No pain, no gain

An adult chigger. (K-State Extension Service.)

Country Notebook

By Rogene "Jeannie" McPherson

Journal columnist

Being an avid gardener comes with a price.  I spent more than $200 in the past week on perennials, shrubs and bushes. If I had bought during spring planting the way most people do, I would have about $750 invested. Depending upon the type of perennial I’ve purchased, I generally have at least a 50% or better success rate on late summer plantings if the plants are regularly watered. If stressed (me or the plants) I walk out of the store without making a purchase. Add another $30 to $50 to my planting frenzy for bug spray and gardening becomes  a costly hobby.

This past spring, I purchased and quickly planted five beautiful red hydrangeas. With the extreme heat and possible inconsistent watering, I managed to kill all five of the perennial hydrangeas I planted in April. Each cost $35. I really wanted those plants. My $175 investment failed unless I can convince the plant nursery to replace them or the roots are still viable and the original roots produce next spring. Most unlikely, but I can hope.

The plants bought recently are known as hardy. The chances of survival are better than some spring plantings because:

• we’re entering a cooler season.

• more consistent watering is possible.

• roots establish well during fall.

Frankly, the price I am really suggesting is more about pain and suffering than dollars. As an example, I have a lovely rendition of the Big Dipper from the Milky Way on my right thigh, created by one or more chiggers. I have always wondered if chiggers bite more than once.

Was it one chigger biting seven times or seven chiggers biting one time?

Chiggers are probably smarter than we give them credit. I wish I could say the "Big Dipper" is my only grouping requiring clear calamine or cortisone cream. But, oh no. Even wearing long pants, gardening boots, heavy socks, and bug deterrent spray for use in deep woods, at last count I am at about 40 itchy spots including my ear lobe. I was once told chiggers die when temperatures reach 100 degrees. Apparently, a gardening myth or are they evolving into heat resistant creatures.

According to my dermatologist, chiggers , mosquitoes, ticks, and other bugs go after certain blood types. I’m considered a universal donor as to my blood type and universal apparently includes the capability of insects to bug me more than people with other blood types.

Is it worth it? Apparently so as every year I know this will happen and I continue to plant.  My rationale is that planting decreases the space in which weeds grow. I don’t like weeds either. I wonder if there is a correlation between crawling around on the ground pulling weeds and getting bug bites?

The moral of this life event is “No pain, no gain.” Just as I am typing, a mosquito landed on my arm. Ha, ha dear mosquito. For you, there’s pain and no gain.