win some, lose some

[twoeleven]

i'd finally gotten the time to post about my gardens, and i was going to write how wonderfully they were doing, but deer have done a number on my lilies. ate all the buds off, they did. stupid antler rats.

but *most* of the gardens are doing well. the blueberry bushes are again covered with berries, and i spent a while this spring adjusting their soil pH, so i'm hoping the blueberries will be food this year.

i managed to lift a mass of dahlia tubers, store it for the winter, and get it to regrow. it had developed some fuzz over the winter, but i took random online advice, and sprayed it with dilute bleach. that seemed to kill the sprouts it had, but i decided to plant it anyway. and once again, it's growing from several ends. it's a very happy dahlia.

the violet cornflowers are just starting to bloom, and i'm expecting a stunning display. pictures soon.

Comments

[rebeccmeister]

Aww! I think my dahlia died - dried out too much over the winter, sigh.

I've never heard deer called 'antler rats' before - apt!

Fingers crossed for the blueberries. Fresh berries are SO GOOD!

[twoeleven]

i stored my dahlia in a plastic bag filled with vermiculite. but i hadn't realized when the advice i read said "fill the bag with vermiculite", they meant all the way! the tubers turned fuzzy only where they were above the vermiculite.

i think i heard "antler rats" first in wisconsin, where the damned things are superabundant, so i guess it's a regional expression.

Fresh berries are SO GOOD!
yes! i've missed having my own berries for three years running now.

[ivy]

Damnit, sorry about the garden! Best wishes for blueberry success.

[twoeleven]

thanks!

[threemeninaboat]

antler rats...

[twoeleven]

yup, antler rats. *nods*