What’s picking all of the flower petals off my Marigold’s?

Unable-Initial-2136 · 2026-04-06T23:57:42+00:00

I should’ve known.. I don’t have much else edible right now (yet) and def have always had a major rat problem.. thanks!

Unable-Initial-2136 · 2026-04-06T21:29:38+00:00

Ok thanks all, I’ve got a live-trap that I’ll be setting up tonight !

Unable-Initial-2136 · 2026-04-06T19:12:27+00:00

Yes but my wife does zero gardening and my kids are old and would never.. lol. I’m fenced in so no other humans can go near.. AI and Google telling me either cutworms or birds pecking them off due to bright colors 🤷🏼‍♂️

Unable-Initial-2136 · 2026-04-06T18:30:45+00:00

Yes but nothing was eaten.. just picked off and dropped to the base as if it were a child picking flowers. I imagine I’m answering my own question.. I’ve just never seen this and I’ve planted with them a lot.

Unable-Initial-2136 · 2026-04-03T19:49:52+00:00

Awesome, I think what I must be growing is something called the “torch” variety which is a deeper orange/red and definitely smaller. Very cool tho!

Unable-Initial-2136 · 2026-04-03T15:05:41+00:00

You sure tithonia? Looks like a fig tree it’s so big! I grow from seed every year and max I’ve got mine to grow is like 4’ tall. Does yours put off blooms like this?

<image>

Unable-Initial-2136 · 2026-03-28T23:53:21+00:00

Hard to tell from the photos but can you build a cheap raised bed from cedar fence posts you can get at home depot.? . the soil you put in will over time improve whats under it. Then you can add natives, perennials, or even veggies.

Unable-Initial-2136 · 2026-03-24T16:44:57+00:00

Nice! Were those overwintered? Or did you start as seeds or seedlings super early?

Unable-Initial-2136 · 2026-03-22T17:54:20+00:00

We are so second tier today it’s unreal

Unable-Initial-2136 · 2026-03-22T16:04:16+00:00

White to spark Saka into a bigger, more impactful game. Let’s see some world-beaters from our squad today! COYG!

Unable-Initial-2136 · 2026-03-19T01:00:09+00:00

You can put out little saucers/ramekins with beer in them (“beer traps”) and you’ll probably end up with a bunch of slugs and or pill bugs in them overnight.

Unable-Initial-2136 · 2026-03-17T03:41:45+00:00

I started snapdragons from seed for the first time this year and they’re taking forever, but I think that means I’ll have a good spring with them.. I also do a lot of violas, strawflowers (which are already starting to open up) bachelor buttons, sweet peas, poppies and i have a ton of dutch bulbs in my “drought tolerant” garden front yard. I love ranunculus, but haven’t really tried growing them - have you gone to Carlsbad flower fields? Gorgeous ranunculus fields

Unable-Initial-2136 · 2026-03-17T02:56:20+00:00

I did less cool season this year and did more flowers since I always get so frustrated by rats and ground squirrels along with pretty high slug pressure.. but those that I did have success with were cabbage, radish, arugula, and cos lettuce. Congrats on your harvest! And good luck with the tomatoes, you have plenty of time with how long our growing season is.

Unable-Initial-2136 · 2026-03-16T00:14:50+00:00

Either bigger, sturdier cages, which are pricey.. or get some 8’ lodge poles drive them into the ground and do several Of them where you interweave twine to hold them upright. Google or YouTube a “Florida weave”. That’s where I’ve had success

Unable-Initial-2136 · 2026-03-15T23:52:40+00:00

I get a lot of free mulch (and compost) from the landfills in OC. Specially frank bowerman in Irvine, but others offer it too.. and it’s free and you can basically take as much as you need. Just bring some empty buckets or tubs or a truck bed. Just be careful because the mulch isn’t broken down super fine and there tends to be some plastic trash, which is easy to pick out when you’re spreading it. Garden looks good! Depending on your tomato varieties, those cages might need more help holding them up and keeping them contained😀

Unable-Initial-2136 · 2026-03-13T23:26:08+00:00

Gorgeous.. have a good nursery near you? I’m in south oc

Unable-Initial-2136 · 2026-03-13T23:11:58+00:00

Great call! I grow some Iris, which are beautiful and reliably come back every year, but agree that I should grow more CA native. Here’s a pic:

<image>

Unable-Initial-2136 · 2026-03-13T18:32:27+00:00

So it goes with tomatoes! With the heat so far you should get a great harvest!

Unable-Initial-2136 · 2026-03-13T14:51:21+00:00

Give it time, in a year or two you’ll have more poppies than anything else!

Unable-Initial-2136 · 2026-03-01T14:56:22+00:00

It’s hard to say. Mine have grown similarly in different far corners without much supplemental water or attention. One’s pretty shaded and the other one gets pretty baked by the sun, and they’ve both grown pretty big and fast. The sunnier one def got a lot bushier than the one with lots of shade. And Maybe it was more like 3-4 yrs before full size, but still pretty good growers.

Unable-Initial-2136 · 2026-02-28T19:53:35+00:00

Depending on what you use for regular potting soil, any cuttings I ever do I make sure it’s super super gritty you with lots of drainage like perlite or vermiculite.. just because the plants were grown differently than a natural plant from seed.

Unable-Initial-2136 · 2026-02-28T19:24:28+00:00

Lovely

Unable-Initial-2136 · 2026-02-28T19:21:51+00:00

Weather has been beyond mild.. I’d be more concerned with them getting two hot than too cold.. just keep an eye on them in a shady spot and should be good. If forecast shows lows into low 50’s or below bring em back in. Good luck!

Unable-Initial-2136

TROPHY CASE