I've been stung by the bees
By micha5088
@micha5088 (554)
Malaysia
September 11, 2012 6:25pm CST
I enjoy gardening very much. I think a lot of people like to see fresh greens and colours around them. Although I love gardening, there are things, challenges, as a (part-time) gardener that I really can't stand. There are three things; the grass, thorns and bees. The grass grows way too fast. Sometimes if it rains everyday, in less than a week, the grass has already grown to a considerable height. There's a name for this type of grass. And then there's the thorn. I really am afraid of branches that have lots of thorns especially the bouganvilla plant, its thorn can be big, hard and long. It's dangerous if you accidentally step on it. Even hand gloves can't always protect you. Then lastly, the bees. I've been stung by them a few time while trying to clear a small area of bushes. Most recent was just two days ago. I was cutting off several small branches of this tree and then tried to pull out those that got stucked in my chain link fence, when I felt sharp stinging pain on my hands and legs. Luckily, I managed to run away just in time to escape from a swarm of bees. phew! there you go. Do you mylotters garden a lot? Are you aware of the problems in gardening?
6 responses
@chuchaibugoy (79)
•
12 Sep 12
I developed my love in gardening from my mother. she loves gardening all kinds of plants from vegetables, fruit bearing plants, and all kinds of ornamental plants. She had different kinds of roses, San francisco, orchids , collection of cactus and any other plants she wanted to plant. When I got married I did also some landscaping of our house. I have also some collections of plants from fruit bearing plants, vegetables and ornamental plants. Then one day while I was tending my bromilliads i was stung by a bee which I noticed had a big beehive in one corner of our backyard. I asked from an expert to extract some honey and we were able to gather almost three cups of honey. Likewise put something to drive the bees out from our yard for our safety.
1 person likes this
@micha5088 (554)
• Malaysia
12 Sep 12
You are so lucky to have a mother who has a strong passion for gardening. That bee hive must be really big because you get to extract 3 cups of honey out of it.
1 person likes this
@SusanLee (1920)
• United States
12 Sep 12
The only thing that scares me about gardening is snakes.
I live in the south and we have numerous poisonous snakes here. Whether we're picking corn, cutting okra, or snapping greens. I'm always afraid I'm going to get on a rattlesnake or moccasin coiled under the greenery.
I have gotten on a yellow-jacket nest in the ground a few times over the years but it's still the snakes that worry me the most.
@micha5088 (554)
• Malaysia
12 Sep 12
Now that you have mentioned snakes, I should add that to the list of challenges for a gardener. We have snakes here too but I think they usually come out at night. But I am not one hundred percent sure of that. Ever since my neighbour has left her house vacant and her lawn unattended, I am really scared of what might come out from her tall bushes.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
21 Sep 12
hi micha you do not disturb bees while they are feeding ant hey will not sting you. I grew up on the farm and my dad had a huge aviary/I never did get stung although we had hives lots of hives all over
the place but you do not bother them they will not sting. stay away not six inches but a few feet instead and they will not sting.they sting when they think they are being attacked
@rog0322 (2829)
• Cagayan De Oro, Philippines
12 Sep 12
Hi,
These are the things that keep everyone from the gardens or on the farm for that matter. The things that is of real concern here are the bees. I use to attack the culprits whenever they interfere with my work by going in with torch blazing reducing their hive to cinders in a matter of seconds. Then I realize that they do play a major role in the health of the plants by pollinating the flowers enabling them to bear fruits.
Now the real dilemma: to burn or not burn, that is the question. Recently, an uneasy truce exist between us. I keep to my side of the garden, keeping a safe distance from their hive (six inches should do), being careful not to disturb the branches they are in and they just buzz happily by going on with their business of keeping the garden alive.
@micha5088 (554)
• Malaysia
12 Sep 12
Six inches??? Are you kidding me? That's way too close. But I guess if you don't mind them buzzing in your garden, then let them stay. Just don't let any naughty children get close to it, you know, like what if out of curiosity they start poking it. Something really bad may happen. But I am sure you are well prepared as you sound like a well-experienced gardener. Happy gardening!
1 person likes this
@mrswhitfield (2044)
• Indonesia
12 Sep 12
We have a small garden in front of the house, but I am not very often take care of the flowers. My aunt who spent lot of time tending his flowers. I had never heard my aunt bee stung when caring for flowers, but my brother had been stung when climbing a mango tree in front of the house. His Thumbs swollen for 2 days.
1 person likes this
@micha5088 (554)
• Malaysia
12 Sep 12
I have not experienced any swellings after I got stung by the bees. It must be awfully painful. I have to be more careful from now on. Gardening may seem easy, when you do it, then you'll know how difficult it is. But avid gardeners don't mind the bees. So, I probably have to learn more about them like where they usually like to build their nest.
1 person likes this
@hayate13 (37)
• Indonesia
12 Sep 12
My family has a fairly extensive gardens. As children we used play in to garden for helping our grandmothers planting flowers. I also have had experience stung by the bee and the rose thorn. Despite that i still enjoy gardening untill now. When stung by the bee, my grandmother smeared me with a herbal called " bee oil " to neutralize the poison and my grandmother immediately unplug bees sting. Learning from that experience,if gardening, i always use a comfortable clothes that covered me from head to toe. Gardening is very enjoyable. And very pleasing for me that there are people who still have time for gardening in their busy activities like you. Happy gardening!
@micha5088 (554)
• Malaysia
12 Sep 12
That is true, a gardener must wear clothes that cover his whole body if he wants to protect himself from bird poops, bees, ants, crawling insects etc. I only garden once in a while and usually it's an out of the blue decision. So, I am usually not properly covered when I do gardening. Lesson learned!
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