More Garden Passion

– Posted in: Pests, Plagues, and Varmints
1 comment

–I planted the second half of my corn. I’m not feeling so distraught over the issue of whether the second half of my planting comes up.

–A greater calamity has befallen me. I was so brilliant as to mention earlier that I would go ballistic if a deer chomped down on my precious baby apple tree. That nasty deer must be sitting at some computer up in the woods, reading my every entry, because shortly after that post my little tree was ravaged. Stripped most cruelly of branches and leaves.

An outrage. Why don’t they allow machine guns during deer hunting season? The deer population isn’t low enough by half. (I make light of the situation because there is little I can do now that the damage is done to my tree. Laugh and live with it–isn’t that the gardening life?)

Seriously, I think the deer problem around here is especially bad this year. Cynically, and unrealistically, I suspect that the deer can smell a $30 apple tree a mile away. The fully grown apple trees have a massive profusion of new growth (it’s been a great wet year) but the stupid deer had to chomp on my teeny little one. A conspiracy.

If no more deer come and chew on the tree it might just survive. Whoops, shouldn’t have said that.

In case any deer are reading this post they ought to know I might just get a hunting license this year. In fact, if I see one of them standing out in the back yard I might decide being a law-abiding citizen ranks very low on my list of important things, and I may just shoot.

About the Author

At age fifteen, Rundy decided he wanted to write for his living. He is currently working on a novel, although it is not the novel he started at fifteen. When not working on the novel, he might be riding his bike, feeding his chickens, helping his neighbors, messing around with web design and computers in general, or writing on his blog, which discusses other topics in addition to gardening. USDA Hardiness Zone: 4 AHS Heat Zone: 3 Location: rural; Southern Tier of NY Geographic type: foothills of Appalachian Mountains Soil Type: acid clay Experience level: advanced beginner Particular interests: fruits, vegetables, major landscaping, chickens and other poultry

Now, the digging and dividing of perennials, the general autumn cleanup and the planting of spring bulbs are all an act of faith. One carries on before the altar of delayed gratification, until the ground freezes and you can’t do any more other than refill the bird feeder and gaze through the window, waiting for the snow. . . . Meanwhile, it helps to think of yourself as a pear tree or a tulip. You will blossom spectacularly in the spring, but only after the required period of chilling.

~Adrian Higgins in The Washington Post, November 6, 2013

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Linda July 17, 2003, 12:36 am

My sympathies on your little tree–I’d probably have shed tears, even though I know deer have to eat something. I’ve been looking for a gardening journal like yours. Thanks for taking the time to write.