On Saturday, my Ginkgo biloba 'Autumn Gold' tree finally got its roots in the ground, replacing the mimosa tree (Albizia julibrissin) we removed last October after we failed to halt its decline. I still do a double take every time I look out the kitchen window.
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| According to reports, the tree is slow to establish so getting started with a taller specimen was probably a good thing |
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| Its leaves turn gold in the fall and its said to be relatively pest and disease free |
Back in December, I'd put aside several plants to fill the area around the tree so I was glad to finally get those in the ground as well.
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| I added three dark-blue flowered Agapanthus 'Elaine' purchased by mail order in 4-inch pots in December, which I'd potted up and held for installation under the new tree. I also popped in five small Pelargonium sidiodes divisions I took from plants that had originally grown under the mimosa. |
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| This is one of the two original Pelargoniums I still had growing in this spot. I'm hoping the tiny divisions will develop as nicely. |
That's the good news. The bad news was a discovery made while clearing the south side garden of some excessively exuberant Alyssum (Lobularia maritima) and other weeds yesterday afternoon.
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| It appears the gophers are back! I saw no evidence of gopher activity in this area last year. Even though they cleared out of my garden last year, I suspected they'd be back as my neighbors are regularly plagued by them. |
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| I'd read that gophers don't like succulents but this one seems to have set up operations directly under Agave 'Blue Flame' |
The solar-powered sonic deterrents combined with a granular repellent watered into the soil worked well last year but the sonic devices generally ceased working within a year. As their batteries can't be replaced and as I don't want to continuously funnel plastic into the local landfill, I'm going to try making do with the granular repellent. Maybe the local coyote will help out, assuming he's not put off by the repellent.
For more Wednesday Vignettes, visit Anna at Flutter & Hum.
All material © 2012-2021 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party
Agave 'Blue Flame' is a favorite of mine... I sure hope that rascal didn't gnaw its roots. >:(
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you finally got your Gingko in the ground... will it need much water to get established? Hope it flourishes for you!
If the gopher (or its progeny) nibbles at the agave's roots, I hope they get indigestion. The tree service guys that planted the Ginkgo created an ample bowl of soil around it to ensure that water wells up there to soak its roots. I'm hoping that irrigation 2x a week will be sufficient but I'll be monitoring it closely - after all, my soil is very sandy.
DeleteYour new Ginkgo looks great. They are such cool trees. Too bad your gopher is back. Cleaning up in the garden a big Siberian Iris seemed loose. When I pulled gently the whole plant came up sans roots. A mouse nest beside it told the whole story. Hard not to feel 'bloody' towards them.
ReplyDeleteYes, I named one gopher "Kirottu" last year - Finnish for "damned one" - and I think this one will inherit the same title. Even this fall when I was installing new plants, I periodically found holes below the surface, apparently due to their tunnels. I've also got a large Hebe (one of the earliest plants I installed here) that was damaged by their establishment of a den directly below it. I initially thought I'd dig the shrub up but instead I pruned it hard - it seems to be coming back but the jury's still out on whether it'll regain its original shape.
DeleteLove the new Ginkgo. I hope it establishes quickly. May the gophers enjoy your neighbors' gardens more than yours. Yours is exquisite.--I mean that.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I was lucky the first 8 years we were here even though the next door neighbor and another cross the street had problems with them despite the fact that both those households have dogs. Last year was my first "opportunity" to deal with them.
DeleteYou got a very nice Gingko specimen there. Looks great. When they turn gold in the autumn they are glorious.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the new gopher, sigh. Hope your Coyotes stop slacking and get them.
Well, the coyote still hasn't corralled the rabbits - I'm still finding beheaded Gazanias on a regular basis. Gophers are probably more of a challenge yet. At least I haven't seen any peacocks this year.
DeleteI have enjoyed a relatively gopher-free garden over the years-I think I have only had 1 or 2 minor incidents. And this year the lack of rain lemonade has been less snail pressure that I can ever recall in all my years of gardening. I hope Mr.Gopher goes away soon -up here there are reports of gopher damage to Agaves and that would be a bad development for you !
ReplyDeleteOh no! I may indeed have to resort to lethal traps if they start wreaking havoc with the succulents.
DeleteNice choice! Gingkos are so cool. And, I hear that once they lose their leaves, they pretty much all fall in a very short time span, so easy cleanup as well. Such great trees - congratulations on the new addition!
ReplyDeleteThanks Anna!
DeleteGingko is a good choice, I love the way they go butter yellow in autumn. Your succulent bed looks amazing. Gophers and coyotes! What exotic pests you have.
ReplyDeleteAlong with bunnies, squirrels, raccoons, possums and skunks, gophers and coyotes are native here. There are periodic sightings of non-native red foxes but I've never seen one. We've no deer, bears or bobcats in the area, though ;)
DeleteI wonder if the gophers are just using the succulents as shelter and protection but won’t actually harm there. Hopefully they won’t cause much nuisance. But that ginkgo is looking good, no wonder you keep looking at it!
ReplyDeleteThe best thing I can say about the gopher hole is that it sits relatively close to the property line and is pointed in the right direction for exiting our property.
DeleteYay for the gingko! Boo for the gophers. Must say that last photo is rather dreamy...
ReplyDeleteHopefully, the south side succulent area will stay that way, Loree. My order of gopher repellent is on its way and I intend to water it into the entire area.
DeleteKris .. That Gingko is going to be absolutely stunning come the Autumn. I love those trees but haven't had the opportunity or space to put on in my own garden. Those agave are one of my favorite looking plants .. we could never have them here but it isn't stopping me from pining for them ? LOL
ReplyDeleteYour garden looks amazing ! .. The largest wildlife we have had in the garden were some bunnies .. but they haven't been back in a couple of years now .. I have NO grass left for them, it is all garden plants they don't like I guess ? LOL
Don't plant Gazanias then! I have no lawn, just some ornamental grass, but I've discovered that the bunnies love Gazanias. We had zero bunnies during the first 7 years here and zero gopher for 9 years but the dynamic has certainly changed and I've no idea why.
DeleteThe Gingko looks lovely in its new home and is very shapely as well. It’s going to be a glorious specimen when it grows up. I’m sorry to read about the gophers. The corner of your garden with the agaves is splendid.
ReplyDeleteWe know very little about gophers in Australia. Here they are small electric vehicles that disabled people can use to get about!
That's a much more positive view of a "gopher" than we have here, Jane! If you have voles, our gophers are much like them - they tunnel below ground and destroy plants from underneath.
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