Flower Boxes or the battle with the chipmunks.
It seems that I am so late filling the flower boxes, but everything is running a little late this year. We even had another frost warning two weeks ago.
Flower boxes for weekend people are not that simple. When you are only in the country Friday night through late on Sunday and you do not have a person who waters your plants, you have to pick flowers that can handle the five-day dry spell. When my mother spent the summers with us, we always put impatiens in our boxes. They multiply quickly, you have wonderful colors all summer, and they have to be watered at regular intervals
It seems that I am so late filling the flower boxes, but everything is running a little late this year. We even had another frost warning two weeks ago.
Flower boxes for weekend people are not that simple. When you are only in the country Friday night through late on Sunday and you do not have a person who waters your plants, you have to pick flowers that can handle the five-day dry spell. When my mother spent the summers with us, we always put impatiens in our boxes. They multiply quickly, you have wonderful colors all summer, and they have to be watered at regular intervals
Nevertheless they have to overcome other obstacles. We have our boxes on top of a stonewall. In the wall itself, we have a chipmunk colony and they object- not to all flowers, but they pick one or two plants of each box and simply uproot them, often during the night! They don’t seem to object to any whole box, but seem to choose one or two from each. After I do the planting, I have to check each morning whether all the plants survived the night. They only do this when the plants are small. When they are bigger, it is okay.
But then we have another “enemy”. Our deer consider impatiens a delicacy now. During the night, they eat the flowers in two or more boxes. Over the years, as the deer have multiplied, this seems to have become true of so many of the other plants that the garden centers have professed to be deer resistant.
But then we have another “enemy”. Our deer consider impatiens a delicacy now. During the night, they eat the flowers in two or more boxes. Over the years, as the deer have multiplied, this seems to have become true of so many of the other plants that the garden centers have professed to be deer resistant.
I miss one thing not having impatiens. When they develop their seeds, you pick (dead head) them to encourage more flowers. When you do, the seed pods snap into a curl in an amazing way, expelling the seeds! Children love to help pick them.
In the last couple of years, I have been planting begonias or petunias. I find, that they do much better on their own during the week. I give them a good soaking before I leave on Sundays and they look okay when I am back on Fridays.
They are also on better terms with the chipmunks. So far, they all survived the planting phase. Most important: the deer have ignored them so far as well.
In the last couple of years, I have been planting begonias or petunias. I find, that they do much better on their own during the week. I give them a good soaking before I leave on Sundays and they look okay when I am back on Fridays.
They are also on better terms with the chipmunks. So far, they all survived the planting phase. Most important: the deer have ignored them so far as well.
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