My veggie gardens have always been gangbusters the first and second year, then the critters find it and it’s downhill from there.
Perhaps it’s that the yard has gotten more shady over time too. I overextended myself and planted too many fruit trees and vines ( in the case of grapes) and now I struggle to maintain them. At least the pawpaws don’t need maintenance, but I don’t know if they’ll ever produce fruit.
I still have a a few containers with edibles, but but the parsley and Brussels sprouts I planted in my raised bed got eaten by rabbits I guess? I have chicken wire around it but something has found a way around it. If I plant seeds, very few germinate. I have a feeling that squirrels or insects are eating the seeds before they have a chance to sprout. I’ve seen birds pecking up my sunflower seeds. The sunflowers that sprouted were eaten by a groundhog. 😕
I’m starting to look for rabbit resistant native ornamentals. Growing food is hard, yo!
I’ve found the swamp milkweed is the only one that attracts monarchs. I’ve had butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) in my yard forever but I didn’t see any butterflies until I planted the swamp milkweed.
However, the butterfly population varies and some years I see no butterflies. Here’s hoping I see at ta few this year!