Caddyshack was funny until it happens to you

Not sure if this is a gopher or a mole. What do you think? Do you have any experience with control? I’m not into using poison or traps but two mounds showed up in two days! Yikes!

Rose Pruning at Point Defiance Rose Garden

Saturday March 2nd was the Tacoma Rose Society volunteer pruning demo and rose work day in the garden. This is my new favorite garden, or perhaps I should say, it is my favorite West Coast garden. When we were talking and pruning we came across some common rose problems and I thank my friend Jo for having her camera ready because I did not even bring mine!

Pruning with my new @Corona Comfort Grip Pruners

Have you seen a cane with a circular hole?

The wasp larvae are a few inches into the cane. Not all the way down.


We saw a lot of Crown Gall but not much of this Stem Gall.

Hungry little green worms on broccoli

I do not like sharing my veggies with pests. I have been picking and squishing these worms for a few days now. I am about ready to take out all the plants they like just to get rid of them. This has been my first big challenge of vegetable gardening.

Crows will eat tulips!

Flash tape helps

Last fall I evaluated the work of the previous gardener and decided to continue to use the half wine barrels on the rain permeable crushed rock. At first I was not thrilled about all the crushed rock, but after living through winter on a bluff in a maritime climate, I decided it was better than walking in rain puddles! The barrel above was planted with 50 tulips, covered with potting mix then planted with 50 Crocus. The crocus put on a good show but when the tulip foliage started showing I noticed a crow on the rim of the barrel, chewing on tulip foliage and the bud! Then I discovered flash tape. Thankfully. It scares the crows from landing and really does flash on sunny days. I now have flash tape hanging in other areas of the garden.