Garden Mastery Tips
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September 2008 |
Critter Tales
Did You Want Butter on That?
My in-laws have a cabin up by Mount Rainier, which we use occasionally. One weekend, on our way up there with guests, we kept bragging about all the elk that we'd be seeing once we got there. Our guests had never seen elk and were really looking forward to it. Of course, once we got to the cabin there were no elk to be seen anywhere. We drove around for hours, went on a long hike, and still not one elk in sight. I'm sure our guests were beginning to wonder if we were just making it up.
The next morning, while making breakfast, we were having a problem with the toaster. Of course, the toast burned and badly. In an effort to get the smelly stuff out of the cabin, we quickly opened the patio door and my husband tossed out the toast. It went flying into the back yard just missing the head of an elk, who just happened to be crossing our back yard only about ten feet away from the door. I don't know who was more surprised, the elk or us. Her eyes got real big as she watched the toast fly by, then she turned her head to look at us, and just slowly wandered off. Susie Bjordahl, Master Gardener
Rogue Rabbit
We have a circular driveway, with an island in the middle of it. I have rose bushes and some evergreen shrubs, plus one pink dogwood planted on this island. Early this Spring I noted that something was nibbling on my rose bushes, and because we live in the country I assumed it was a deer snacking on one of its favorite plants.
Early one morning, my husband noticed movement on the island, and he watched as a rabbit approached one of the rose bushes, stood up on his hind legs and using his front paws, pushed a branch of the rose over so he could reach the upper leaves and buds. What a surprise to us!!
Soon after that, as I began my weekly spraying of the roses with Neem oil, it seems to have discouraged the munching and the roses are producing numerous lovely blooms. Emily Chase, Master Gardener
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