This morning I was suddenly confronted with a totally distraught wife.
“All gone – All my hard work – for nothing – something has raided the green house”
I forgot even to don my raincoat and rushed with Barbara to the green house.
Coming through the door it seemed to look normal, lots of small green plants trying to brave the weather with the help of lots of fleece and some heating.
BUT here on closer inspection, what looks like newly seeded pots, where actually small plants. Acacias (our special kind) grown from seeds an absolute first as normally these are propagated by cuttings. New fuchsia …. and so on. ALL GONE.
Nearby, a carefully constructed shelter gives some clues. So it was not a giant snail rather a mouse or mouse family.
On one hand I can understand that with the inclement weather a nice sheltered and dry(ish) poly tunnel must feel like heaven, on the other hand when this costs you hours / days of labor, wrapping, unwrapping, potting and generally caring and its gone in a night – yes one has all right to be angry, sad a bit fed up with the world.
I will try my utmost to help Barbara over this, as I want the garden in flower this year and |I’m pretty sure the people nearby would love to visit it and hope buy some of the plants we will have for sale.
In other areas the plants are totally oblivious to what is going on and some have simply decided its not raining, no snow, nice and warm, so it must be late spring!
This afternoon, instead of going to the local fiesta, it will be into Sober to buy more traps and than carefully wage war on nibbling beasts.
If you have a moment please leave a comment or drop Barbara an email and encourage her to not give up but raise even more plants so we all have a cheerful spring.
Expat
Monday, 18 January, 2010 at 12:23 pm
Nibbling critters, Barbara keep on keeping on……the rewards in a few months will out weigh the sheer frustration that you are feeling at present.
When the sun is shining and colours dance out of your pots and flower beds, you can stick your fingers up to those damned rodents and say…..HA!
Monday, 18 January, 2010 at 3:42 pm
Oh that´s terrible news! (For a minute I thought the entire tunnel had blown away in a winter gale, so I suppose it´s better than that.) And I know you´ll get the little intruder sorted out.
Don´t worry Barbara – anyone who produces tomatoes like you did on their first try can´t be stopped from gardening – it´s your destiny.
Hope spring gets there soon and a very Happy New Year!
Cole
Wednesday, 20 January, 2010 at 12:38 pm
Hola to you both.
So sorry to here you have been ransacked by the pesky mouse. I have decided to come back over next week with hubby who had to delay his flight due to the bad weather so this weekend I am going to go to the garden centre and see if I can find any fast growing flower seeds for you. They may only last you a season but you can keep the new seeds fron year to year if you like them. I cannot bring much due to having no case only hand luggage but I promise not to come without anything.
Julie
Wednesday, 20 January, 2010 at 9:24 pm
I am sorry for you Barbara! I haven’t understood very well the reason of why you have lost your plants ( my English is limited..) but anyway I hope you can resolve the problem… I am sure you are going to smile again when your flowers appear again!! Best regards ¡¡Mucho ánimo!!
Monday, 8 February, 2010 at 8:20 pm
Hola:
Dont worry by the mice Barbara, here, in Galicia, nothing, just the humans, can stop the growth of the plants, you will see how your greenhouse will be full of life and your garden full of colours in few time!
Since Ortigueira, Bernardo
Best wishes!