Readers Respond: What Are Your Favorite Examples of Murphy's Law in the Yard?

Murphy's Law states that anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. Perhaps you've seen some of the amusing posters or websites that list examples of Murphy's Law, taken from everyday life. Such lists often end with the ironic claim that Murphy, himself was an optimist (meaning that life's predilection for "sticking it to us" is so bad that no list, however clever, fully does it justice).

Murphy's Law applies just as much to gardening as it does to life's other pursuits (some would say even more so!). What are your favorite examples of Murphy's Law, applied to landscaping the yard or working in the garden?

Murphy's Foul Trick on My Seedlings

When I planned to plant my seedlings the next day, my chicken was untied and went to my germinating trays and scratched all my seedlings. All my seedlings were scattered around. I missed the planting season.

—Guest Crisologo

Murphys Peony Law

When the peonies are almost fully open, we will get a toad-choking downpour.

—chunkycrone

Where Are My Tools When I Need Them?

I think my shed is so organized...yet when I am looking for a specific tool, it isn't where I thought it was and end up messing up the shed to find it, or getting frustrated because I can't!

—Guest Sweetdahlia

Nature's Surprise or Murphy's Law?

My shady perennial bed had matured and was flourishing...when a wind gust blew down the large tree that shaded the bed! Now the sun has burned up the plants and I need to revamp the entire area.

—Guest Kathleen

Hot Dry Weather?

When the lawn is brown and the plants are drooping and gasping for water, you go and give them all a good soaking, THEN it will surely rain!

—Guest Sharon Espin

Rain or Shine?

Whenever I decide to hold off on watering because of the promise of rain, it ends up not raining. And, in keeping with the Murphys, whenever I decide I'd better water the gardens, sure enough, we get a nice, soaking rain!!!

—Guest honeybee

Henry's Law, Not Murphy's Law

The cost of a new plant or shrub is directly related to the speed with which our dog Henry will destroy it by digging it up, pulling it out of the ground, or urinating on it until it is poisoned to death.

—Guest SHoward

Floating Mulch

Whenever I would nicely mulch my yard, we would get flooded and it would end up in my basement! My neighbors and I have a running joke that I'm not allowed yet. It's been a few years now and I really miss my mulch. Weeds are winning this year, but...maybe I'll clean all the junk in my basement this year, because it surely won't flood with a clean basement, and try my luck with the mulch! Maybe I'll also check the farmers almanac? Any floods due?

—jjstarling

Tag Says....

If the tag says a plant will grow up to 2 feet in height, it is Murphy's law that I have a runaway plant and it grows to 3 or 4 feet.

—Simmybp

Murphy's Law Controls the Wind!

Inevitably, whenever I am handling light-weight materials while doing yard work, the wind will blow -- hard! For example, if I am trying to pick up pine cones, stuffing them into a plastic bag, the wind will blow like crazy, closing the bag shut on me. Likewise, if I plan on raking leaves on a particular day, it is guaranteed that the wind will pick that day to blow hard. Again, if I need to spray for aphids, the wind seems to side with the little buggers, blowing the spray back in my face. I could go on, but you get the idea: Murphy's Law is alive and well in my yard!

—Guest N. Peale