In my list of blog categories, I have one with the title “Truth-stranger than fiction. Today’s post definitely fits in that slot.

I am an avid gardener, and suffer through the winter months when it is not possible to go out and plant anything. To make this a little more pleasant, I organize a “desk-top” garden on my computer desk in the library under a clamp on grow light.

My desktop garden in February 2023

Around the middle of January, I sowed a few marigold seeds and transplanted a small marigold plant that I found in one of my outdoor pots. The marigolds will bloom six weeks from seeding, so they are most welcome in the dead of winter.

Everything was coming along nicely, and the little seedlings were setting their first sets of true leaves.
I hadn’t taken any pictures yet, but was waiting until they had a little more character.

This morning I went in as usual to turn the grow lights on, and the plants were……..gone!
No sign of them, or any signs of a struggle showing they had ever existed. The little cell pack of dirt was totally undisturbed….but empty of any life.

The older marigold plant was missing as well.
I had planted it in the center of a pot of Snow Drop bulbs I brought in to force into early bloom.
The Snow Drops were untouched, but the marigold plant was……..gone!

We have an inside cat who has dry food at his disposal at all times, so if this was a mouse, it couldn’t have been starving.

I am at a loss to come up with an explanation for this one!

31 responses to “MYSTERY OF THE MISSING MARIGOLDS”

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  1. susansdailygarden Avatar

    Those garden mysteries! So disappointing 😦

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    1. Vero Avatar

      I’m going to plant more and set a camera.

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      1. susansdailygarden Avatar

        I am excited to hear the results 🙂

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        1. Vero Avatar

          I will definitely report back.

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  2. Silver James Avatar

    More power to you! I pretty much have a black thumb so I leave the green growing stuff to those who can nurture them LOL

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    1. Vero Avatar

      Growing things is one of my strong points. I really look forward to planting season each year.

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  3. Trish Avatar

    How strange!

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  4. ghostmmnc Avatar

    That is a really strange mystery for them all to go missing! If it was some critter eating them they’d still probably be stems or something left. I just don’t have any idea. 🙂

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    1. Vero Avatar

      Whatever it was didn’t leave a smidgen! Must have been terribly hungry.

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  5. Mags Win Avatar

    Wow! That is strange for sure. I hope you can figure out what happened to them. Please share if you find out.

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    1. Vero Avatar

      I sure will!!

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  6. Anne Mehrling Avatar

    If you ever solve the mystery, please let us know.

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    1. Vero Avatar

      I sure will. I’m of planting more and setting a camera.

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  7. Anne Mehrling Avatar

    Last year I had some things disappear from pots, but they were outside. I blame deer.

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    1. Vero Avatar

      These were teeny tiny only about an inch or so tall.

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  8. susandyer1962 Avatar

    Cue the Twilight Zone music!😮😮

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    1. Vero Avatar

      👽👾🤖👽

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  9. Kate Crimmins Avatar

    If you figure it out, you’ll have to let us know!

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    1. Vero Avatar

      I surely will!!

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  10. mjeanpike Avatar

    How disappointing 😦

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    1. Vero Avatar

      I could have cried!!

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  11. Rivergirl Avatar

    I’ve had cats nibble my starters so I wouldn’t be surprised if the feline is the culprit.

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    1. Vero Avatar

      No, he was locked in the adjacent garage at the time the plants were eaten.

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      1. Rivergirl Avatar

        Interesting….

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        1. Vero Avatar

          The only possible answer is a mouse, but I grow all my marigold plants in the greenhouse later, and mice live in there. (It’s open to the ground so it’s easy for them to come in). I have never had a single marigold plant eaten in all the years I have had the greenhouse.

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          1. Rivergirl Avatar

            And usually marigolds deter pests.
            Very odd.

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            1. Vero Avatar

              Except for slugs. Slugs love them and I never did figure that one out.

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              1. Rivergirl Avatar

                Slugs eat everything.
                😡

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                1. Vero Avatar

                  Yucky little critters!

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