It's become clear to me through posts and PMs that there are some gardeners here just waiting for the chance to discuss gardening!
So, I was thinking... how do you use gardening, or how does it affect you if you need a break, need some respite, need to relax, need inspiration....how do you use it as a therapy tool in caregiving?
What are your activities: Do you go out and pull weeds, read a magazine, design new beds? Look through garden catalogues? Go to garden stores?
And what interests have you added to your gardening? Visit estate or garden displays? Do you go to garden shows?
Does anyone design and plant Knot Gardens? Raised bed planters? Assistive gardens? Pollinator gardens (and have you thought of ways to help the bees and butterflies?)
Are your gardens primarily for pleasure or food, or a mix of both? Do you grow plants for medicinal purposes? Which ones, how do you harvest and process them? Any suggestions?
Do you grow plants that can be used in crafts, such as grapevines for wreaths and lavender for lavender wands? Do you make herbal products such as creams, lotions, chapstick?
What else can you share about gardening and the means in which it nurtures your soul?
I know someone who could hook up their exhaust to their garage and get rid of Possums, Racoons, and then close their garage door to keep them out......
An inexpensive pest control, DIY.
The ground squirrels are not fed if they come for food, and 2-3 of them fight.
Until I do not have a choice, I will feed the entertaining little critters. I was going to use a different word, lol.
(Oh, and there's a branch that recently fell just a couple of feet over onto the neighbour's property, I was going to be a good neighbour and take care of it but now... nah)
Against my better judgment. I am going to go ahead and feed the squirrels this winter. I used to feed "Ratatouille", but got a cat. Could not do both.
It is rare that a senior knows just when to slow down.
And the temptation to 'do it anyway' is great.
It has been a challenge to accept my own limitations,
and my that of my husband's.
I hired a squirrel catcher to remove them; his traps didn't catch the kind that we thought were in the house, but I think the ones he caught were actually the culprits. The problem then was that I couldn't get a contractor to repair the fascia, and it was a ladder job which I didn't want to tackle. So now they're back.
Has anyone had similar problems, and if so, how did you eventually get them out of the house? I do have plans based on what's worked so far: painters' tape deters them; that's kept them out of other places they've chewed up. I may use it on the exterior holes, and add some hand sanitizers/handiwipes as I've found that also deters them.
I do have to make sure they're out of the house though before I seal them in. The critter catcher I hired used a trap, but I'd have to maneuver and set it up while on a ladder, which I'm not willing to do. I'm no longer comfortable working on ladders, especially on the outside when the ladder will be sitting on pavement.
One of our squirrels regularly comes off the deck into our house for his nuts if we don't deliver on time. We call him Larry. After my cousin who's a little "squirrely."
I have always been amazed at how crafty and fast squirrels are!
They are so cute with their bushy tails but can be little thieves! Hahaha
Now if only I HAD such a tree! I am tiring of apples, but cannot let them go to waste. It is apples with everything at this point.
I do admit to my mouth watering when today I went to the corner veggie market to find a big bin of persimmons, and enough limes as well. Lugged home sizable sack. Now that I see these beauties I know Thanksgiving isn't far away.
NeedHelp, the squirrels are ripping off my figs. They eat apples as well, but the figs they are real bad about, and every time I spot one getting really ripe (black Mission) it is gone the next day, or laying about half eaten.
My grandpa used to let me help in his garden and I learned about life through his wisdom during our conversations. He was larger than life to me. I adored him.
He had an ‘organic’ garden long before organic food became ‘cool.’ Gardening is a beautiful gift to share with children and grandchildren.
I was looking at my buttoned-down garden yesterday and making mental notes of which plants created happiness, which ones won't be invited back, and what needs improvement next year. Time to get out the notebook! Research is so much fun.
If you are happy then I am happy for you! I am sure that your arrangement looks fine.
Enjoy your hot chocolate. Can never go wrong with hot chocolate on a chilly day.
The next few days promise to be sunny but chilly. Perfect weather for raking leaves and drinking hot chocolate.
I know a man that started shooting cats in his neighborhood for getting into his garden.
He was arrested for abuse. I am like you. I could never shoot an animal for getting into a garden.
Got my bulbs planted yesterday, fully supervised by a squirrel. I could just sense him mapping out what went where. I guess we'll see who won when spring rolls around...or maybe when a roly poly squirrel trundles across the fence in a few days to laugh at me...cheeks and belly bulging and pulling a little squirrel wagon full of my bulbs...
Once, I had a can of natural bug spray, running out, it was hissing at the end.
Apparently, it scared a garden snake, and after I was finished screaming, it left the area.
Isn't nature both beautiful, and scary?
Every time I hear the word ‘blustery’ I have fond memories of reading Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day to my daughters.
The other time was sunbathing and I had sweet smelling suntan lotion on. I guess I smelled like a flower and the bee bit my thigh. Bee stings hurt!
My husband was attacked by a swarm of them while trimming our shrubs. That’s so much worse! I felt horrible for him.
So this afternoon is really, truly my last day for gardening - except for tomorrow, which will be The. Last. Day. Doing general tidy-up today and planting bulbs tomorrow. Hubs is raking leaves and I have forewarned him about ground bees -- I believe my advice went in one ear and out the other. Stay tuned! :(
While sitting outside last night to "guard" the treats table during our socially distanced Halloween, I was thoroughly struck by the beauty of the night: crisp fall air, gorgeous full moon, a few golden leafy stragglers still on our elm tree. I made myself a mochaccino, bundled up, and managed 2.5 hours before calling it a night. It did very much feel like a small slice of happiness in an otherwise difficult year.
I have today discovered that the term for "winter planters without plants" is actually "winter porch pots". Who knew!? (Please tell me I was not the only one...)