Death by Strangulation

Rarely does it get so violent here on the Bayou that I need to intervene.  Sure, nature happens.  Hawks catch doves, owls catch rabbits and snakes catch most anything they want.  All critters eat something and, well, sometimes that something happens to be a cute and cuddly critter but still..that is nature.  So is the strangulation that took place in the garden this week.  Although it was quite devastating, it was nature!  A near-death experience!  I could not help but intervene.

Much to Michael's annoyance, I allowed flowers to grow in the vegetable garden.  "Volunteer" plants came up everywhere and, though I tried to move them to the flower beds, the job proved endless.  More flowers sprouted than I could transplant.  I left a "few" in the veggie garden..what could it hurt?  Well, obviously, it could hurt a lot!  Little did I know that some flowers are quite vicious!

An odd assortment of flowers had reseeded themselves.  Sunflowers, petunias, zinnias, violets and morning glories were everywhere!  An enormous amount were everywhere!  All was well, though, and Michael even admitted that he liked the sunflowers!  I was making progress with his love of flowers!  This suited me as I would have them everywhere..and pretty much did by early June.

Then..then..this morning when I was out cutting grass, I noticed something a tad disturbing!  My sunflowers were wilting!  This could not be!  I just watered them the night before.  They should be standing tall with their heads held high to greet the sun.  Instead, they were looking at the ground!  Something was killing my sunflowers and I must find out just what was doing the evil deed!  I investigated.

I was surprised and a bit heartbroken.  The perpetrator was another plant!  Death by strangulation is not a pretty sight and it was happening right before my eyes!  The morning glories were violently killing the sunflowers!  Just last night as I was watering, I noticed that all the plants were doing well and were pretty much holding their own. None were crowding the others and all appeared healthy.  The water must have been just what the morning glories needed for an immense growth spurt because this morning, they had taken over the other plants.  Overnight, I truly believe they grew at good six feet! My goodness!  The vines were wrapped everywhere!  The zinnias were being invaded!  The mint was blanketed with heart-shaped leaves!  The sunflowers were fighting for their lives!

Ok..as much as I adore the morning glories, enough is enough!  I pulled at the vines!  Ugh!  Those things were firmly rooted!  Pulling harder, I almost uprooted the poor sunflower!  Now I was killing the plant!  This would never do!  Snips!  I needed snips!  For a good hour, I battled the morning glories as I tried to help the sunflowers!  I know that by snipping the vines, they will return eventually.  Hopefully, by that time, the sunflowers and other flowers will have done their thing and I can relax about the morning glories taking over what is left of the garden.  Or..better yet..I can push that lawnmower right over them!