A below-ground gopher fence (3 feet deep and 1 foot wide) and
an above-ground rodent/deer fence (6 feet tall) was built around the plots in
1989. Aluminum flashing 12" wide (deep) was installed to edge the plots and
divide them into 48, 5' x 9' plots.
Fertilization
Fertilizer was mixed and spread by hand twice a year,
once in early May and once in late June. All plots received the same
fertilizer, with none of them getting any NH4NO3. For further information see fertilization details.
Mammal Trapping
Small mammals were trapped in the fall to discourage
overwinter inhabitants. Pocket gophers were trapped out of the experiment as
soon as they appear (very infrequently).
Weeding
All plots and aisles were routinely weeded to keep the area
free of unwanted plants and future weed seed sources.