Unbeknownst to me, the Yerba Mensa had totally discarded the pot it was in and was free-growing along the side of the top of the pond.  Five feet long, an extensive root system simply growing in the water.  I knew that they could do that, I didn't know the thing had somehow removed itself out of the pot.

It was a simple matter, therefore, to lift the entire thing up and over the side of the pond and just let it hang there while I thoroughly sprayed it with ant and roach killer.  Near-invisible caterpillars became extremely visible while they were wiggling and croaking to death.  Good riddance. I waited for a while and then I started spraying the leaves and stems with fresh water.  Doused the entire top of it where any poison might get into the pond water from dripping down the leaves until I felt I had done enough of it - which was a good while.  I then let it drip dry for a bit longer and then - put it back into place.  I resprayed the entire system that is outside of the water with poison and below the top of the pond so that this will not be a reoccurring situation.

It will take time, but that plant will grow new leaves and eventually get rid of the eaten ones.  A month or two, I am guessing and it will start looking healthy again.  Very resilient plant, even with a large percentage of leaves eaten up,  it will send out new leaves and the ones that are eaten up? What little is left of them is still green.
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Long interlude.  Got the dog outside and started to go to town. She didn't like it.  Not my problem.  She stayed obediently in place for the most part while I shaved that long hair away.  I was informed this was a short to medium haired dog, this is definitely a LONG haired dog, only made short by shaving it regularly.  Well, I have an electric shaver now and I will be doing this once a month, I am guessing.    After spending nearly an hour trying to get all of that off of her, I then bathed her in oatmeal shampoo - she has a problem with dandruff but oatmeal shampoo deals with it quite well - and then took the scissors that came with the package and started cutting away at the hair the machine just wouldn't take off.

I am done with that for today.  There is still some hair left to go on her belly and legs, but for my first time ever attempting to do that, she looks pretty good.
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Long day.  Week.  Christmas will bring a 4 day vacation.  Umm, no, I forgot, I put in for an extra day or 2.  4 days off, though, without that.  2 weekend days and 2 paid days from the company and then if I get the other 1 or 2, well there you go.  I could use some time off before then - too much to do and too little time to do it - but I am not going to ask.  I need to save my vacation hours for some time off next summer.
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Randy's house is coming together. He's slowly getting the framing done and started installing windows.  However, there is MAJOR problem with that house: the foundation has a crack in it.  He filled it in with cement or something, but that does not repair a crack, just covers it up.  Whatever.  He also used 2 inch diameter pipe for the toilet. ?!!!  LOL!!! Ummmm, okay.  That's not going to work too well, is all I can say about that.

Well that's enough for now.  I have been cranking all day long and I am ready to take a break  - like for the rest of the day, lol.

ben

Saturday 12/1/2012

So, the wasps went away - where who knows - and now caterpillars have taken their place.
I was looking at my Yerba Mensa the other day and thinking how badly those wasps had ravaged that plant.

Well I was looking at it again just now thinking, wait a minute, something else MUST be going on here, the leaves on this plant are completely ravaged.  First thought: caterpillars.  Started looking underneath leaves and sure enough.

How do you get rid of them?  I can't spray poison on the plant, it will kill the fish.

I guess I'm going to have to take that giant plant that is entangled in everything (which was the intended effect) and try to get it out of the pond so I can thoroughly spray it with poison.  It's going to have to be out of the pond for several days to do that and then when I figure I've gotten all those nasty creatures, wash the whole plant with water and then put it back in.

One plant, right, how hard can that be?  This plant has grown all over the pond, down the sides and onto the ground.  It has shooters going all over place. It's a beautiful plant - or was until all those leaves got eaten up.

I can't put it off, those caterpillars are going to kill that plant if I leave it go too much longer.

57 hours, I believe it was, for the work week. Long week.  Plus 5 hours put in at church this morning doing the rummage sale.  The end of the sale was the hard part cause' had to take down all the tables, put them in a trailer and then put all the seats back into place plus fold up all the clothes and everything that wasn't sold and put it in the prayer room until they can figure out what they want to do with it - though I think they were talking about donating it to Goodwill.

Well, anyway. Trip to Walmart was in order.  I am not going to pay $60 or more everytime that dog's hair needs trimmed.  And trimmed it needs, badly. I went and got a pet trimmer for $29 and I bought 2 cans of ant and roach killer spray.  That should take care of caterpillars, too, I am guessing/hoping.  I have sprayed it on plants before and it didn't do anything to the plant, another good thing.

Umm, so, busy week, busy day already,  more to go.

Later.

ben