This will die if left outside in the winter. It is an annual in non-tropical locations.

Knock-Your-Pants-Off Sweet & Spicy Glazed Buttermilk Meatloaf Serves 6 For the Glaze: 1 cup ketchup 1 cup barbeque sauce 1/2 cup brown sugar For the Meatloaf: 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs 1 cup whole-fat buttermilk 1 tbsp. olive oil 1 clove garlic, minced 1 cup small-diced onion 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil 2 tbsp. tomato paste 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef (85% lean-15% fat) 1/2 lb. ground pork 1 cup grated parmesan cheese 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. ground pepper Heat oven to 425 degrees. Combine the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan and place over low heat. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and cook until soft and translucent (try not to brown). Add parsley, basil, and tomato paste and cook for about a minute. Set aside to cool. In a small bowl, combine Panko and buttermilk and set aside for 5 minutes. Then in a large bowl, place beef, pork, cheese, salt and pepper, the onion mixture, and the panko mixture. Mix with your hands until just combined. On a rimmed baking pan (I use 13x9x2), form the mixture into a loaf shape sitting in the center of the pan, with all four sides exposed.* Brush sides and top with some glaze, then bake for about 50 minutes, removing the pan every 10 minutes or so to brush on more glaze. (At the end of baking, you will not have used all of the glaze mixture � just keep it in the saucepan on low and stir it every few minutes.) Cool for 5 minutes, slice, and serve hot with leftover glaze as sauce. Marybeth Albright The Food Network I tried this and it was awesome.

Looking more into this, I think it may actually be voles, not gophers. So thank you, gorbelly, for the advice about foil. Do you just mean wrap some foil around the base of the stem? I have 2 surviving tomato plants. One is about 3 ft tall and the other is a lot shorter. This morning, I noticed the shorter one was wilting even though I'd given it a good watering yesterday. I was worried it had been attacked but couldn't see any damage above the soil. I transplanted it into a pot, trying to keep the root ball in tact (I may have damaged some of the extended roots, though). It look s pretty sad right now but I'm hoping it'll survive. Here's the 3-footer still looking healthy, but I'm worried! Aside from the foil, what's the best vole deterrent, if that's what it is? I've read some stuff online and people are saying castor oil is a good one, although I'm still unclear as to how exactly I apply it. I see no entrance holes anywhere in the surrounding dirt. People are saying sonic repellents don't work that well. I may not be able to get to the store until tomorrow, so I'm hoping it doesn't get attacked by then. I'll add the foil in the mean time. In a super desperate move, I took the remains of the first detached tomato plant and tried to bury it as deeply as I cold in another area of the yard, right next to some onions and kale. I know I'm totally dreaming this will work out but I figured it was worth a try. I know it would be an admission of defeat but I'm still considering moving the zucchini and cucumber, which are still relatively small. I just feel like I need to do something ASAP and not wait around until I figure out the deterrent option.

Congratulations on your cute home. First I would paint garage a bit darker than your home. Trellis and foliage on the left of garage and right front left wall where there is not a window. Not exactly what I have inserted in photo but a visual to get the idea. Bench in front of entrance middle window with flower pot. Cannot see the entrance door very well to give you advice. Landscaping edge of driveway with flowers or landscaping to follow the eye to your home. Hire a landscape designer to help with landscaping if this is something you do not want to do. Very reasonable and great exterior design solutions. Best of Luck.