Return to the Perennials Forum | Post a Follow-Up

 o
Alien took my phlox and aster

Posted by paulsiu 5a (My Page) on
Sat, Jun 2, 12 at 21:56

Today, I went out to check on the plants after rainstorm. As expected, a lot of flower petals dropped. Then I notice the phlox is totally gone. It was 1 foot tall and now it's totally disappear overnight. There's no even any roots, just a hole where the plant used to be. There are now a lot of rabbits around, but I don't think they dig out the whole plant.

The bag of top soil also has a nasty gash in it all the way from top to bottom.

What happened?

Paul


Follow-Up Postings:

 o
RE: Alien took my phlox and aster

Sounds like a two-legged pest of some kind. Do you have mischevious kids hanging around?


 o
RE: Alien took my phlox and aster

That would be unlikely, too. The kids around the area appears to be well behaved. I used to grow up in a bad neighborhood, so I know what bad kids are like.

Besides, why would they knock off just one plant, most of the time when kids play a prank, they do an entire bed. In my old haunt, I would suspect a deer, but deers are rare here.

Usually when I see destroy plants, I blame the squirrels, but usually they just destroy the plant and leave it lying around. In this case, there's nothing left.

Paul


 o
RE: Alien took my phlox and aster

Voles? Although they usually eat the roots and leave the above-ground part of the plant....

Dee


 o
RE: Alien took my phlox and aster

Voles wouldn't do that. I too say it was human -- do you live in a suburban setting? Someone might have wanted some plants and been evil enough to go out "shopping" in other people's gardens. I once had to confront a lady who pulled her car to the side of the street and got out with shovel in hand to dig plants out of my large mixed bed alongside the road (but inside of my lot line past the public right of way). When she saw me, she quickly hollered out "oh, I was looking for wildflowers to dig" -- as if my bed of that included various cultivars of sunflowers,dahlias, buddleias, yuccas, lupines, allliums, etc. all in geometric patterns and surrounded by mown lawn on all sides was vacant land.

It takes all kinds, and I wouldn't put it past some people.


 o
RE: Alien took my phlox and aster

I do live in the suburbs, but I find it hard to believe somebody would go and remove a phlox that have finish blooming and looks rather ratty. I actually had stuff next to it in containers that I haven't yet planted. They could have taken those. Weird!!!

Paul


 o
RE: Alien took my phlox and aster

i think you did it..

and partied a little to hard that evening..

and now dont remember

lol

ken


 o
RE: Alien took my phlox and aster

  • Posted by remy 6WNY (My Page) on
    Sun, Jun 3, 12 at 22:21

It sounds like an adult took the plant. Teens wouldn't. Teens would do something like pick flowers and leave you with no blooms. An adult would keep in mind the plant that bloomed and go after it once done blooming.
People out even in the country are plant thieves. I remember stopping out in a rural area near here at a plant sale in front of a home where you leave money in the box. There was a sign saying something like "To the gray hair lady who drives a blue buick, stop stealing plants. I know who you are and I will call the police next time."
Remy


 o
RE: Alien took my phlox and aster

I never had people actually steal plants, but I suppose it could happen.

The lady down the street has a much nicer phlox, so if someone did steal it, it would be a mystery why mines was taken. Perhaps the lady down the street was offended by my phlox and get rid of it :-p.

Now I have to figure out what to fill the area with.

Paul


 o
RE: Alien took my phlox and aster

You really haven't disproved the alien theory
Maybe you should put a little more thought into that - there is a possibility, you know....


 o
RE: Alien took my phlox and aster

What do you mean? I never grown any phlox?? :-)

Seriously, I notice the coreopsis next to the phlox has now disappeared, too, though this time there is no hole. Looks like someone just ate it to the ground.

I am beginning to wonder if this is just a case of an animal that decided to eat it to the ground, then some squirrel came by notice a bare spot and started digging, leaving a hole. There are holes all over my mulch.

Paul


 o
RE: Alien took my phlox and aster

One word - chupacabra. That's the answer for anything wierd that happens in New Mexico.


 o
RE: Alien took my phlox and aster

Of course! Why didn't I think of that?!

Dee


 o
RE: Alien took my phlox and aster

So hope it's not the dreaded groundhog! Best to you, cj


 o
RE: Alien took my phlox and aster

So hope it's not the dreaded groundhog! Best to you, cj


 o Post a Follow-Up

Please Note: Only registered members are able to post messages to this forum.

    If you are a member, please log in.

    If you aren't yet a member, join now!


Return to the Perennials Forum

Instructions

  • You must be a registered member and logged in to post messages on our forums.
  • Posting is a two-step process. Once you have composed your message, you will be taken to the preview page. You will then have a chance to review the contents and make changes.
  • After posting your message, you may need to refresh the forum page in order to see it.
  • It is illegal to post copyrighted material without the owner's consent.
  • HTML codes are allowed in the message field only.
  • No advertising is allowed in any of the forums.
  • If you would like to practice posting or uploading photos, please visit our Test forum.
  • If you need assistance, please Contact Us and we will be happy to help.



 
Click here to learn more about in-text links on this page.