Lying In Wait

I am way behind in gardening this year. I usually have most things planted by May 15 but circumstances and weather have put me behind schedule. Today I was trying to catch up. I planted those coleus plants that I nursed along all winter under grow lights. I planted one jalapeno. As I was putting in my six Big Boy tomatoes I dug a little trench and laid them sideways in the soil so their roots are just a little lower than half of the stem. In this way, the stem will grow more roots and make for a stronger plant. And the roots will be closer to the surface of the soil where they will feel the warmth of the sun and grow faster. Where the stem meets the soil, I carefully add a strip of newspaper to form a collar barrier against cutworms. I've been foiled by cutworms before. They eat the stem just where it touches the top of the soil and decapitate the tender little transplants, leaving them to wither away and die. As I'm carefully putting my Big Boy in the garden and tucking the soil ever so gently around it, what do I see but two fat juicy cutworms. They were waiting for me! These cutworms were lying in wait for their next meal, probably wondering why I wasn't out there last weekend. Dang those cutworms. I tried to cut them with my trowel but they have a tough hide and just submerge into the soft ground. I dug them up again, laid them on the flat plastic plant identification label that came with my six pack of Big boys, and cut them in half with my trowel. Nasty cutworms. Lest you think I'm murderous, I'll have you know that I personally saved the lives of two leopard frogs that were sleeping in the muck at the bottom of my pond. I hope my nature treatment karma evens out.