Garden Q & A, Part One of a Zillion

Welcome to Over My Garden Gate—a gardening column/blog in which I make jokes, talk about my grandkids, complain about elk—and the weather—occasionally politics—sometimes I might manage to complain about all three simultaneously-- but usually I like to keep my complaints more organize into separate bones of contention... Where was I? Oh, yes—sometimes I even talk about gardening, the pleasures--and perils-- thereof. 

 Recently, I was “doing some on-line research/relationship building”—AKA hanging out on Facebook with a local gardening group—when I realized two things: 1) I had just written about 300 words on FB about gardening challenges specific to elk and 2) I have a column due. Now. 

Because I am an excellent problem solver, I instantly decided to plagiarize myself. Below is a sample of the kinds of questions that are on local gardeners’ minds: 

Q: What plants won’t elk eat? 

A: No one knows. Elk might not “like” it—but that doesn’t mean they won’t eat/otherwise destroy it. There are some excellent lists out there for “low risk plants” —although your mileage may vary wildly. Elk taste is ever evolving. Something they avoid one season they can’t seem to get enough of in another. Sometimes it seems that taste is geographical. Cline Road elk may not eat the same things High Valley elk adore. My rule of thumb for the likelihood of elk eating it is: 
1)How much do you love it or
2)How much did you pay—because that proportionally increases the likelihood that they will *love* it too. 

Q: What about native plants? 

A: Good choice! if the elk find it boring they might not destroy. They might head right for that exotic, Blue Himalayan Poppy next door. Then again, they might view native plants as comfort food and chow down on your Rhodes that taste just like the one’s their mom used to nibble on. 

Check back later* when Sue answers even more questions, like what about stinky spray? 

* Unless her grandkids have done something incredibly cute—odds are good they might-- or the weather has done something extra egregious—let’s hope it doesn’t. Then she’ll undoubtably talk about that.

SPOILER ALERT:

Grandkids ALWAYS do something cute!

John holds "his baby," Lane

John cooks with Nana Sugar

Aiden entertains at breakfast