Killer Instinct

Peas!
I was really surprised at how quickly the little pea plants have begun fruiting--vegetabling? hehe  :)

I replanted the pole beans.  With only one shoot sprouted, it seemed as though the others were doomed.  Hopefully I'll have better luck this time.

This morning as I went out to admire my gorgeous roses, I spied some curious little green bugs on one of my new buds. Aphids! :(  I wasn't sure what to do with them.  Do I spray them? Cut off the bud?  I looked it up online quickly and someone suggested to squish them asap to keep the population down. So, that's what I did. I went around to all the new shoots/buds and squished every one I found.  Luckily, it was that first bud that was the problem. I found only 2-3 aphids elsewhere.  I'll keep my eyes open from now on.

With the taste of blood in my mouth and my neighbors out of town, I decided to jump the fence and kill more vine. Ha ha!  I started pulling up all the roots I could find and treating the stumps with root killer. Then it happened. :(  I pulled on the largest root so far--about 2" thick--and it slimed me.  I mean, that sucker slimed me good. It was like a khaki-colored mucus that soaked my gardening gloves and made me want to hurl. What the crap is that stuff?!  I did the best I could and cut that root away. I hope I never have to do that again.  I was following the roots along the fenceline when I got to the other fence where my neighbors' neighbor is and guess what?! That damn vine is all over the place! It was like the field of poppies from Wizard of Oz except this was a Virginia Creeper--my nemesis. I will plan my attack.....