October 2009 – Ramblin' through Dave's Garden

I woke Saturday morning to driving rain, then a windy pause, followed by leaves raining from red maples in the forest at the border of the garden. I had been watching closely, I thought, for the turning of the the leaves so I could cover the ponds with netting, but I guess I wasn’t attentive enough. This is a sad day,…

That’s the way the world goes ’round

We’ve hired a fellow to rid our attic of squirrels. The pesky tree rats have chewed through wires, destroyed a heat pump something-or-other, and are generally making a nuisance of themselves. Thus far, a skunk and possum have been captured in the live traps, but no squirrels. There is plenty of space on this property for…

Flowers in late-October

Perhaps it’s too early to be late in the month, but that’s really not the point. There are flowers in the garden, lots of them, and this is Virginia in October, northern Virginia, closer to the mountains than the shelter of the city. Nighttime lows have fallen into the mid thirties, and there are not…

Ask the Garden Guru – October

It has come to the attention of the Garden Guru that some have questioned his credentials. He admits to not being a true “guru”, but has been told he has many guru-like tendencies. Most importantly, he has a garden. Beyond that, the resume is thin. Read ahead at your own risk. As always, feel free…

In spite of myself …

… I end up sitting on a rainbow. Lack of planning, reliance on hindsight rather than foresight, failure to learn from one’s mistakes. Guilty, guilty, and guilty again. Perhaps on a frosty evening in January, or with the first inkling of Spring when the snowdrops are blooming, then we’ll delve into the commission of these…

Happy ‘Discovery of the Western Hemisphere by Europeans’ Day

It’s confusing to me to celebrate a day for a guy who didn’t do what your old grade school textbooks said he did. I hope all of Columbus’ relatives don’t get in a tizzy and write, but I’m feeling cheated for lack of recognition for deeds I didn’t do. I have forbidden the C word in my office…

The stinky smell of success

I feel confident in declaring that the struggle between man and deer has been won (at least for this year, in this garden). Five months of spraying stinky, but harmless, deer repellents has resulted in a garden undamaged, though frequently visited by deer. I still see plenty of tracks on the muddy margins of the dirt bottom…

Autumn colors – day two

I barely made it home today before the sun set, just in time to take a quick stroll through the back garden. The koi in the large swimming pond were in deep water, a sign that a predator has visited recently. They will usually swarm to the rocky edge expecting their evening meal, but today…

Autumn colors – early October

The days are shorter and noticeably cooler over the past weeks. Soon, I’ll depart for work and arrive home in the dark. I’ll miss the evening stroll through the garden (I suppose I can still stroll, but I it will be too dark to see). Overnight temperatures in the forties tell me that I’d better keep an…

Rubber mulch …..

doesn’t pass the bounce test. I am very much a minimalist when it comes to garden mulches. I put down a thin layer of pine chunk nuggets when I plant to hold a bit of moisture and to inhibit weeds until the plants are established. Then, I forget about it. If the mulch floats away,…