Last year the deck garden went really well. Except for inconsistencies in watering certain plants, I basically grew a jungle on the deck. This year, not so much. I've had natural
infestations, recurring destruction at the scratchy little paws of
squirrels, and early
bolting.
(Left, above)
Red aphids made thousands of babies...all over one of my lettuce plants. (Right, above) The Brussels sprout plant was eaten up by
white aphids or some kind of white bug. I never should have brought home from Lowe's (I'm embarrassed to say), since it means I had no idea where it was from or what it was carrying).
Then there have been
the squirrels, who repeatedly snapped the prettiest flowers right off their stems (above) at snacktime...
...and ripped the almost-ready-to-be-gorgeous-rainbow-flowered Mina Lobata vine right out at the roots. (You can see the vine hanging below the planter dying of thirst, after being snapped off at the roots).
...and their new fascination with the roots of Chris' pansies, which they continue to dig up.
Finally, and this one is my fault, because I started the spinach too late: after growing about 1", the
spinach decided it was time to bolt (go to seed). E said it must have happened because it got too hot, too early. I say I'll never plant spinach from seeds again--how could they compare to starters from a farmer's greenhouse? Remember spinach from last year (
here)? Soon to come...good things in the garden.
(Left, above) Red aphids made thousands of babies...all over one of my lettuce plants. (Right, above) The Brussels sprout plant was eaten up by white aphids or some kind of white bug. I never should have brought home from Lowe's (I'm embarrassed to say), since it means I had no idea where it was from or what it was carrying). 
Then there have been the squirrels, who repeatedly snapped the prettiest flowers right off their stems (above) at snacktime...
...and ripped the almost-ready-to-be-gorgeous-rainbow-flowered Mina Lobata vine right out at the roots. (You can see the vine hanging below the planter dying of thirst, after being snapped off at the roots).
...and their new fascination with the roots of Chris' pansies, which they continue to dig up.
Finally, and this one is my fault, because I started the spinach too late: after growing about 1", the spinach decided it was time to bolt (go to seed). E said it must have happened because it got too hot, too early. I say I'll never plant spinach from seeds again--how could they compare to starters from a farmer's greenhouse? Remember spinach from last year (here)? Soon to come...good things in the garden.
