So I continue my rush to get everything in the ground as the heat of summer shuffles toward us on its heavy, sweaty feet. Always, always I plant with the furries and winged things in mind — and what do they do, the little ne’er-do-wells? They slay the newly planted! Well, okay, not usually. But they did yesterday.
A fledgling datura was coming up as a volunteer in one of my pots so I popped it in the ground…
The next morning it was dug up and shrivelly…
Sadface.
Not a single castor bean plant reseeded itself this spring — they’ve had a tough time being forced into pots for the last few years. So I finally got my hands on some actual plants the other day just a little over a foot tall…
One of them has been reduced to a pathetic nub of a stem…
The top of the plant was snapped off and halfway down the hill. I doubt they chewed the top off as every part of the castor bean is highly toxic. I only know it was the squirrels because my crafty neighbor, Frank, tried to capture it all on video.
Cute little f**kers. They should watch this and be afraid. Very afraid.
