Answers to a Couple of Comments

I do struggle with how to answer comment questions. I usually answer them right in the comment, but I don't know if many people ever really go back and read them???

Yesterday Sandy asked if I would share my deer repellent recipe. I didn't mean to give the impression that I make my own. I've tried everything imagineable and the only thing that has ever worked for me is a commercially-available product called Hinder. I have been using is sucessfully for a few years now. It's only successful if you use it OFTEN. Every time it rains it has to be reapplied. I use it on my tulips and lillies. If it rains often, I tend to say, "heck with it" and sometimes the deer/rabbits get them after all. It's supposed to rain for the next 5 days and I won't be going out every day to spray.

Yes, Sandy, we did make the rockwall. Thank you for the nice comment about it.

Sissy asked me when I bring my cannas out. Sissy, I did answer your canna questions in the comment section of that long ago post. But I'll answer them again today with pictures. You inspired me to check under the house to see how the cannas were doing.

And, whoa........look at the long shoots that have sprung up! This must have happened during the warm January weather.

Do note that little white/green shoot just coming up next to the tall shoot. Can you see it? Remember it because I will show you a close up after the next pic.
Well, here is a macro of the new shoot. Go ahead and click to make it bigger. MORE GROSS BUGS! This is the first time my pots under the house have been invaded.
When you just look at this with the naked (unbifocaled) eye, it looks like dust. In fact, I thought to myself, "What's this dusty stuff?", and I ran my fingers down the stalk. YUCK! My bare (nicely manicured) fingertips. GROSS!

Then it occurred to me that these were probably aphids and I quickly wiped the squashed bug bodies from my fingers to my pant leg, before snapping a few macro shots.

Anyway, back to Sissy's question about when I bring them out. I leave them right here until mid May. Then I will bring them outside during the day and drag them into the garage at night for about two weeks to let them adjust to the new conditions.

Now that I have discovered these bugs, I will go back under with a soapy cloth and run it up each stalk to squish the little invaders.

I did a little raking of the rockwall area last night....as it turned out, very little....it wasn't as much fun as I thought it would be. :) I had a new pair of leather gloves and I could feel blisters starting after about 1/2 hr. so I stopped and decided to go around and spray the tulips instead.

I hope everyone that wants to can get out and do some yard work today. Whatevewr you decide to do, I hope you have a great weekend!