The Vegas Voice 7-20

Pantyhose, Watermelons & Tire Irons
By: Adrea Nairne-Barrera / 60s to 60
We’re sitting at dinner with friends and the
subject of home gardens comes up. We
live in the blasted desert and our friend is growing
a supermarket full of veggies and fruit!
Apparently there are a zillion tricks to everything. I found a few more
here and there.
Yes, our friend is right about the pantyhose and watermelons. Believe
it or not, by putting the watermelon in pantyhose it keeps it free of
bugs. People also keep them suspended from the ground that way too.
(I looked it up to be sure.)
So, the next time you see “hanging” watermelons, look a little closer.
They might be dressed up and wearing pantyhose.
As for the tire irons, we learned that burying one in the ground next
to a tree emits something to make the tree grow bigger and stronger. We
did that and the tree went nuts.
We had one problem though. The second time, we also used it to
keep the tree steady. However, the tip was showing and the HOA came
and ticketed us.
Whoever was marching around the neighborhood had to really work
hard at finding it buried in the lawn, so we just pushed it in further
and ignored them. Some people just don’t have anything important to
do so they creep around looking for things. I never saw that rule in the
guidelines.
Next are bunny issues. You can spend weeks looking up desert
friendly flowers that rabbits don’t eat or building chicken wire fences,
tall garden stands or hanging baskets. I found all sorts of sites listing
rabbit resistant plants, but they don’t all agree.
I picked some gazanias and found out I was wrong however, if you
put rosemary sprigs around, they don’t get eaten! Problem is the sprigs
dry up so every week you need to cut fresh ones if you’re that committed.
I think we’re down to lantana now. I searched for color varieties and
have learned to like them. I don’t have any patience, so the veggie thing
is out.
Adrea Nairne-Barrera writes of celebrations, observations &
complaints of life in the 60s to being in your 60s.
30
July 2020