The one thing you hate about gardening

[GatorGardener]

I hate gardening in summer. My yard needs attention badly. Some of the weeds in the back are trees. It's a "natural" area and there is no getting rid of the weeds because they are offshoots from underground roots of some kind of oak tree, as well as camphor trees. I'd have to pay someone to excavate it to get rid of them. So it's a management issue. But in the summer they grow so fast but it's sooooooooo muggy and hot I'm just avoiding it. Plus I have these ants outside that have a nasty bite/sting. And last time I did brief gardening I got a tick bite that itched for 3 weeks.

 

[ChilliGirl]

On the whole, I absolutely love gardening; but if I were forced to pinpoint an area that causes me a continuous headache throughout the year, it's trying to do it organically!

I hate the thought of using any chemicals in my garden, for the wildlife as well as for the sake of my food. But gardening can be much harder work going down the organic route. It was a lot of work for me to begin with, but it is becoming easier now that I have learned more, and have put certain measures in place to help.

The battle against plants being destroyed by predators, as well as disease, is a tough one; but it's made all the more worthwhile when you see the end result.

 

[js85]

I generally love bugs. I love watching a little ecosystem take place in my garden. I don't even mind when I get robbed by squirrels or bunnies (granted they don't take too much). My biggest issue has to be mosquitos. I don't know why, but we drew a LOT of mosquitos this year. Really puts a drag on it!

 

[helagumamela]

Seeing my plants get eaten by the chickens my father is raising. It's so frustrating! I have a bunch of oregano plants, and I got so mad when I discovered them all gone one day. I found out that the chickens ate them! Lesson learned, make a cover our of metal wires for your plants.

 

[ChilliGirl]

I generally love bugs. I love watching a little ecosystem take place in my garden. I don't even mind when I get robbed by squirrels or bunnies (granted they don't take too much). My biggest issue has to be mosquitos. I don't know why, but we drew a LOT of mosquitos this year. Really puts a drag on it!

I don't mind bugs either - they're a vital part of the ecosystem, and they play a huge part in keeping other predators to a minimum. I prefer letting nature take its course as much as possible, and I hate the idea of spraying things. I enjoy watching bees and wasps bobbing around pollinating everything, as well as the little ladybirds munching away at aphids.

One of the reasons for your mosquito invasion could be standing water. Apparently, mosquitos are drawn to standing water, and that was a reason for me getting rid of any bases underneath my potted plants where water could collect. It brought the population down fast!

Seeing my plants get eaten by the chickens my father is raising. It's so frustrating! I have a bunch of oregano plants, and I got so mad when I discovered them all gone one day. I found out that the chickens ate them! Lesson learned, make a cover our of metal wires for your plants.

That's a shame. I didn't think chickens were so destructive.

 

[Philphine]

Seeing my plants get eaten by the chickens my father is raising. It's so frustrating! I have a bunch of oregano plants, and I got so mad when I discovered them all gone one day. I found out that the chickens ate them! Lesson learned, make a cover our of metal wires for your plants.

show them your hatchet and let them know you're considering them pre seasoned.

I guess mosquitos when I'm out there trying to do something, and raccoons (and a few other things) eating and destroying things when I'm not.

 

[ACSAPA]

I hate fungus and when plants die from overwatering and when bugs eat my edible herbs. I've had two mint plants and a tomato plant die due to hungry pests.
I almost gave up but decided to try herbs again now that I'm living in a different place.

 

[freedhardwoods]

Almost every year a storm blows down some of my corn. It always stands back up, but the stalks are crooked. You can't get the tiller through to kill weeds and it's hard to walk through to pick it.

 

[Trellum]

I hate the damn pests that invade my poor plants often, specially my kalanchoes. I also hate the pests founds in the soil, like those nasty yellow worms I saw once. Yikes!

I also dislike when my plants die no matter what I do.

 

[leahlane]

This has already been said but I hate when pets or animals eat away at what I've grown! I also dislike when I don't have much success with the plants. It seems like a lot of work and care has gone to waste...oh well, at least I learn something every time.

 

[Danyel72]

I hate when you buy new plants and you invest all the time planting them and they die. Makes me mad because then you have to undo what you just did. Thankfully, the store I purchase from guarantees their plants for a year so I am covered on that end. I think there is this excitement in waiting for your plants to grow as well. I'm sometimes disappointed and feel that it was my fault. I have taught myself that you pick up and start over, it always seems to work out in the end.

 

[marlingardener]

I loathe grasshoppers! Texas has about 117 types of 'hoppers (no exaggeration, just fact) and every one of them is here on our farm, making little 'hoppers as fast as they can. They eat plants, hang on screens, jump on you, and drive me to distraction. The hens do the best they can to catch and eat 'hoppers, but they are so outnumbered!

 

[Danyel72]

I loathe grasshoppers! Texas has about 117 types of 'hoppers (no exaggeration, just fact) and every one of them is here on our farm, making little 'hoppers as fast as they can. They eat plants, hang on screens, jump on you, and drive me to distraction. The hens do the best they can to catch and eat 'hoppers, but they are so outnumbered!

Oh no !! I can't even imagine. We have grasshoppers here but I seldom see them. On occasion I will catch one or two nibbling on my plants! Makes me so mad because by the time I actually notice there's holes all over. Never fails though, if we do see one on the driveway or on the sidewalk no matter how much you try to avoid them they ALWAYS seem to jump right at you. Me and the kids totally freak out. My husband gets a good laugh though.

We do spray our shrubs and plants so that's probably why we don't see them as much. You, on the other hand, by the way it sounds there's not enough spray in all of Texas to help! yuck!!

 

[Momhardatwork]

I also hate the pests and bugs that ruin your crops and plants. The main goal for me is when possible, be able to harvest what was planted. I love the helpful things like worms and other little critters that form a controlled ecosystem, however, pests that eat at the plants like white flies, I absolutely despise. I have found that rubbing banana peels on the leaves helps somewhat if you can continue to do it. So far, they have been somewhat triumphant over my bell pepper plants in the past and my tomatoes. So, I don't mind the hard work, the heat, the weeding, or any other aspect of gardening as long as the pests can be controlled.

 

[claudine]

Another thing I hate about gardening is winter Not being able to grow my favorite plants is extremely frustrating. My miniature roses haven't gone dormant yet, but I already miss them. And I miss lying in grass and eating fresh raspberries
Winter shouldn't exist!