Fall Molt

It's transition time in the garden. We are nearing the end of a grueling Summer and entering the unknown of a season called Fall. Seems the most productive plants in the garden were the ones I didn't eat, although eaten by many of my insect and bird friends.

Amaranth

The few amaranth that returned from last year were very productive, although I could have eaten the leaves which was the original intent in growing them, I decided to let them go so that more would return next year. Also, I think they are attractive and provide food for the birds. 

Another returning visitor is Tithonia. It too looks good in the garden and provides seed for finches and is a great source of pollen and nectar for bumbles and butterflies. 

Tithonia 

And yet another returning friend is the Four O'Clock. I'm partial to the white and marbled ones. I have some lemon marbled and pink marbled varieties this year. I like that no two are alike. 

The Yellow/Orange Cosmos return every year without any care and I had one very prolific Verbena Bonariensis return as well. They look good together. The bees and butterflies really like these two.

One new annual I planted this year was a new mixed variety of Coreopsis "Incredible" from Thompson & Morgan and a perennial Centaurea.

Summer's End: Coreopsis & Centaurea

I got a great crop of chard, kale and leafing cabbage before the Harlequin Beetles discovered them, which was probably just as well as they started eating around the time these greens get tough and bitter. I pulled out the kale today, but I'm seeing regrowth on the chard and hoping for regrowth on the broccoli and cabbage. 

Harlequin at various ages

Tronchuda Cabbage with Harlequin damage

Believe it or not this chard is recovering from both burn and beetle damage.

I ate some yesterday. I think it's going to pull through these stresses. 

Thank goodness someone turned off the heat while we were on vacation. It's back in the 80's and low 90's. Looking like some rain for today too. With these changes comes preparation for the fall/winter garden.

I've decided I have more success starting seeds in 6-packs or flats and then planting them in the garden. I can't rely on the sky to water my newly planted seeds so this is just become the better way to begin. I'm starting seeds in transition. My first batch of lettuces and kale that were planted about 4 days ago have already begun germinating. I ordered more seeds from Pinetree this week. I cover the 6-packs with a perforated flat so the birds or other critters stay out. Here's what my system looks like:

Flats of fall seeds: kale, lettuces, spinach

And close up:

germinating lettuce mix

Looking forward to other garden chores: pulling out, seed collecting, soil amending, winterizing and planting. Yes, planting for winter. 

Happiness is a Stag Beetle

As a child I remember seeing Stag and Rhinoceros beetles much more frequently. I can't remember the last Rhino beetle I saw. This Stag caught my eye lumbering through my garden. She's a beauty. I hope she finds a mate and they make many more for us to enjoy.

This dear bumble was either asleep or drunk on pollen. 

Hollyhock

What's in Bloom Updates

Starting with the Natives:

American Germander in my front yard prairie

Beebalm- makes my yard smell spicy on a warm and humid day.

Grey- headed Coneflower

False Sunflower

Mountain Mint

And now for some non-natives

Speckled Balsam- reminds me of Great Aunt Mary

Black and Blue Salvia (overwinters in my basement)

Browalia- easy from seed

Dwarf Canna- at the back door (overwintered the roots)

Moody Blues Nigella- aka Love in a Mist

What's to Eat?

First broccoli- Purple Sprouting

First Plums 

First Summer Squashes

A volunteer Acorn Squash! 

Black Mission Figs

Note: if you don't get these first the ants will. Wow- melt in your mouth yumminess.

I have had some cherry tomatoes, but you won't see them pictured since I ate them in the garden.

Still Growing: Updates

It's working! No Flea Beetles. 100% Organic Eggplant. Finally.

And now for: Yay for Free Crap!

I went rock harvesting along a nearby roadcut.

And made some new edging for a bed. Just a little exercise sans the gym membership.

Very cool rocks with lots of fossils, iron and quarts. 

Other Projects: Propagation

Because I'm cheap (oh, you didn't know?) I bought an aluminum food dish at the dollar store to use as a propagator or mini-greenhouse. It maintains a high humidity needed for starting new plants from cuttings.

In my "propagator" I have ajuga (left) and Lamium (right). So far so good.

Sedum cutting update: 100% success rate so far:

Other notes:

Tomato plants have some fruits, but the plants seem delayed in growth. My guess is the lack of moisture. Likewise, my cucumbers are sitting there with 1-2 leaves on them and hating life. The apples seem more productive than ever. What drops the squirrels and chickens are munching on. Still harvesting lots of greens and sharing them with the chickens. They seem partial to the Tronchuda Leafing Cabbage. I have some garlic scapes I need to do something with. 

Garlic Scapes

That's about it from me for this week. Here's a closing full-garden photo.

There's Something Going On

What it is ain't exactly clear.

• January 5, 30
• February 2
• March 12, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22
• April 2
• May 3, 6, 7, 24, 27, 28?

What do these dates have in common in 2012? They all tied or broke records for high temperatures. That's nineteen days and we aren't even done with the fifth month of the year. 

I'm wondering about the changes I've seen in plant development and how bloom times and early plant death will impact the insects and other members of the food webs. The National Weather Service is predicting above normal temperatures for the rest of the summer and below normal precipitation. Wonderful. I've already watered my garden way more than I ever have at this time of year. That's ugly. 

How 'bout a quick pictorial view of what's in bloom since it is a holiday or something. BBQ day?

Flowers in Bloom

Datura- before

Datura- the morning after. She's already weeping.

I'd really like to do a series of 10-20 minute pics of this flower opening. It's starts emitting it's lemony smell before it opens. Delish. 

Illinois Prairie Rose in full burst (left)

Illinois Prairie Rose upclose
beloved by Honeybees and Bumbles

Lily #1

Lily #2

Lily #3

Lily #4

Variegation Obsession

Being a plant dork I was obsessing over the patterns in variegated leaves on my back porch last night. Nothing better to do. Kept me mostly out of trouble while the hub was away. These were some of my favorite individual leaves. In awe. 

Caladium variegation

Scented Geranium variegation

Elephant Ear- variety Mojito

Oh ya, Back to more Flowers in Bloom

More Sunflowers planted by the chickens. (came with the compost from the chicken coop)

Flower from one of my desert succulents. Coolness.

Gesneriad- front porch

Peruvian Spider Lily- ooohhh. First time for this one. Got some old bulbs at a box store. 

And one for the ridiculous file

Why yes this IS New England Aster (a late summer/fall bloomer) blooming in late May.

Scenes from the Wild Kingdom

Back porch collection

Brick path to back porch- blue thing is the rain barrel

Hosta bed

Cuttings and Seed Starting

Sedum cuttings for the hellstrip in town

(in a 50-50 sand/potting mix)

Clitoria (shhhs) and 3 types of Basil starting

(nothing will germinate in the soil- too dry)

Oxalis depressa bulbs sprouting

"Autumn Mix" pumpkins and squashes (right) 

Luffa gourds (left)

Other happenings and Experiments

Mortgage Lifter (will it be my first large mater of the season?)

My hundredth attempt at growing Eggplant organically. This time using tulle (only 90cents per yard with my coupon- cheaper than buying garden bug barrier)

Newest attempt at surviving the drought. Kitty litter buckets with 2 pinholes each on the bottom. It takes almost all day for these to drain slowly releasing water into the soil. Straw as mulch also for water preservation.

Same practice, but in my containers using a grape juice bottle:

I like insects

Found this very interesting critter on my bathroom curtain. It looks like it mimics the scale of a pinecone. It tucks its 2 front legs in so you can only see the 4 with crazy feathery projections. I'm thinking it is related to the assassin bugs. I also think that I may have seen it squirt something out its rear end. 

Camouflaged Dragonfly on the lime green feverfew.

Free Stuff 

I made 16 pints of Strawberry jam from all the free strawberries I could pick. The owners were out of town and asked people to pick as much as they could. 

Happy Memorial Day Ya'll.