A Serious Breach In Garden Security

Since we have not had a lot of rain or a lot of zucchini, I decided to  take advantage of the squash blossoms to make  "Vicki Sebastiani's Ricotta-Stuffed Squash Blossoms" from Renee  Shepard's Recipes From A Kitchen Garden, Vol 2.  Between one rain and Ed's faithful watering the squash plants were looking good.  When I searched beneath the leaves for my blossoms, I found mounds of garden soil at the base of the plants.  Further inspection revealed a tunnel several feet long.  Garden security had been breached and the enemy had moved in right under our noses and I was worried about squash borers.  Ed filled in the holes immediately and watered deeply hoping the plants did not suffer too much damage.

 Later that afternoon we discovered that even our most secure garden location was no longer secure. Inside the fence that is inside the galvanized metal barrier there was evidence of more digging.

Whoever this intruder is he likes his beet greens, but does not seem interested in the roots.  The stem cuts are not on the diagonal so I guess the bunnies are off the hook.

When Ed removed the cage to water the lettuce even more digging was uncovered.  We do not know the identity of this thus far unseen intruder.  We have reason to believe it to be a young woodchuck,  a lazy one who wants to dig where there are no stones, live in the cool shade of my squash plants and eat what's left of our vegetables.  I understand the appeal, but there are dire consequences to this kind of behavior.  We will be more vigilant now that we know the enemy has infiltrated our defenses.

Even with the dry conditions, the garden is not a complete disaster.  Ed's Wineberry Candy daylily  is showing off its beautiful blooms.  He seems to favor varieties with crinkled petal edges.  Planted in an out of the way spot, Wineberry Candy is not getting its fair share of carried water.  In its second year here this plant has a lot of growing to do.  We must remember to bring some water here.

The delicate colors of "Spiritual Corrider"  create another beautiful spot in the garden.  When the first flowers appeared in its second year here,  we were disappointed.  Some time and growing room have erased all shortcomings.  If anything this flower is a little too cute.  Include the scent and this flower makes a lasting impression.