My Plants and Nemesis Groundhog
I've only relatively recently started keeping and growing plants. I have one indoors and a couple outdoors I grew from seeds this season, and I've grown to love them very much. My entryway into keeping plants was actually my college, as they would give all new students a plant to keep alive through graduation. It's a superstition at my college that if you keep your plant alive all 4 years you'll become a millionaire! And although I think that's pretty low odds for me getting super rich, keeping my plant around has been a joy.
IKEA
I know this is an odd name for a plant but let me explain! IKEA is Swedish ivy, a plant known for being nice and hardy. Seriously, I've seen things that say that it's a skill if you can't take care of this plant. I named it IKEA because hey, IKEA is Swedish and that's about as far as the thought process went. The name stuck and I think its at least a little funny. A lot of my friends at college also named their new plants as well, and so it was a fun bonding thing. My closest college friend's plant is named Todd! I also find it easier to remember to care for my plant if it has a name (getting attached is powerful).
IKEA's Genetically Identical Offspring
Did you know that you can take a cutting of most plants, keep it in water and it'll eventually grow its own roots to become its own plant? Apparently this is semi-common knowledge, but I did not know at all until my roommate turned our dorm room into a greenhouse for plant cuttings. IKEA has lost two cuttings for new plant purposes. One for my mom who likes Swedish ivy and wanted one again, and another that fell off IKEA about a month ago that I decided to keep. My moms, being the first, is lovingly named IKEA jr while my newer one is named Swedish Meatball. Going very IKEA themed here. Swedish Meatball actually started sprouting roots today!
Outdoor Plants and Groundhogs
In late May I started growing some alyssum, blue morning glories, and native wildflowers. My alyssum has done really well, particularly because the groundhogs outside won't eat them. I've seen them sniffing it and deciding against it. Unfortunately for my other plants though they continuously try to eat every single leaf off of them!! My morning glories have been so resilient considering they've been stripped bare twice. I now keep them on an elevated table to prevent the detested fiends from reaching them, but I don't know how long that will last. The native wildflowers are stunted so frequently I doubt they will ever bloom :(. I really really hate these groundhogs! They've somehow become smart and wont fall for a cat trap to release them somewhere else. I wish there was another humane way to deal with them.
That's all my plants pretty much! I'd attach pictures but I don't have any recent good ones,,,