Also Nikita feijoa.
1 Like
Have you tried growing figs? I am sure that they will grow where you are.
Do you keep them penned up in an area all day or free range? I’d love to get a few ducks but don’t think free range would be possible. Are they noisy?
Irby . . . We bought a 10x10 dog kennel with a roof, and I put 3 Rubber Maid storage bins inside, against the back wall, on their sides. We put some clean straw in them - and the ducks use them for nests and they sleep in them. We also got one of those cheap little ‘baby pools’ and keep it filled with water, just outside of their pen. They love it!
During the day they are free to poop everywhere . . . I mean, free range! (Basically the same thing!) 
But as the sun sets - they head ‘home’ and then we close them in for the night. We have had raccoons visiting - and a fox . . . so the ducks need protecting. We also have owls and large hawks.
I have 2 new little rescue dogs who are interested in chasing the ducks for fun. But, we got an Invisible Fence and I made sure that the ‘duck zone’ was off limits. Now, the ducks just need to learn to stay out of the ‘dog zone’!
They are not noisy. And if you get them as ducklings - they could be very tame. Ours were ‘dumped’ on our property - (whether we liked it or not) - and act as though they were not too fond of human contact. They like human ‘company’ but not too too close. They will position themselves ‘near’ me, when I am out in the yard. But won’t let you touch them. (They will eat out of your hand for a bite or two.)
I do swear, however . . . that they have really kept the bug population down this year! Very few beetles - Japanese or Potato. It was great!
Most of all . . . they are great entertainment! And very cute!
1 Like
Do you have to fence your garden off from them? How destructive can they be?
VSOP - I do have to use fences around some things, to keep the ducks out. I have been using those little moveable garden borders - and the ducks are not too agile - so don’t try to get over them. They were nesting in my daylilies 
and I was finding eggs there each day, for a time! So I just put up a little barrier of those garden borders - and they gave up!
We planted 6 new blueberry bushes last fall - and I was anxiously awaiting the first berries . . . when I happened to see the little stinkers just plucking off the berries before they were even fully ripe! So . . . up went another wire border fence! This time - a taller version - so they could not steal over it! The fences are not cheap . . . but I’ve found that it’s worth it to buy the heavier ones (that you have to buy one at a time) rather than the cheaper light weight folding kind. The folding ones don’t last more than a couple of seasons. The others I’ve had for years now. (just keep moving them!)
1 Like
My son brought one home. It was very friendly and spent most of its time at our sliding glass door wanting to come in. If I clean up the mess it was back within the hour. After of week of that we found him a new home. If it wasn’t for his obsession for the back entrance to our house we would have kept him.
1 Like
Oh ‘deer’. We have them, too. And, the other day I saw a beaver! (Not a nutria . . . a beaver. It was HUGE!) They might not bother the pomegranates . . . they have a whole swamp to eat.
I did manage to find a Nikitski Ranni, this week. At Edible Landscaping. (I hope it is not 2" tall!)
I was thinking . . . to try to shield a tree from the harsh winds - I wonder if a moveable wind-break could be put up in the winter months? Maybe a 3-sided privacy fence ‘thing’? Leave the southern side open? Has anyone here posted about that, to your knowledge?
I feel kind of silly, now - posting what I have - after seeing how knowledgeable Richard and some of the others are. It’s like ‘preaching to the choir’. Their posts are so incredible - their experience so vast. Yours too. Oh well . . . I am enjoying this forum and learning so much!
Irby . . . I have ordered from Edible Landscaping. 'Just placed an order for several pomegranates that I’d been searching for. I’m in ‘Tidewater’ - but used to come to Roanoke for an artshow that I participated in . . . so am familiar with Afton (And the infamous killer fog on the BlueRidge at that point!) I would LOVE to visit EL ! Thanks for mentioning the Tasting in October. I’m going to put that on my calendar for this fall.