Once again I will try to grow some veggies and perhaps some posies before the flying hopping critters get to them. Previously I grew a fantastic crop of green lace. I had spent the winter in the greenhouse starting an entire vegetable farm from seed. My results were close to miraculous considering that due to apartment dwelling I hadn't touched a seed catalog for decades. All my seedlings were set out in their peat pots to grow happily in the garden. My little green wards grew and thrived until the enemy divisions arrived. They came in full force with horrific appetites.
My gorgeous artichokes were so laden with ants that they were not eatable. Neither boiling water, nor heavy shaking could rid these beautiful vegetables of the little black critters. I had to let the plants go to seed. They were only good for decorating the garden.
Then came hordes of grasshoppers. They ate everything in sight. Not a leaf was untouched. Everything became green lace. And there was no way to get rid of the creatures. I put out a birdbath trying to seduce our feathered friends to come to the rescue. No luck. I wished for a flock of seagulls but they didn't want to come 12 miles inland.
Plants roots were delicately nibbled by thousands of grubs that had found their way under the beds. And you know what came next---swarms of gofers. They do love those grubs. Now the garden is like a mine field --- but with ankle breaking holes instead of exploding devices.
I took the next summer off to recover. In the meantime weeds in the garden have grown taller than I am. Now I am getting back into the battle-- but am growing mostly in raised beds and pots--can't face that garden yet.
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