Yardening June 2014

I saw a hummingbird in my backyard last week! For my HBs, the honeysuckle is usually preferred to anything else, followed by the B&B Salvia, but I make a solution of sugar water. I boil a cup of water in the microwave and then add 1/4 cup sugar. Stir and allow to cool and then pour it in the HB feeder. You don't need to add red food coloring. It will probably take a while for the birds to realize the feeder is there, but be diligent about filling it and keeping it clean. They will eventually come and then you will have to fill it almost every day!

LOL bums up! That's hilarious!

Well, it looks like calla lilies and purple oxalis have survived the winter in the ground. They weren't given any extra protection, either. I'd expected the purple oxalis to survive (some websites list it as zone 7), but I'm surprised at the calla lilies.

SSG, I think you have a little patch of zone 8 in your yard. ;-)

I can't believe I actually have a Caladium leafed out! =) Most of the rest of the bulbs are just barely above the "pip" stage, and one.. well, I think squirrels were playing with it. < =/ Found it in another pot, sitting on top of the soil. It's got roots, but that's about it. I re-covered it with a bit of soil, so we'll see what happens. Did I take any pics while I was out there today? Noooo, I'm not that smart! Raked up the leaves from last Fall (how embarrassing!!), power washed the deck and trash cans, put down some lime to repel snakes (I've heard that's supposed to work, anyone here have any experience with it?), and sprayed some weed killer between and around the pavers out back.. that's all I could take today, it was hot and I was POOPED. I'll get some pics of the Caladiums tomorrow, I promise!

I just use the same thing Typwc uses but I make a larger amount and then store the extra in mason jar in the fridge 1c sugar to 4c water. I add food coloring to make it easier for me to see the food level. I also boil my water in the microwave and then dissolve the sugar in the hot water works pretty easily.

I saw a ton of wasps in the garden today. They never bother me so I don't bother them, either. I hope they're feasting on the aphids and mites!

I noticed that bees absolutely *LOVE* penstemon. I had no idea.

And I saw my very first butterfly of the season! I didn't know petunias were such butterfly magnets.

thanks, Holly and Typ. I have to try that. The store-bought solution I have doesn't seem to do the trick.

Isn't it fun to watch the bees discover plants they like? Mine are really enjoying the penstemon also.

What kind of butterfly was it, SSG? I've seen some butterflies so far this season, but it still seems like light traffic--some cabbage loopers but not as many as last year which is fine ;-); many skippers--always welcome; a few spring azure; a couple painted ladies. That's really all so far! :-( I'm hoping to see more!

Gita, I feel for you, but your patience will pay off. I probably would be trying to remember where things were planted in the bed full of emptiness and end up digging up dormant plants as I planted new things.

This bed was completely empty earlier this year except for the shrubs shown in the photo, so I didn't have to wait for anything to come up except for the seeds I sowed, and I sort of remember where I planted most of those.

Thanks in large part to seedlings and plants from the swaps and group buys, this bed might look full by mid-summer.

This message was edited Jun 4, 2014 7:54 PM

Terri--
Thank you for your understanding of us "older" gardeners...Ya all gonna be there
sooner or later...Keep pt up! Never use your aches and pains as an excuse
to stop any activity you enjoy. DEAL WITH IT!!!!

I have more aches and pains than I can tell you about----then I just go:
"Laaa--Laaa-Laaa" I'M NOT listening......"If I don't mind--It does not matter"...
My Motto in life...it has helped me deal with all kinds of surgeries and recoveries on my own.
And--my garden--and my house--and everything else--as best I can...

It IS hard for me to garden b/c both my knees have been replaced and i am
NOT able to kneel. Complete squatting has also never yet been achieved.
I garden in the "Ass-in-the-air way". OH--what a sight that must be for passers by!!

I look at gardening and still working at HD as my ticket to an active life-"involvement"--
as I slide (3 years to go) towards 80.

THERE!!! I have confessed to what an old geezer i am. Now--if you will excuse me--
I want to go and fix myself a margarita.....My going-to-bred-drink...

Slurp....Slurp...Yummm..Yummm.... YES!!!!

Gita

Gita, you are the most amazingly young 3-years-to-80 that I have ever met! :-)

Gita, I completely forgot that you had surgery just last month! What a quick recovery you've had.

Catmint, I'm not very good at insect or bird ID, but it looked like a swallowtail.

YES! I AM!!! AND--You can be as well!.

DO NOT use your physical shortcomings as an excuse---that is a cop-out!

--Keep saying to yourself---"Use it or lose it"....Then--DO IT!!!
--Exercises all your muscles and bones! Walk! Garden! Avoid Osteoporosis.
-- Lay in the sun (20 minutes a day) to get the Vitamin D your body cannot produce!
--STOP eating junk food-and read the back of every canned/frozen food you gonna buy.
Surprise!!! SODIUM all over the place!!! --as well as sugar and fats..
--One can/bottle of Coke=13 tsp. of sugar....WHAT????? YES!

YOU are on DG for a reason. To grow plants. SO??? Grow your own veggies
and Herbs and root veggies... The flavor will blow you away!

Keep on trucking and ignore the roadblocks!

OK! I am off my "Soap Box" . LIVE.....LOVE......BREATHE.......

Keep your mind young and "with it"....
Get involved with anything with younger people!
Work as long as you can--as dealing with younger people will help you stay "young"

My surgery last month was not serious. It was for a CarpalTunnel Relese. .
Almost back to normal of this....

Gita



This message was edited Jun 4, 2014 8:47 PM

Thanks for the pep talk, Gita, dear.

ssg- I saw several wasps combing my asparagus in search of grubs on the foliage. You can watch them carefully and systematically examining the plants. thank you wasps!

That is EXACTLY what I was thinking yesterday as I was climbing up into the back of DH's truck to retrieve the trash cans. (that's where they were left when he'd taken the trash to the dump the other day). I'm not tall enough to even SEE into the bed of the truck, let alone reach the cans... nearly had to drag out my steppy-stool to climb up into the bed... however, after lowering the hatch and leveraging myself just-so on hand-and-elbow, I was able to "HOP!" a bit, up and into the bed onto my knees, -- it's a black truck and it was HOT!! =0 Oh well, I've still got some "Hop" in me, so away I went.. not gonna let my short hold me back! < =D

Just a couple months to go before I hit 50, and DOGGONE IT, I AM gonna be just like Gita when I grow up!!! < =D

(P.S. As I was half-dangling there, on elbows and 1 knee trying to find purchase to scrabble up into the bed - BUM-UP - I was thinking about you Gita!!) < =D

Gita, love your comments - is music to my ears lol - thanks for reminding me of how much sugar is in one soda!! I usually focus on calories of about 130 and 230 cal in a 20 ounce. Yikes! 17 teaspoons of sugar in a 20 oz. "Rethink Your Drink" as they say. And, Garden On!! You're an inspiration to all. miss you and everyone. Maybe we can make it to the swap next year or something sooner. ...by-the-way, your 4 o'clocks are sprouting!! love those

Wow G! I NEVER would have guessed you were 77. Never ever....I wouldn't have thought you were anything above 65 or so. That's just great. You're an inspiration to us younger folk. I hope I'm as 'young' and active when I'm your age. Keep it up G!

Gita, Is a real marvel, I can only hope to be 1/2 as good.

I think I might already be 1/2 as good.. only because I'm 1/2 as tall. ;) heeheeheeeheeee Gita is GRRRRRRRRRRREAT!! (must roll those Rrrrrrrr's!) =)

OK, I dunno where that thread went where I mentioned my Caladiums, but what the heck, I'll post the pics here - I just went out and took a couple... I have NO idea which one is which, so I'll just pop 'em in here.
Various stages of leafing-out and Pipping... and a shot of the little cutie I found while cleaning up a hanging basket today. He was soooooooooo cute!!

they look wonderful, Speedie. And I love the frog! :-)

Speedie---

Did you dig up your Caladium roots last fall--OR--did you overwinter them in the pots?

I have yet to see a peep out of a pip! 15 pots--sitting out there--full of nothingness....
They are alive--i am sure--just not ready to wake up yet. Like ME--when I have
to be at work at 8AM.

BIG question!!! I am having issues with White Fkies on a Hibiscus I just bought at HD.
Now they are on my Coleus in the bed next to it as well..

HELP!!! What is the best spray to kill them?

I have it a good dose of Systemic Granules when I re-potted it--Hope that will kick in
a week or so from now. I had them last Summer too--on my Maya brug.
I have heard it is the hardest insect to get rid of.

Thanks--Gita

Gita, there are several plants that attract beneficial insects that will help you by feasting on the whiteflies. That way you don't have to use sprays, which can make plants prone to getting spider mites because the sprays kill off most insects including beneficial ones, and then spider mites have an opportunity to take hold and multiply.

Two beneficial insects that eat whiteflies are green lacewings and ladybugs. Cilantro, tansy, fennel, dill, and yarrow attract both lacewings and ladybugs. Borage is a larval host plant for green lacewings.

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/quickref/pest%20management/beneficial_insects.html
http://ferncreekdesign.org/beneficialinsects.pdf

NOW---
Enough of the praises of how fantastic i am!!!

--A Marvel???? So I must be in the Comic Books.........

--A GRRRRRREAT person??--Where's Tony the Tiger????

--Jeff---MORE! MORE!!! Love the hearing all that.....music to my ears--
I think I hear Montovani? Maybe it is Mitch Miller???

--OH, Spedie----You want to be like me???????? A fool! That's what you are!
There CANNOT be anyone like me! Because--I am "special"....teee...heee...


How many of you...ahem...older folks remember the song by Mac Davis
called "It's hard to be humble"...It'd hilarious....

I remember the first verse----

Oh, Lord it's hard to be humble
When you're perfect in every way;
I can't stand to look in the mirror-
'cause I get better looking each day.

To know me is to love me
I must be a hell of a man--
Oh, Lord it's hard to be humble,
But I'm doing the best that i can...

...there's more..can't remember it..

Welllll--you'll just have to listen to it....Long live the good Ole Times...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCyYuLQ7_Ws

G.

Oh my gosh Gita, I remember that song!! Mac Davis was a wonderful "crooner", LOL!! (and a heck of a cutie, too!). I am not a fool, thankyouverymuch! < =P You arrrre an admirrrrable Lady, so get overrrrr it. < =P (yes, I am Tony the Tiger). =)

Can I choose option #3? I did not over-winter in pots or dig up my Caladiums from last year, I bought them from the group bulb buy early this Spring. < =) Now that they are up, and it's staying warm regularly, I am hoping that the growth will speed up.

Now I'm glad I got the Dill that I got a few days ago.. will put it very near the Coleus that I **ahem** HAD to bring home from work yesterday. < =)

Big thumbs up to the garden bed mowing strip recommended by Muddy. DH really likes how it guides the mower and prevents the wood chips from flying around. It's pricey but I like it better than metal. Very easy to install, too.

I know how tempting those coleus are, Speedie! They keep jumping into my cart, too! :-)

Oh, another thumbs up for mixing in used Al's gritty 'soil' in the raised garden bed. Turface and chicken grit are fantastic for drainage and structure. I now have really fluffy soil in the vegetable and herb beds. So looking forward to the harvest!

Just love it when Josh wants to borrow the trailer. He called last night and I said well you can borrow it but it's full of mulch. No problem, he's going to unload it for me. LOL Coming Sunday morning so I am trying to get as much weeding done in the beds where the mulch is going.

Nice, Holly! :-)

Woohoo!!!!!

I don't remember on which thread you guys were talking about nurseries/distributors using insecticides on their plants, and then before they even make it to your yard they're killing bees. Behnke's is saying that they're going to "reduce the use of" neonicotinoids. Just thought you guys would like to know that.

There will be no yardening for me this weekend as I have to go to the beach :)

Seriously though it would be nice to throw in a couple of plants when I get back but that time will be wasted mowing the lawn.

that's good to know, Typ! I'm hoping we will see a tidal wave of change in the way nurseries handle this kind of thing.

Well, SSG was kind enough to come over and help me put milky spore down on my front lawn! Thanks so much, SSG--what a huge help!! I'm just imagining all those grubs curling up and dying-bwah hah hah. Now for tylenol and a cold compress before I go out and do some much-needed dead heading...

Hmm,milky spore for grub control. I wonder if it might also kill iris borers. About 10% of my bearded irises are lost to borers each year :o(.

Donner, why don't you use a systemic on your irises after the bloom? That way the bees won't be affected and it will have worn off by the next year.

I used some in March, but that was probably too late :o(. Now the iris leaves, even fans,. are rotting off. Terrible!

An article says I should watch for signs of brown stripes on the leaves They are created by borers tunneling down before getting to the roots. But I have never really noticed any brown stripes. I normally see the "water soaked" looks. Too late.

The problem seems to be more severe this year than previous years. I probably will have to dig them all up in September, clean them, and replant them. What a daunting task!

It's good to have gardener friends nearby! It was fun to see all the changes in Catmint's garden.

Aren't iris grubs different from japanese beetle grubs?

Yes, ssg they would be different bugs, question being, how specific is milky spore, and how closely related, or not, are the two bugs to each other?

Yes, ssg they would be different bugs, question being, how specific is milky spore, and how closely related, or not, are the two bugs to each other?

Oh, iris borer is a MOTH so I don't think milky spore will affect them
http://www.flickr.com/photos/martytdx/2432640198/

So systemic pesticide for them. The application time probably varies slightly depending on how soon the spring warms up. I must watch closely next year.

Speaking of Japanese beetles, I saw more last year than I did the entire previous 10 years combined. Not sure why. Hope it is not so bad this year.

SSG, saw your post about the parsley recovering. I am glad. Mine are in a 15" pot, but were also eaten. I think the culprit was either the rabbit or the groundhog. They both are living in my garden and are, at the moment, a lot happier with my garden than I am.

This message was edited Jun 6, 2014 8:54 PM