Urban pest

Rural and suburban gardeners contend with a range of pests- from fungus to insects to rodents to birds to small mammals. These are not unknown to the urban gardener, but the most virulent walk on two legs.

Three honey locust trees on Houston St at West Broadway are under attack. They have twice been discovered with salt dumped at the base of the trees. Limbs are being hacked down. The middle tree below was just fine one sunny, wind-free day, and the next had a bough hanging limply. It's hard to understand what is going on, except to surmise that the billboard space behind the trees is worth more unobstructed.



My street planter has also suffered a few indignities since its planting. It appears to make a nice place to sit and enjoy a cigarette, and leave said cigarette behind. Someone smashed the window of a car parked next to it. Most recently, one plant was mowed down. In close inspection, it appears to have been an animal as some of the leaves appeared nibbled.






None of this comes as a surprise, as would have been the case had I not been warned of urban pests by several of my garden well wishers. Like the rural and suburban gardnener facing his pests, you learn what you can and go on.