Me vs. the Squirrels

The squirrels are going nuts in the garden (ha ha). They're pulling plants out of pots, digging up seedlings and casting them aside, including the pumpkin seedling from the other day's post. They even dug up my tiny new blue hydrangea, which really got to me. This is a relatively new problem for me, as our old dog, a Rottie mix named Belle, struck terror in their little rodent hearts. But Belle moved on to the Happy Hunting Grounds, where she is probably chasing little squirrel angels. For some reason our current dog, Niles, doesn't have the same affect. Maybe its the clothes.

Another Heat Wave

Its not even Memorial Day yet, and the temperature is in the 90's, even now at 7:30ish. I hope we have a thunderstorm tonight, because I'm too lazy to water. I'm kind of an air conditioning snob, but right now I don't care too much about fresh air, if it would only be cooler in here. The pansies and violas are drying up, and I'm worried about the lobelia and Gerbera daisies, too. I guess perhaps I should log off and water, after all.

The First Pumpkin Seedling

I love starting plants from seed, and this is my second year growing pumpkins. My daughter Sarah has been throwing a pumpkin carving party in October for the last couple of years, and last year I was able to bring 6 or 8 pumpkins. Amazing, what comes from such a tiny start.

Turtle

The turtle is back.

I've lived in this house for about 23 years, and just about every May we see a turtle that comes to lay her eggs here in one of my gardens. This results in extra pool duty in mid August, to rescue the babies who fall/crawl into our pool. With vigilence, most can be saved.

I had been in and out of the fenced in area around the pool, so she must have gotten in when I was upstairs. She scared the heck out of poor Niles (my Chihauhau).

Hypertufa

My newest project is making pots from Portland, peat moss and perlite, or sometimes sand. They resemble the garden troughs, originally cement boxes used on farms to water the animals.

In the early 20th century, gardeners bought them up cheap as farmers upgraded and automated their farms. Then of course they became valuable collectibles. The problem is, they are very heavy. Hypertufa looks like the original troughs, but is lighter.

My early and very informal market research tells me they are deeply interesting to serious gardeners and small boys.

Garden Sale

Well, the good news is also the bad news. Although I did sell quite a few of my pots, I still have a bunch left. As I hate seeing them leave, (I never trust most others to care for my mini gardens), I'm glad not to be wiped out. When I give them to my family, friends and neighbors, I still keep an eye on them. Works for everyone, especially the plants. But not a good attitude from one who hopes to make money selling container gardens!

May 2

A few days later, it is almost breathlessly hot. I got very sunburned yesterday at Family Fest, making it difficult now for me to be outside. I thought it was supposed to be cloudy and stormy today?