OK ,look I will admit I am testy today. It got really warm around the middle of the day, and I had a couple of lilacs I had to plant. In order to plant those lilacs however, I had to remove some forsythia roots. I swear some days it’s like the forsythia is trying to kill me.

Anyway, I was digging away like a mad woman and came up for air because one of my neighbors stopped by. It’s a very good thing they did, because I realized when I paused that I was about to pass out. I got overheated and dehydrated. Anyway, I was digging away like a mad woman and only came up for air because one of my neighbors stopped by.

It’s a very good thing they did, because I realized when I paused that I was about to pass out. I got overheated and dehydrated. And then three plant orders arrived orders arrived. So needless to say I’m tired and I have felt better.

I’m sure some of you out there use the new social media app that people that think they don’t like social media think isn’t an app and isn’t social media called NextDoor. I only look at it intermittently because I find some of the people that post their utterly maddening at times.

Like take today, someone was looking for how they took care of a specific bug. Mind you it’s a truly invasive bug that’s eating their trees. Trees on any property are extraordinarily valuable. You have to take care of them properly. That’s why I have licensed arborists I use.

Anyway, like with all of these idiotic threads of conversation everyone pops up with their homemade remedies. Most of these remedies today involved alcohol as in rubbing alcohol, vinegar, salt, and Dawn dishwashing liquid. The Dawn dishwashing liquid was the least toxic of all.

I remarked to two of the people that vinegar is an acid and caustic. It’s caustic to wildlife, other plants, domestic animals, and humans.

You know those cartoons where you see people banging their heads against the wall? That’s what this thread was like. So I just walked away from it. I don’t want to sound like a know it all gardener but I do actually do my research.

Now I will use old wives methods for some things. Like pulverizing banana peels and coffee grounds in water and using it as a nutritious sludge around the base of my roses.

Or other things like rinsing out the milk jugs and pouring that water into my flowerbeds because it adds liquid manure basically.

And I will get rid of soapy water on plants with aphids.

But I don’t use caustic things that are “organic” in my garden. I have an Eco system. As stewards of our gardens we are responsible also for the wildlife — furry critters, birds, beneficial insects, plant life.

What I suggested was that the person with the problem should contact a licensed arborist and not use homemade remedies that often do more harm than good. Well Miss Naturalist with her vinegar and alcohol was so offended. Here I will just post it for you:

OK let’s get one thing clear I didn’t respond to the whole health nut of it all. That is immaterial to a conversation about garden pests that can kill your trees.

This one is also a little too sensitive.

I gave my opinion. I gave my opinion in a thread where opinions were being solicited.

And people are oblivious to how vinegar affects wildlife, humans, other plants, diluted or not. People seem to think it’s a magical elixir for weeds and what not and it’s not. It’s caustic.

But whatever, I tried. That one can remain blissful in her ignorance.

I am also a cancer survivor so I am very judicious with any chemicals I use.

They can keep doing them, but I am not wrong.

If you care about your own Eco system and localized environment in your garden, please, please, please don’t use vinegar and rubbing alcohol on your trees and plants when you should be calling a licensed arborist.

Trees are a valuable asset. Treat them with respect and the rest of your garden too.

The cranky gardener is signing off.