and are known to devour maybe the same thing on the outside of the garden. Just start dumping seeds to sprout and ramble on the ground away from your garden????

Let em have their fill out there and maybe spare you some for harvest for yourself.

Try dusting the melons with hot pepper. Educational for the monkeys (yet harmless) and possibly entertaining for you.

SH

Hi everyone,

Just hoping Mikhailah could post a follow-up on the monkey problem! What did you try? How did it work out?

I am having the very same problem. My first cucumbers were just about ready to pick, and then the monkeys discovered them. They came and stole 2-3 a day until there was nothing left. Then they discovered the tiny watermelons, no bigger than a golf ball. They seemed to enjoy those very much.

Was glad to hear that they weren't interested in Mikhailah's tomatoes. I have tomato plants that haven't produced fruit quite yet, but I thought they'd be goners.

My mantra in this garden has been to do it as simply and cheaply as possible, so I'm hoping not to have to build a big cage around it. There are some great suggestions here, and by reviving this thread I hope to get some more!

Island Tim

Hey;

I was reading this new organic gardening book I got the other day. They had pictures of a melon box with trellis from China, circa 1970s. You could probably easily modify it to protect the melons from the monkeys. (did I just write that... LOL)

Basically there is a 2x2x2 box filled with rich soil, Mel's Mix in SFG case. Next they build a four post frame over it with 4x4x8 is what it looks like with the box centered under it. Then across the frame at the top they had a couple more horizontal supports of wood and dropped strings down from there so that the vines could grow up them. I think if you wrapped chicken wire around the whole thing it would keep the monkeys out.

They recommended using slings to support the fruit so it doesn't drop prematurely. Plus, you'll have to put door(s) into it so you can get at the vines to work them a little, or you could make separate frames of chicken-wire and fasten them to the vertical poles, so you can just take them off when you need too.

Your own melon monkey coupe...

CloneZero