Haven't given a garden report in quite a while as the deer ate 95% of my shrubbery this year and nearly every daylily (moved here with 1100-1200). But, I thought I would update on the snakes this year. In early spring I always have a long-handled shovel in the cart and this year I found a nest of 3 triangle shaped (poisonous) headed snakes. Got them all and kept that area very raked out a long time, but never saw the Mama. Two days ago someone ran over about a 2 foot black snake with trim colors on the road at the base of my drive. Thank you, neighbor. I'm hoping that's the full report for 2022-2023, or longer. We are so droughted this year that I've had very few blooms. We either have no rain or a 15 minute torrent, followed by weeks of nothing, which is not good for plants. Have lost several small trees in the woods. By the time I see they are in trouble, it is too late to water and save them. The upshot of all this is, my very shaded lot is becoming part-sun. So, next spring I will decide what can be planted differently. But now, it is too hot and humid to be working outside more than about an hour.

You have more guts than I do to be so close to poisonous critters! I have an Iris area that is quite thick, I am always looking for critters when I am near. Just beyond my back yard is a preserve, so all kinds of animals in there. The dear do not eat the Irises, this year they had about a hundred blooms. Drought here too but right now, thunder, lightning and lots of rain, Weatherman just said 3 inches per hour! I hope your day lilies recover.

I had trouble with the deer eating some of my flowers too. One year I planted them where I had grown some garlic the year before. The garlic returned and grew up with the flowers. I planned to remove the garlic, but never got around to it. Guess what, apparently deer don't like garlic as they left the flowers alone that year (I think they were gladiolas) so I left the garlic there and had no more problem with them eating those flowers. Don't know if it will help you, but it might be worth a try.

1 comment

by graceandham 13 Jul 2022

Thank you, thank you.

Ah you girls need to live in my bush all is beautful.Yes i see the odd snake but i gab them close to there head and heave them down the road lol He only came near us/me one time .There only garden snakes so no big deal lol

1 comment

by graceandham 02 Jul 2022

Once again, you amaze me.

Kudos to you for being so brave and always prepared. We have a farmer friend who follows the weather, and he tells us that the world is in a weather cycle that is just plain awful. I'm so sorry you have lost so much shrubbery and daylilies and now trees. Please be careful and stay hydrated.

1 comment

by graceandham 02 Jul 2022

I'm mostly chillin' out in the air conditioning! Thanks.

I have always wondered why the deer's never ate the weeds. Yikes I hate snakes. I am glad you got rid of some.
Mother Nature is taking a beating. Here too we are living in a drought area and water restrictions.

1 comment

by graceandham 02 Jul 2022

I was given a long list of plants that are deer resistant when I moved here, but the only one I know they won't eat has a poison in it that they can smell. My house is planted all around with hollies (sharp points) but they will eat all the new growth every spring and this year even ate the old growth with sharp points because they were hungry. What they don't eat, the beaver takes into the pond for his dam.