Same weather, dire garden

 Yep, weather is the same but a little breezier today. 

The last marigold is down. The trench war begins.

First thing I checked and my heart sank then my blood boiled. You damn varmint. It was inevitable of course but I still held out hope for one more day. 

This is going to be a rocky year for the garden for sure. Took pictures of the beds then got to work with the hose.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the seedlings in the fence bed, one of the leaves has been eaten. The other is fine for now.

Peppers are finally taking off, hoping that bed is the producer this year and will just have to take my chances with the other beds.

The holes and the plant, it didn't even get completely pulled into the hole. Half eaten and partially pulled under then left there. I took the hose to the area and flooded the tunnel and holes. I have video of just how long that tunnel is going the other direction. I just might take the shovel and dig that whole bed out and run metal or plastic sheeting around it. But then, it's not my yard. It's not my dirt. I'm renting here and it is not worth the investment of time, tools and money to fix something that the owners and managers won't do anything about.

Not a very long video but it shows no backing up of the water, it's going straight through the tunnel to the north, under the other beds. I'm leaving that trench open to deter any further invasion. That's the only thing I can do. I ran the water for about a half minute, doesn't seem like a long time but it seemed like too much and a waste of water.

Grasshopper nymphs. All over that bed. Dozens of them and eating everything and anything. 

I futilely chopped into the soil around the seedling in the bed, just to vent some of my frustration. That bed is going to be a wreck this year and not going to waste any more energy on it emotionally.

When I went back upstairs I realized I had locked myself out of the apartment. Either I locked the door or it was locked and I didn't realize it. My sweetie was in the bathroom taking a shower and poor rocky was yelling at me from the other side of the screen, 'mom! mom! Why aren't you coming in here?!'

I decided to go walk around HD and see if I could get any energy and ideas. Ideas yes, no plants I could put out, it's past garlic/onion season, no gopher purge, no plants that I could see they wouldn't like.... went inside and the only gopher repellent/baits weren't on the shelf, they were in the overhead. I toyed with the idea of putting plastic light panels into a trench, they wouldn't last long though and I have nothing to cut them with. They had huge 3'x3' pavers outside but again, nothing to cut them with and too heavy and expensive.

Back home I went after wasting some time and proceeded to make spaghetti sauce for tonight. Because that's what I do when  I 'm frustrated now or anxious, I cook or eat.

On my way to the car I noticed the lantana bush was in full bloom and soothed my eyes and heart with  picture to share.

Because there's always flowers to brighten your day.