Dame's Rocket, Diagnosing Plant Damage, Barrel Cactus

Dame's Rocket, a type of mustard is the pretty purple flower in the photo. Many garden writers say to pull it out and burn it if you find it in your flower beds because it is so invasive.

So, I wonder, do you pull up pretty natives and put them in plastic bags in the trash so not one seed escapes?

It seems extreme to me but I may be eating those words next year if Dame invades aggressively.

Quite honestly, as difficult as it is to get anything to grow, what harm could a few purple beauties do?

These are edamame seedlings that have been decimated by something.

The empty spots in the seed starting tray had little plants in them until a bed was made for them in the garden.

After one row was planted, I put the flat nearby until more spring plants could be harvested.

When I went out to pull three large heads of greens, all the edamame had lost its head - something that chews and prefers tender green vegetables has moved in.

Barrel cactus is native to southwestern Oklahoma where this one came from. It's been blooming every spring for four years. When the original pot broke, transplanting it was prickly, but worth this year's show!

This is one of the edamame eaters.

There are at least four of them out there.

When the sun finally came out today I saw two adults romping.

No doubt happy that their offspring are so well fed.