Planting the Hosta. Twice!
By Morley Hunt
@Morleyhunt (21741)
Canada
June 5, 2016 7:44am CST
This past week I had no internet. No time spent on Mylot. No browsing the web. No google searches. That is one way to accomplish something.
My husband ordered a load of soil and we built up my new flowerbed. We dropped some large rocks here and there for some texture and visual interest. Then I proceeded to move some of my Hostas from a flowerbed where they were barely surviving the lack of moisture, shade and soil. Adding a couple of other perennials to the bed as well as the colourful annuals my grand daughter chose on our Monday evening foray to the garden center.
The bed is planted, water and ready to grow. Tuesday morning I looked out the window towards my new flowerbed. Imagine my surprise. The largest Hosta I had planted was beside the flowerbed, and there was an enormous hole where the Hosta had been.
5:30 AM I'm outside in my pyjamas replanting the Hosta and cursing whatever wildlife did not appreciate my landscaping efforts.
19 people like this
20 responses
@Marcyaz (35316)
• United States
6 Jun 16
@Morleyhunt
Maybe the culprit will not come back again.
2 people like this
@arthurchappell (44941)
• Preston, England
6 Jun 16
hopefully the replanted Hosta won't get attacked by similar critters
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
6 Jun 16
So far the plants have not been disturbed again. If I notice more digging I'll spread blood meal around the plants.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
6 Jun 16
We suspect a raccoon, but it could have been an opossum. I'm looking forward to the flowers filling in.
1 person likes this
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
5 Jun 16
At least it was only one hosta. Your garden will be lovely once it is grown in. I have to buy some annuals to add to our beds. I want some impatiens. I've planted 4 o'clocks and cutting flowers from seed. Hoping by July they will be in bloom. Until then I sit and wait with little patience.
@ElusiveButterfly (45941)
• United States
6 Jun 16
@Morleyhunt my hostas doubled in size this year. I was surprised at how big they got.
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
6 Jun 16
The Hosta is already a nice size. The annuals will provide the splash of colour that is missing.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
6 Jun 16
@ElusiveButterfly most varieties grow quickly. I have a golden Hosta that is a slow starter.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (56218)
• Canada
5 Jun 16
Your flower bed looks nice, hopefully the hostas will be able to establish their roots soon, it sounds like they'll need it! We've done a lot of cleaning up in our beds, but haven't planted anything yet, I haven't been in the mood, but one of these days I'll need to get around to adding some colour, and then I'll pick up some pots for here and there, they are my favorite.
2 people like this
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
6 Jun 16
I hope you can keep it planted and whatever wildlife uprooted it will leave it alone. Your flowerbed looks nice.
@just4him (323168)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
6 Jun 16
@Morleyhunt I've never heard of that. I take it that works.
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
6 Jun 16
@just4him my daughter has been using it for the last year to keep the squirrels out of her planter boxes.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
6 Jun 16
If I find critters digging in it again I'll buy some blood meal and spread it through the flower bed.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
6 Jun 16
@CRK109 looks like it has survived another night. I hope the raccoon, or whatever, moves along. It can dig in the soya bean field. The farmer might object, but it won't be my problem.
1 person likes this
@silvermist (19701)
• India
5 Jun 16
@Morleyhunt That is rather disappointing,seeing that Hosta beside the flowerbed.Well,I am looking forward to seeing photos of all those flowers soon.
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
6 Jun 16
I'll try to post for pictures as the flowerbed mature and fills in.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (502208)
• Italy
6 Jun 16
@Morleyhunt You are right, a mole would have moved the dirt from the deep to the top.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
6 Jun 16
That would be frustrating. We think that it was probably a raccoon. We see several of them around the farm.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
6 Jun 16
The birds have left it alone. The damage was clearly done by something larger than a bird.
1 person likes this
@gr8nana6 (6614)
• Conyers, Georgia
5 Jun 16
Oh no that is aggravating for sure. Did you ever find out what animal did that? The flowerbed does look nice.
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
6 Jun 16
The critter didn't leave his card, so we are guessing that it was a raccoon.
@PainsOnSlate (21845)
• Canada
6 Jun 16
Wow you must have big diggers. I cleaned one of my beds after a good rain yesterday to get all the weed out and ended moving a hosta that was trying to live on top of a tree root. I hope it lives. I've never moved one before.
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
6 Jun 16
Hostas seem to grow easily. At one time I was afraid to move them. Now I have split them and moved them....even in the heat of summer.
1 person likes this
@KristenH (33591)
• Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
5 Jun 16
Talk about productivity without no Internet. Welcome back. That hosta looks good. Sorry to hear about the holes though.
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
6 Jun 16
Maybe I should be without the internet for another week. Think how much I would accomplish.
1 person likes this
@ChildofGod81 (504)
• United States
6 Jun 16
That is going to look beautiful when it really starts growing. Nice replanting! I have such a black thumb...I've killed two aloe plants in my life, and they're supposed to be hardy plants! I've just come to the realization that I shouldn't try to care for plants. What's funny is I have no problem caring for animals or babies...just plants. I guess that's a good thing.
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
7 Jun 16
I've killed my share of plants. Outdoors my flower beds generally aren't bad. It's a matter of watering on time and God often looks after that for me.
1 person likes this
@Morethanamom (1948)
• Canada
5 Jun 16
I have not had wildlife remove any of my plants so far. I hope they learn to appreciate your garden and not dismantle it.
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
6 Jun 16
Once the plants establish themselves I hope they are not as inviting to the wildlife.
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
6 Jun 16
So far it looks as if it is no longer interested in my flowerbed.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (230334)
• Chile
5 Jun 16
It seems that it is difficult to have wild animals roaming near flower beds. I have that problem outside my fence but the only wild animals nearby are teens.
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
6 Jun 16
No uncontrollable teens around here....now small children....I have lots of them around.
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
6 Jun 16
Maybe, but it isn't welcome to my plants. You didn't see me messing with its home.
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
6 Jun 16
We have deer present, but no signs of them nibbling at my grade....I think the field of soya beans is probably more inviting.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
6 Jun 16
No, the critter just uprooted the plant and dumped it in the grass beside the flowerbed.
