Pots in the bedroom, pots in the hall, some of them big and some of them small.
I feel like I’m in a florist shop run by a mad man. The balcony flooring is being replaced, so my precious plants had to go someplace else, and I’m now surrounded and feel like I’ve strayed into a very untidy garden which is true, it’s very untidy, and must stay that way until the new flooring has set — a minimum of three days. Fortunately I’m going to Cedar to see my brother, and then to Vancouver to see my son who will have just got back from Zanzibar, so it shouldn’t be a problem.
I’ll water everything well before leaving. To my delight there are three lovely big tomatoes almost ripe enough to eat. They are sitting right now next to a velvet couch, which, if they could speak would probably ask, “What’s going on here, anyway? I belong outside.”
Be patient, m’dears, it won’t be that long before you are back in your regular spot, or part of a salad if you don’t behave.
Marcy L. called to share a disaster, hoping I might have a suggestion that might help.
Every day she sweeps dozens of dead bumblebees off her deck, and, very upset, wonders what is causing this die-off. There is a glass ceiling over the deck. Could this be the problem? Bees flying senselessly againt the glass until exhausted they drop down dead, rather like flies against a window who never turn and try another route, just keep beating themselves against the glass. Never having heard of such a thing I could only suggest a tall fan directed at the ceiling, which might (hopefully) blow them away from the hot glass, so they can fly to safety. Marcy says there was no pollen on the legs or bodies of these bees. Especially disturbing to lose these valuable creatures, as our bee population is already in decline. Please call me if you have any ideas on what might be done.
Helen Lang has been the Peninsula News Review’s garden columnist for more than 25 years.