Thursday, October 2, 2008

Changes in environment

I noticed last year that the environment is changing. Last year was the first year that my roses didn't grow from the old wood. I have many rose bushes - regular, miniature and fairy. If they came up at all, they sprouted from the roots. I wasn't the only one with that issue. My mom's area had the same thing. And they also lost rose of sharon's too. I was lucky last year. I didn't lose any rose of sharon's. But this past spring, I did lose one of mine. I have a whole row along one side of my back yard, and the middle bush died. Well, I just planted two small bushes that my mom had grown from seed (from mine) last year. She grew many for her friends to replace what they had lost and she just gifted me with two of my own. I hope they do well!

This is also the first year that we've been attacked by the Japanese beetle. We've been here for 23 years, and never have we had that problem. Just this year. Supposedly brought about by all the rain we did have this year. They kept coming back and coming back. Luckily we would catch them before they did much damage, but we had to apply "Sevin" about 4 different times in two months. I never want to see them again!

I've never seen a tomato hornworm in my life - until this year. Yes, this is the first year I've gotten back into growing tomatoes again. But even my friend who grows them every year, got them too. And he's never seen them before either.

So yes, I think the environment has been changing. Everything is in a flux. We just have to wait and see what's in store for our gardens next year!

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