Archive for the ‘Flowers’ Category

postheadericon A Gardening Carnival – June 25, 2008

Welcome to the June 25, 2008 edition of a gardening carnival.

carnival-ride.JPGTiffany Washko presents Freedom Gardens – Grow Your Own Food posted at Natural Family Living Blog.

Dora Renee Wilkerson presents Y-2K Hippie: 06/19/08 posted at Knitting, horses, and my family., saying, “Just posted about some of the things I made with my parents when they came to visit me. We picked wild blackberries and made a berry berry jam, made cheese, and shampoo with soapwort.”

gardening

Matthew Sauer presents Garden Update: Bio-diversity? posted at Play the Dad? Be the Dad!, saying, “It is my first year with a vegetable garden of my own , working on keeping track of what I learn as I go through the process. Growing up on the inside and the outside.”

Sam presents The Secret Lives of Bees. Honey, Health and Harvests ! Surfer Sam posted at Surfer Sam and Friends, saying, “The Secret Lives of Bees. About one-third of the human food supply depends on bee pollination. We also use honey and bee pollen as natural food products to promote wellness. Bees are beneficial for everyone. Bees, we can’t do without them.”

Tip Diva presents Top Ten Tips – Cheap Gardening posted at Tip Diva, saying, “Gardening is a fun, relaxing hobby for many, and the end result yields plenty of food, flowers and foliage. But it does not have to be expensive. Here are ways to save while gardening”

Nancy Canyon presents The Beginnings of My Community Garden posted at The Community Gardener, saying, “I have a community garden in Fairhaven and I’m writing about gardening by myself, now that I’m a single woman again. And a grandmother. The blog is humerous, and also I’ve been gardening all my life, so it’s full of info too.”

Adam Berry presents How to Extend The Life of Garden Tools posted at The Compost Heap, saying, “some tips on how to extend the lifespan of your garden tools”

Sarah presents Ridding Your Lawn of Gophers, Moles and Other Rodents | Spring Lawn Care – Lawn Care Tips posted at Lawn Care Tips, saying, “If you’ve ever turned your ankle in a gopher hole, you know that these animal pests can be hazardous as well as make your lawn look unsightly.”

Amy L. presents Creating a Butterfly Garden posted at Housekeeping Tips, saying, “A great way to bring butterflies closer to your home is with the construction of a garden that includes plants known to attract butterflies.”

James presents Gardening For A Sustainable Planet posted at Ways To Simplify.

Jeff Tincher presents Get Out And Do Some Gardening, It’s Good For The Body and Soul | West Glenmoore, PA – Beautiful. Green. Home. posted at West Glenmoore, PA – Beautiful. Green. Home., saying, “The benefits of gardening and how it works to exercise your body.”

herbs

nimuae905@yahoo.com presents Tips for Growing Herbs Indoors posted at The Herb Gardener, saying, “Keeping herbs indoors is easier if you understand the two of the most important aspects of living in a pot – light and water.”

kids gardening

Mother Hen presents Squash Eatin’ Squid posted at Mother Hen.

landscape

Elizabeth Harrin presents SmartDraw 2008: planning the garden posted at A Girl’s Guide to Managing Projects, saying, “This is a review of a piece of software that will give you the opportunity to plan out your garden before you take the plunge: great for landscapers.”

lawn care

Raimondo Solari presents Inexpensive, Eco-Friendly Green Lawn Care posted at Garden Gab, saying, “With the availability of water becoming a scarce resource and lawns being one of the top culprits of sucking up valuable water, it’s time to try and keep an “eco-friendly” lawn that will still look good and yet not thirst so much.”

organic gardening

Melanie Rimmer presents Jungle Clearance – Before and After posted at Bean-Sprouts, saying, “How to clear a large weedy area without weedkiller and without backbreaking digging.”

patio furniture

Amy L. presents Which Mattress Is Best For You? posted at Housekeeping Tips, saying, “Every year, thousands of people purchase mattresses, only to find that their new mattresses are as uncomfortable as the old ones.”

vegetables

:: Suzanne :: presents garden update posted at :: adventures in daily living ::.

Tiffany Ludwig presents Not a Crock-Pot Recipe posted at Loving the Low-Carb Lifestyle, saying, “A great recipe for lasagna using what’s in your garden.”

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of a gardening carnival using our carnival submission form. The next edition will be posted on July 30, 2008

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postheadericon Problems in the Rose Garden

This week we have been discussing some of the problems that you may find in your rose garden. There are so many different variables that are possible, that you may wonder where to begin. We have discussed common insect problems and next week we will discuss common diseases. But what if your problem is as simple as just too many weeds in your rose garden?

Today, I am providing you with a video that discusses this very thing, along with a couple of other problems in the rose garden. There is some great advice and How-To information that I hope you will find useful in your rose garden.

What are some of the other problems you are having in your rose garden? Leave me a comment and I will happy to help.

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postheadericon More Common Insect Problems in Roses

roses-3.jpgYesterday we began discussing the many different insect problems which are common in roses. We discussed how to diagnose and treat insect problems such as aphids, thrips, leaf rollers and spider mites. Today we are going to address four more insect problems which are common in roses and how to treat those problems.

Symptom: Leaves have been eaten leaving a skeletal structure. Unopened flower buds chewed and opened flower buds damaged.

Cause: Beetles—The most notorious of these is the Japanese beetle. These beetles are a metallic brown color with a green head. The same symptoms can also be caused by caterpillars.

Treatment: An effective and practical approach is to spread plastic or a cloth on the ground and gently shake the plants to remove the beetles. If you place them away from your roses, then traps are also effective. You will want to spray your roses with an insecticide that lists beetles as a target pest. Your roses will need to be sprayed when the problem is first detected, either in the spring or the late summer. If the beetles are in the larvae stage, then Spinosad will work very well on them or on caterpillars. Remember, that Spinosad is an organic chemical that will control most of the insect problems in your roses.

Symptom: Drooping, unopened buds, accompanied by a small discolored stem slightly below the bud.

Cause: Rose Midge—this is a small fly that pupates in the ground below the rose bush. Midges fly up and lay their eggs in the soft upper stem of the rose plant. The hatched larvae then eat the stems and cause breakage.

Treatment: Spread a systemic insecticide granule on the ground to control the pests. Sprays are of a very limited value with the rose midge because of their development below the ground. Spinosad may work to kill the active insects on the plant, and I would be willing to try it.

Symptom: Holes in pruned cane ends. Circular pieces cut from leaf margins.

Cause: Leaf cutter bees—these insects use the circular leaf pieces for egg partitions inside of the burrowed rose cane.

Treatment: Control by applying white glue to the cane ends. The leaf cutter bee is a beneficial insect in the garden as it is an effective garden pollinator. I strongly recommend against eradication of this insect. Instead, I recommend using the above preventative measure to lessen any damage to your roses.

Symptom: Wilting and dying foliage at the top of the rose bush. Leaves may turn yellow and drop off the plant.

Cause: Rose cane borer—These pests are the larvae of sawflies, some wasps and bees. The rose cane borer enters the rose from the top of any pruned rose canes. These pests search for freshly pruned stems of the rose plant to lay their eggs on in the late spring or early summer. The eggs then hatch and the larvae bore their way by eating into the center of the rose plant down the length of the rose cane.

Treatment: The most effective method of treatment is to prune the rose bush below any area of damage. You may need to prune the cane a couple of times to find an area that is not damaged. Then you will want to place a little dab of white glue over the pruning cut. This will prevent the insects from successfully laying new eggs on the freshly pruned rose plant. Another idea to aid in prevention is to try some companion planting. These insects do not seem to like Allium, so planting some near your rose bushes may help to repel them.

Now that you know some of the most common insect problems with roses, which ones have you had experience with? Leave me a comment and share.

Photo provided by FreeFoto

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postheadericon Identifying and Treating Insect Problems in Roses

roses-2.jpgWhen your roses are given the proper attention and a healthy environment, they will stay healthy and will flourish for many years. However, even under the best of conditions, your roses may on occasion suffer some form of disease or be troubled by common pests. Inadequate drainage, poor soil, insufficient water, lack of nutrition or other environmental problems may encourage pests and disease to take hold of your roses.

Roses may be affected by either environmental conditions or living pathogens. If you find that the damage to your roses is uniform, then it is usually an environmental or cultural problem that you are dealing with. However, if there is visible damage that is not uniform, then you are usually dealing with a problem with living pathogens.

Today and tomorrow I will discuss how to identify and treat the most common insect problems in your roses. Next week I will discuss how to identify and treat the most common diseases which may affect your roses.

Symptoms: Masses of small insects on the buds and leaves.

Cause: Aphids—these are green, red or black bugs which are soft and about 1/8” long. They can be found in clusters and will be found mainly on the new growth. These pests appear in the spring and can remain all summer.

Treatment: You will want to begin by simply hosing the insects off of the rose plant with water. Should you need to treat the problem further, then most of the commercial insecticidal sprays are effective. You can also use a solution of household dish soap and water. This is done by using just a few drops of dish soap in a quart spray bottle and filling it up with water. Then just spray it on your roses. There are also many aerosol insecticides labeled for plant pests that will also work. Just be sure to read the label on the product to verify which insects the product will control. Spray the product upwind and ensure that you apply a coverage that is thorough. Or if you want to just make life easy on yourself, go to your local garden center and purchase a product called Spinosad. This is an organic chemical that will control most insect problems in your roses.

Symptom: Buds are distorted and bloom tips appear discolored.

Cause: Thrips—these are light brown insects which are very slender and are about 1/8” long. These insects can appear inside petals and they move very quickly. They are spread by the wind.

Treatment: You will want to apply a systemic insecticide that lists thrips as a target. You will want to apply this when new growth of 1” or more emerges in the spring. Contact treatments can be used on a rotational basis when the rose buds are pea-sized. Or, just make life easy on your self and go and get some Spinosad from your local garden center.

Symptom: Leaves stuck together, unopened buds with holes.

Cause: Omnivorous leaf roller—this is a moth larvae that makes a cocoon type of structure with leaves.

Treatment: Remove all of the cocoon structures from your rose plant. If you need to treat your rose plant further, then apply a systemic insecticide that targets leaf rollers when new growth of 1” or more emerges in the spring. Contact treatments can also be used on a rotational basis when the buds of the roses are pea-sized. Personally, I just use the Spinosad as it is easier.

Symptom: Leaves appear fuzzy and yellow on surface; underside has small red specks, webbing or spider-like insects may be seen.

Cause: Spider mite (red spider or 2-spotted mite)—these insects are microscopic in size, but are visible to the naked eye. Spider mites thrive in hot weather.

Treatment: Apply an insecticidal soap, horticultural oils, miticides, or high pressure hose water, or my favorite product, Spinosad. All of the treatments must be applied to the underside of the leaves of the rose plant, in order to come into contact with the spider mites. Keep the roses well watered during hot weather and avoid dust on the leaves of your plants.

Tomorrow I will discuss Beetles, Rose Midge, Leaf Cutter Bees and Rose Cane Borer. Which of the above treatments do you favor for the treatment of your roses? Leave me a comment and share.

Photo provided by Major-Maróthy Szabolcs

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postheadericon Gardening Tips I Found in My Grandma’s Cupboard

dscf1441.JPGI told you earlier this week that I would share some treasures that I found in my Grandmother’s cupboard. We are in the process of moving into my grandparent’s home and there is a lot of remodeling to do, both on the inside as well as the outside. It is amazing the things you find while undertaking such a project!

So, what did I find? I found some old gardening tips taped inside her old cupboards. Now, I don’t know whether to necessarily recommend these tips or not, but they are fun to read. I do know that Grandma always had beautiful plants.

Here are the tips I found:

Treatment of gladiolas in spring

Peel and soak bulbs with 2 TB Lysol to 1 Gallon Water. Soak 1 hour to overnight.

In the fall, dig and dry bulbs. Sprinkle generously with Seven Dust. Put in storage (cool). DO NOT FREEZE.

Amaryllis Bulbs

After the blooms have faded, the stalk should be cut off 2 inches above the bulb. But do not disturb the foliage. Keep the pot moist and leaves growing until the Amaryllis can be planted outside.

After all danger of frost in the spring, put the bulb—pot and all—into the ground, buried up to the top edge of the rim of the pot. Remove the dried leaves. Nutrients found in fish emulsion or bone meal are excellent when used at the manufacturer’s recommended amounts. No blooms will occur during late spring and summer, only leaves. This is the time when the flower bud is formed within the bulb.

Around September 1st or just preceding anticipated frosts in your area, lift the pot. Scrape excess planting mix from the top of the pot, and store in a dry, cool (40? to 55? F.) place. DO NOT WATER. Approximately 6 weeks before blooms are desired, remove old leaves and move pot to growing temperatures of 65? to 75? F., and begin to water. Then keep moist at all times. After the Amaryllis blooms, repeat the cycle as before.

Christmas Tree Saver

1 Gallon water

6 TB sugar

6 Aspirin, crushed

Green food coloring

Cut ½ inch from the bottom of tree. Shave bark and cambreum off the depth of water. Keep watered at all times.

If you use any of these, let me know how they worked. I would be interested in knowing how it worked out for you. If you have any other old tried and true gardening tips, leave me a comment below. I’d love to hear about them.

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postheadericon Gardening: Why I Should Be Kept Out of the Garden

Today’s post is a guest post written by Mike Walsh from our new network blog, Election-Coverage.

 

 

dscf1431.JPGGreen Thumb? Only If I accidentally dye the thing.

I like, and have grown, several varieties of hot peppers: Habaneras, Cayenne‘s and Jalapenos. They grew rather well as I remember. But that, I think, had more to do with the hardiness of these particular plants, which could apparently deal with what little quality attention I was throwing their way and less to do with any innate ability to grow and nurture anything.

I look at gardening with something of a bemused eye, because most of the time it is my wife who is doing the watering and the pruning and all the other little things that go along with being a gardener. Me, I sit there and grab the stuff that she needs me to grab.

“Honey, could you go grab me the potting soil from under the table?”

“Sure thing Hon!” is my usual response.

“Hon, could you grab the Philodendron and water it?”

The who-do-what drone, “Is that the Pretty One with the Purple Flowers?”

“No, it’s a green leafy plant.”

There’s me looking around at 60 green leafy plants, scratching my head, knowing the most intelligent thing I can do is screw this up badly enough where she won’t ask me to do it again.

Ok, that never actually happened, but I’ve had run-ins close enough where that could have realistically happened.

And yes we have that many plants. I’m just thankful I’m not in charge of them or we’d have 60 dead plants, and I’d have one unhappy wife.

What do I actually know about plants? Not much but I know a few things.

1) They Need Sun. How much depends on the plant. Some need direct sunlight, while others can live with indirect sunlight. I don’t know which one is which most of the time. It’s easier just to leave them near a window and hope as far as I see it.

2) They Need Water. How much depends on the plant. Some can live on very little, like Cacti. Others need considerably more, like Tomatoes. I know this because I’ve had to water Tomatoes more often then any other plant I’ve lived around.

I Love Cacti. I can leave it for weeks on end, and ya know what? No Hassle.

Maybe I should ask the Wife to grow some Nachos.

 

What are some of your gardening mishaps and stories? Leave us a comment and share!

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postheadericon Flower Garden Ideas

When it comes to a beautiful flower garden, the possibilities are endless. You are only limited by your imagination. However, sometimes if we are not familiar with the different flowers, we may overlook some great options. Sometimes it helps to have a visual idea in our minds of what some of the different flowers may look like during the mid-summer months.

Today, I have provided you with a short video that shows you some possibilities for your flower garden. This video depicts some great annuals and perennials in full bloom.

Now that you have seen some of the flower choices, what are you going to add to your garden? How will your garden look this summer? Leave me a comment with your flower garden ideas.

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postheadericon Companion Planting


Companion planting is the practice of planting two different plants in close proximity to each other on the theory that they may help each other in some way. Some plants complement each other, giving off byproducts that the other plant needs. Those byproducts may be chemicals and micronutrients that the other plant may benefit from.

Other beneficial plants provide some protection against insects and planting a few of them near a desired plant may help to keep certain insects away. For example, I always plant some marigolds in amongst my pepper plants. This helps repel aphids from my plants and it kind of looks pretty as well. The bright splashes of color are fun amongst the green.

Here is a list of vegetables that you may plant or have planted in your garden and what goes well together and what does not:

Vegetables

  • Asparagus—Good Companions: Tomatoes, Parsley, Basil–Bad Companions: None

  • Beans (Bush)—Good Companions: Cauliflower, Carrots, Beets, Cabbage, Cucumbers, and Potatoes–Bad Companions: Onions

  • Beans (Pole)—Good Companions: Corn and Radishes– Bad Companions: Kohlrabi, Beets, and Sunflowers

  • Beets—Good Companions: Bush Beans, Onions and Kohlrabi–Bad Companions: Pole Beans

  • Broccoli—Good Companions: Dill, Celery, Sage, Potatoes, Beets, and Onions– Bad Companions: Tomatoes, Pole Beans, Strawberries

  • Cabbage—Good Companions: Dill, Celery, Sage, Onions, and Potatoes– Bad Companions: Strawberries, Tomatoes, Pole Beans

  • Carrots—Good Companions: Lettuce, Tomatoes, and Peas– Bad Companions: Dill

  • Cauliflower—Good Companions: Celery– Bad Companions: Tomatoes, Strawberries
  • Celery—Good Companions: Tomatoes, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Leeks–Bad Companions: None

  • Corn—Good Companions: Potatoes, Peas, Bean, Cucumbers, Squash and Pumpkins– Bad Companions: Tomatoes

  • Dill—Good Companions: Cabbage—Bad Companions: Carrots

  • Eggplant—Good Companions: Beans—Bad Companions: None

  • Garlic—Good Companions: Roses—Bad Companions: Peas and Beans

  • Kale—Good Companions: Late Cabbage and Potatoes—Bad Companions: None

  • Kohlrabi—Good Companions: Onions, Beets and Cucumbers—Bad Companions: Strawberries, Tomatoes, and Pole Beans

  • Leeks—Good Companions: Celery, Onions, and Carrots—Bad Companions: None

  • Lettuce—Good Companions: Onions, Strawberries, Cucumbers, Carrots, and Radishes—Bad Companions: None

  • Melons—Good Companions: Corn and Sunflowers—Bad Companions: Potatoes

  • Onions—Good Companions: Beets, Carrots, Lettuce, Garlic, Summer Savory—Bad Companions: Peas, Beans

  • Peas—Good Companions: Radishes, Carrots, Corn, Cucumbers, Beans, Turnips—Bad Companions: Onions

  • Potatoes—Good Companions: Beans, Corn, Peas, Cabbage, Cucumbers—Bad Companions: Hyssop

  • Radishes—Good Companions: Peas, Lettuce, Nasturtium, Cucumbers—Bad Companions: Hyssop

  • Spinach—Good Companions: Strawberries—Bad Companions: None

  • Squash, Pumpkin—Good Companions: Nasturtium, Corn—Bad Companions: Potatoes

  • Tomatoes—Good Companions: Asparagus, Parsley, Chives, Onions, Carrots, Marigold, Nasturtium—Bad Companions: Dill, Cabbage, Fennel

  • Turnips—Good Companions: Peas, Beans—Bad Companions—None

If you have already planted your garden and you have inadvertently planted bad companions, you will at least have some answers why things may not be going as planned. And if all else fails, grab some marigolds for your peppers and tomatoes. You won’t be sorry!

What plants do you like to plant together and why? Leave me a comment and let me know what you like to plant together.

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postheadericon A Gardening Carnival – May 28, 2008

carnival-ride.JPG Welcome to the May 28, 2008 edition of A Gardening Carnival.

Flowers

R.Pettinger presents Tips For Growing Sweet Peas posted at The Compost Heap, saying, “Some practical tips to help grow sweet peas, one of the great garden flowers.”

Lavender Farms- Young Living presents Potting Lavender posted at For the Love of Lavender, saying, “Lavender has so many uses, not mention it smells fabulous! Try it this year in your garden”

Gardening

Michael Nolan presents Mother Nature?s Practical Jokes posted at My Earth Garden

MyMaria presents Frugal Gardening Tips posted at Financial Tips, saying, “Hi! Many families are turning to gardening as a way to ease the budget. here are some frugal gardening tips to help.”

Mark Schauss presents What do the Numbers on Your Fruits and Vegetables Mean? posted at Toxic World Blog – Detoxify and Heal Your Body.

Deborah Armstrong presents Gardening – Fantasy vs. Reality posted at Gardening – Fantasy vs. Reality Comments

Jamie McIntosh presents Hail in the Garden posted at Suite101: Organic Gardens blog, saying, “Hailstorms can bring devastation to the spring garden.”

Surfer Sam presents The Secret Lives of Bees. Honey, Health and Harvests ! Surfer Sam posted at Surfer Sam and Friends, saying,”The Secret Lives of Bees. About one-third of the human food supply depends on bee pollination. We also use honey and bee pollen as natural food products to promote wellness. Bees are beneficial for everyone. Bees, we can’t do without them.”

Matthew S presents Garden Update: Bio-diversity? posted at Play the Dad? Be the Dad!.

Kids Gardening

Sonja Stewart presents A Child’s Vegetable Garden: Cultivating Fun, Learning, and Responsibility posted at Parenting Squad, saying, “Creating a small, child-friendly vegetable garden is exciting, fun, and educational. A garden has the potential to produce not only tomatoes and carrots but pictures, scarecrows, math practice, and other wonderful moments of discovery. It is a place of limitless possibilities – learning never tasted so good!”

Jamie McIntosh presents Organic Gardens Blog @ Suite101.com posted at Suite101: Organic Gardens blog, saying, “Get children out of the house and into the garden.”

Mother Hen presents Squash Eatin’ Squid posted at Ship Full of Pirates.

Lawn Care

Sarah presents Managing Lawn Care During A Drought | Spring Lawn Care – Lawn Care Tips posted at Lawn Care Tips, saying, “What to do about your lawn during a drought!”

Amy L. presents Organic Pesticides For A Safe Lawn posted at Housekeeping Tips, saying, “The advantages of using organic pesticides for your lawn”

Sarah presents Choosing The Right Grass For Your Local Climate | Spring Lawn Care – Lawn Care Tips posted at Lawn Care Tips, saying, “Savvy lawn owners are interested in imported specialty grasses and exotic species from around the world or for their lawn.”

Amy L. presents Using Fall Leaves To Fertilize And Protect Your Lawn posted at Housekeeping Tips, saying, “Remarks: Every year, people spend millions of dollars to purchase commercial fertilizers and mulches for their lawns. Yet at the same time, they rake up the fallen leaves from neighboring trees and put them in the trash.”

Sarah presents Why Is Proper Lawn Clipping Height So Important? | Spring Lawn Care – Lawn Care Tips posted at Lawn Care Tips, saying, “The importance of the clipping height of your lawn”

Organic Gardening

Teri presents To Compost or Not To Compost… Is that really a Question? posted at Teri’s Organic Garden, saying, “I’ve posted an article about composting and linked to some wonderful blogs and articles concerning composting and the science behind it.”

Sarah presents Organic Weed Control Methods And Herbicides | Spring Lawn Care – Lawn Care Tips posted at Lawn Care Tips, saying, “Organic methods to keep those pesky weeds from ruining your lawn.”

Sara Ost presents The Dirt on Sexy Soil posted at Sara Ost.

Woman Divorce Support presents Using Organic Fertilizers For A Healthy Lawn | Spring Lawn Care – Lawn Care Tips posted at Lawn Care Tips, saying, “Many people want to have a beautiful lawn without all of the harmful effects of synthetic fertilizers.”

Vegetables

Melanie Rimmer presents Hug Your Allotment Chairperson posted at Bean-Sprouts, saying, “Hug your allotment chairperson. You know you want to.”

Woman Tribune presents Planning Your Own Vegetable Garden posted at Woman Tribune.

Lisa Spinelli presents Remember the Tomatoes? Heirloom Seeds | Greener Pastures: Personal Finance posted at Greener Pastures: Personal Finance.

Miscellaneous

Steven Chang presents Baby Greens and Baby Garden posted at Gagazine.

Madeleine Begun Kane presents Yard Yarns (Limerick and Haiku Prompt) posted at Mad Kane’s Humor Blog.

Davexplorer presents Cell Fuel Cars and The Eco Bedroom posted at Your Greeness

That concludes this edition. Thank you to all of our great participants! Submit your blog article to the next edition of a gardening carnival using our carnival submission form. The next edition will be posted on June 25, 2008.

Popularity: 5% [?]

postheadericon Attracting Butterflies and Hummingbirds to the Garden

butterfly.JPGMost people welcome butterflies and hummingbirds into their gardens. If you choose the right plants, you can even encourage them to stay for awhile. Butterflies will find a sunny area such as a meadow that is sheltered from the wind to be the most welcoming. They will especially love such amenities as leaf litter, rock crevices, damp places, brush piles and even weeds.

When you choose plants for your garden, keep in mind that not every plant will attracthummingbird.jpg butterflies in every region. You should also be very careful to not use pesticides unless you are able to target the specific pest without harming the butterflies.

Hummingbirds ingest half of their food every day. Flowering plants provide nectar; spiders and insects supply protein. Hummingbirds will visit a wide variety of plants. The following plants and flowers are some of their favorites.

Flowers

Botanical Name (Common Name)

  • Achilla(Yarrow)
  • Alcea–(Hollyhock)
  • Allium–(Chives)
  • Anaphalis–(Pearly Everlasting)
  • Antirrhinum–(Snapdragon)
  • Aquilegia–(Columbine)
  • Arabis–(Rock Cress)
  • Armeria–(Thrift)
  • Asclepias–(Butterfly Weed)
  • Aster–(Aster)
  • Astilbe–(False Spirea)
  • Borago–(Borage)
  • Calamintha(Calamint)
  • Catananche(Cupid’s Dart)
  • Centaurea–(Cornflower)
  • Centranthus ruber(Jupiter’s Beard)
  • Crysanthemum–(Shasta Daisy)
  • Coreopsis–(Coreopsis)
  • Cosmos–(Cosmos)
  • Delphinium–(Delphinium)
  • Dianthus–(Pink)
  • Digitalis–(Foxglove)
  • Echinacea–(Purple Coneflower)
  • Echinops–(Globe Thistle)
  • Erigeron–(Fleabane)
  • Eupatorium–(Joe-Pye Weed)
  • Fuchsia–(Fuchsia)
  • Gaillardia–(Blanket Flower)
  • Heliotropium–(Heliotrope)
  • Heuchera–(Coral Bells)
  • Iberis(Candytuft)
  • Iris–(Siberian Iris)
  • Knifophia–(Red Hot Poker)
  • Lantana–(Lantana)
  • Lavendula–(Lavender)
  • Liatris–(Gayfeather)
  • Lobelia–(Cardinal Flower)
  • Lobularia(Sweet Alyssum)
  • Lupinus–(Lupine)
  • Mimulas–(Monkey Flower)
  • Monarda–(Bee Balm)
  • Nasturtium–(Nasturtium)
  • Nepata–(Catmint)
  • Origanum–(Oregano)
  • Penstemon–(Beard Tongue)
  • Petunia–(Petunia)
  • Phlox–(Phlox)
  • Physostegia–(Obedient Plant)
  • Rudbeckia–(Gloriosa Daisy)
  • Salvia–(Sage)
  • Scabiosa–(Pincushion Flower)
  • Sedum–(Stonecrop)
  • Tagetes–(Marigold)
  • Veronica–(Speedwell)

Vines

Botanical Name (Common Name)

  • Campsis–(Trumpet Vine)
  • Clematis–(Clematis)
  • Lonicera–(Honeysuckle)

Trees

Botanical Name (Common Name)

  • Aesculus–(Horsechestnut)
  • Malus–(Apple)
  • Salix–(Willow)

Shrubs

Botanical Name (Common Name)

  • Buddleia–(Butterfly Bush)
  • Caryopteris–(Bluebeard)
  • Chaenomeles–(Flowering Quince)
  • Cornus–(Dogwood)
  • Lonicera–(Honeysuckle)
  • Mahonia–(Mahonia)
  • Philadelphus–(Mockorange)
  • Pontentilla–(Cinquefoil)
  • Ribes–(Currant, Gooseberry)
  • Sambucus–(Elderberry)
  • Spiraea–(Spirea)
  • Syringa–(Lilac)
  • Vaccinium–(Blueberry, Lingonberry)

Now you have an idea of some of the favorite plants for butterflies and hummingbirds. Which of these do you already have planted in your yard or garden? Which ones are you planning to add to your garden or yard?

Photos by Prisonbreak and Bert Glibbery

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