Hello...Not sure this is the correct place to post, but here's my question for discussion. I just started a garden on our property in NE Scottsdale. We have a pretty large area that completely enclosed with a very tiny-holed chicken wire about 4 feet tall. We even buried the chicken wire underground to try and keep the critters away. We have three 10x10 raised beds filled with a mixture of steer manure (purchased at Home Depot) and natural soil that's on our property. I purchased romaine lettuce starts, an artichoke plant and some herbs to begin the garden. The rest of started by seed. Everything was put in about 3-4 weeks ago. I water every day and the beds stay moist with a little bit of drying out if I don't water until later in the day. For 3 weeks my romaine, artichoke and herbs were doing great. Then one morning I came out to find everythign eaten down to nothing. I put chicken wire around everything after that, but still seem to have something knawing at any part of the plants that stick out or near the sides of the chicken wire. The only opening into the garden area is some small cracks around the gate area. I see where something very small is digging under the chicken wire - maybe mice, chipmunk? Do they eat gardens? What can I do to keep them away? I really don't want to have to put chicken wire around every single plant and hope they don't eat them.My other question relates to the productivity of my plants from the seeds. I planted beets, swiss chard, carrots, radishes, spinach, lettuce, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, peas, and broccoli. Remember these were planted 3-4 weeks ago. I do have quite a few beets coming and some swiss chard, but other than that there is only one pea coming up in each of my 3 beds out of the entire 3 rows that I planted. One bed has beets coming up but the other bed doesn't have any. I have one spinach coming up, but no others out of an entire row. One radish, but none others. No carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts or lettuce. Why is the success so low? Why would some come up in a row and not others?Please help. I really, really want a successful garden, but I just don't know what to do.
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I appreciate any advice...