Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Picking petunias in Prescott

Im delighted to see efforts pay off, and never more so than the pretty projects in our little town. There are plenty of those around town, but Im here to talk about the flower boxes.

I had naturally noticed the boxes since theres one right at the front door of the Picayune office. And I have to admit that I was itching to get my own fingers in the dirt long before someone came around to plant flowers in our box.

Theyre pink petunias, a nice bushy flower that are often hardy enough to withstand the ministrations of those of us without a green thumb. Thats right - just because I was itching to get my hands dirty doesnt mean that I have a knack for growing things.

I admit that I waited a few days before I started watering our newly-acquired flowers, and I watched others who work in the area to see what they were doing, and which boxes were staked out as someone elses personal piece of greenery. While the chamber does get around to watering occasionally, its quite a chore and some of the flowers simply gave up before their little roots could get a good hold.

Which brings me to the point of this missive. I was amazed - and I admit, a bit amused - to find that the chambers own flower box was among the first to succumb. I dutifully teased those who work in the chamber office about their box of sticks until I found out that their petunias were actually casualties of a colony of ants. Apparently, the ants didnt like the flowers and killed the little plants out.

There have been some conversations over the past few days about ant eradication, and Id advise the interlopers to vacate immediately. I also understand that the chamber has ordered some additional flowers for those of us who have a bare spot or who simply managed to kill off our flowers. The box at my office is one of those. We saved four of our petunias, though one gave up the ghost.

But Mary Godwin is - apparently - going to get back at me just a little for laughing at her flower box filled with sticks. The new petunias are red - not pink like all the other petunias in town. Which means that anyone driving down the street can tell with just a look who had excellent success with their flower box.

And who didnt.