The time has arrived for Autumn planting! I have waited months for this season, not merely because it is the best time of the year. I very badly desire a patch of irises in my garden, and these bulbs are best planted after summer has definitively ended, but before the first frost.

The day after a good rain, I removed the weed barrier from a section by the porch and tilled the damp soil with a shovel. I did not read any suggestions to loosen the soil, but it seemed like a good idea at the time. And at least one benefit showed itself immediately: I unearthed a couple deep weed roots that I then removed before they could regrow next spring.

I decided to invest in a set of bulbs from a nursery rather than a large box store, since theoretically the bulbs may not be viable after 6 months, and I would expect a nursery to be more attentive to that requirement.

Luckily for me, the set I acquired came with instructions, advising me to plant the bulbs pointy side up, in holes 3” deep, and about 6 bulbs per square foot. I quickly decided that a spoon was more effective at digging holes than a stick (one of these days I’ll acquire a set of gardening tools). I also endeavored to arrange the dirt wells in a vaguely organic pattern, so that the irises don’t grow up in straight rows, which I know would drive me bonkers.

I covered the bulbs loosely with soil, and merrily went on my way. That’s when the enemy struck.

The next day I bore witness to the unholy destruction wrought by the local squirrels. The bloody menaces had dug up a number of bulbs, although it appears that they did not care for the taste, having left the bulbs scattered about. I found one partially chewed bulb laying on my porch, and another in my pepper bin, next to a divot in the dirt. I found nothing buried in the bed, but it would not surprise me to find irises blooming in my pepper bin next spring. I have no clue how many irises will survive into the new year.

A friend recommended that planting extra as “tribute” for the chaotic wilds may be our best counter maneuver. While I will keep that technique in mind for the future, in this scenario, because the plot is so small, I’ve acquired some caging material to discourage digging and protect the plants, at least until they start blooming. I may start collecting hamster cages for future planting protection.