Birds and weeds

I have a vegetable garden. It's surrounded by a chain-linked/cyclone
fence. It's about 22' x 10'. I have some corn growing. The past few
years, the birds have been getting to the corn, just before I am
ready to pick it. Someone told me to use fishing line to use
vertically and horizontally across the top. The corn is already over
the top of fence, so chicken wire wouldn't work.

Does anyone have any suggestions??

I also have sooo many weeds. I weeded the garden before I planted,
(or so I thought) I am constantly weeding. Is that normal?? I just
can't kill all of them. Round-up seems to be like fertilizer to
them. I looked on past posts and someone recommended boiling
water. I will have to try it. I also tried the mixture of vinegar,
salt and dish soap; it didn't work either.

Group:

Weeds are just about the most common problem that keep people from having great
gardens.

"E & O" weeding is what I recommend strongly. Early and often, and by early I
mean as soon as the seeds sprout you should take them out - either with the
2-way hoe (see Tools in the Store section of the website www.growfood.com) or
with the garden rake.

Continue weeding as often as necessary. Jacob said many times that "1 years'
weeds makes 7 years' seeds." That is the sad truth, and it means that unless
you have been weeding your garden diligently for 7 years you probably still have
weed seeds that will sprout when they are brought to the surface by the hoe,
rake, shovel, or tiller.

Keep at it, and DON'T let Roundup or any other store-bought solution take the
place of elbow-grease. Half the benefit of gardening is the fresh air and
exercise we get taking care of it.

Don't be afraid to take your ridges down in the process of weeding. It only
takes 2-3 MINUTES to pull down the ridges of a 30'-long soil-bed, and about 5
minutes to build them again with the rake. This simple process will eliminate
the large majority of your weeds - especially if you do it a couple of times.
And hoe in the aisles when necessary, also when the weeds are tiny.

I've never seen birds bother corn as it ripens, so I can't give you advice
there. Anyone??


Jim Kennard