Wordless Wednesday

 

Garden Friday

 

 

Welcome to a lazy, summer dazey Garden Friday.

The critters don't seem affected much by the heat of the season.

As for this gardener, I get out early

and spend most of the afternoon inside. 

The swallowtails have been visiting in full force.

The corn is coming along.

This is a first-time crop for me,

so it's very exciting to see any little changes!

 

 

This week, a handful of Jacob's Cattle beans 

were harvested.

They will be saved for next year's planting,

and hopefully, we'll get a few more to actually eat.

Aren't they just spectacular?

 

 

 

A couple of trays of herbs and flowers were sown.

Everything I plant is protected from squirrels

(and our resident chipmunk)

using welded wire. 

We were graced with 1/2 inch of rain this week,

for which I am sincerely thankful.

 

 

We have a lovely array of zinnia colors this year.

 

 We also have a few creatures that are sleeping the day away.

 

Not everyone is a slacker though.

There are plenty of pollinators doing their work.

 

 

This is the old oak tree that was taken down a few years ago.

It seems that fungi enjoy hanging around here.

This is the spot where wood chips have gotten dumped,

and I'm wondering if that lends itself to the mushrooms growing.

The chooks are enduring the heat as best they can.

It seems that the Golden Comets handle it the best.

I'm not sure if that is a trait of the breed,

or simply because they are a bit younger than the others.

They have been a wonderful addition to our homestead.

 

Life is Better with Chickens!

 

 

 

 

Garden Buzzzzz!

 

 

 One of the intentions of our homestead

is to provide a safe haven for bees and other pollinators.

Along with supplying a water source and a place for raising young,

we aid these vital visitors by offering up an array of nectar sources.

Nectar furnishes pollinators with energy, 

so that they can continue with their valuable work.

 

Here are 8 easy-to-care for perennial plants that will support pollinators in your yard.

 

 

Black-eyed Susan- 

This common perennial can be planted in fall 

or early spring and is easily divided.

A show stopping display of blooms

will surely attract all sorts of pollinators to your yard.

The flowers grow on long stems,

which make them ideal for use as cutting flowers.

It prefers full sun and room to stretch out.

 

 

butterfly bush-

As the name implies,

this beauty is a favorite for many species of butterflies.

It can get quite large, unless pruned regularly,

and it will fill a space with plentiful blossoms.

It comes back brilliantly each spring after a good pruning.

 

Shasta daisies

daisies-

Daisies are a bit of cheer in the garden,

not only for the gardener, but for the pollinators as well.

They are a favorite of all types of butterflies

and the flat petals make a great landing spot while out foraging.

Daisies return each spring and last up until autumn.

They are one of the best flowers to grow

for cutting and bringing indoors.  

 

echinacea-

I don't know anyone who doesn't adore coneflowers.

They are a summer staple, popping back up

around the beginning of spring.

With numerous blooms on each plant,

there is ample opportunity for critters to feast.

These come in a wide variety of colors

and are very easy to grow.

 

Joe Pye weed-

This is one of the best pollinator attractors.

Bees and several types of butterflies enjoy

visiting its blooms.

It can grow to be up to 8 feet tall,

but the one we have in our flower bed

is a dwarf variety, which never exceeds 3 feet high.

The purple flowers show up in late summer,

but last for a few months to enjoy. 

 

 

milkweed-

The only host plant for the Monarch butterfly,

this essential plant is a must for every garden.

Each year, we save seeds from the plants we have growing.

We are always looking for full sun areas where

we can plant more so that we can help support 

these fascinating creatures.

 

 

salvia (also known as sage)-

This vibrant perennial is one of the most loved plants

by all types of pollinators.

The blooms are prolific, and are constantly covered in bees.

This drought tolerant plant requires very little attention

as long as it gets full sun and room to grow.

 

 

yarrow-

With a variety of colors to choose from,

there is sure to be a yarrow you can't live without.

The butterflies and bees swarm this beauty constantly.

Given a spot in full sun,

it will continue to bloom all through the summer.

So, there you have it.

These garden staples are easy to find at nurseries

or quick to grow from seed.

They all require full sun, but very little else.

They are drought tolerant once established

and provide so many critters with food, shelter and protection.

I hope you'll consider adding them to your homestead.
 

Garden Friday

 It's Garden Friday here in the Piedmont!

Here's what we have growing.

The orange sweet potatoes are starting to climb the arches.

With today's expected rain,

they may be able to get some size to 'em. 

The white sweet potatoes are outgrowing their raised bed

and are loaded with blooms.

I still haven't figured out why these are doing so much better

than their cousins.

 The arches are starting to fill in

with melons and beans.

I love the shade it creates and the dramatic effect

serves as a great focal point.

We have a few melons getting bigger every day.

I found one that had fallen off the wire trellis,

so I'll have to fashion some slings so that we don't lose any more.

No support needed for the loofahs.

They gladly dangle from the vines,

even though they are gigantic.

 This one turned out to be an unusual shape,

 I think it got tangled up in some of the vines.

 The first loofah we discovered on the trellis was picked

when it began turning yellow.

We're gonna let it dry out

and then peel the skin off.

This crop has been a blast to grow.

We're getting a steady stream of okra now,

with some planted in our raised rows

and a couple nesting in the straw bales.

This year I've been roasting it along with my other veg,

but I'm going to try to save some for pickling

so that I can enjoy it the rest of the year.

okra blossom

The first butternut squash was picked

and it is curing for a week or so.

I found out that one of the ways to determine if they are ready to harvest

is that the stem begins to turn brown.

Most of these are ripening at the same time,

so they will have to be harvested and stored

or given away to friends and neighbors.

 The first eggplant of the season was picked yesterday...

 and I can't wait to roast it along with some other goodies.

I'm not too sure about growing pumpkin.

It's not apparent what it needs,

but I suspect it's not getting enough water.

I'll keep at it, and hope for the best.

 I must be more diligent about getting rid of these eggs,

which make themselves at home on the squash leaves.

They are definitely not helping my production.

C found this curious critter on the front window yesterday

and it stayed there almost all day long.

Looks like a leaf, doesn't it?

Mother Nature has some fabulous disguises!

We're hoping we get a deluge today,

so that hand watering will not be necessary.

It's a small price to pay though,

for the bounty the garden gifts us with.

What are you harvesting this summer?

Wordless Wednesday

Garden Friday-Butterfly Bed Revisited

2018

This was our newly planted pollinator bed last June.

2019

 It's filled out a bit.
Amazing what the right conditions can do, eh?

With the exception of the sunflowers you see towering over everything in the bed,
all of these plants overwintered and came back.
The pollinators are very appreciative.
And so are we!

 The dwarf bee balm has spread quite a bit.

Bees and wasps are drawn to it like a magnet.
The vibrant color really makes it stand out amongst all the green.

 One flower I enjoy in any color or size is the zinnia.

They are prolific and make me smile in every stage of growth.

Coneflowers are loved by bees and butterflies alike.
Count me in there too,
it is one of my all-time favorites.

 The catnip has gone bonkers thanks to the ideal spot.
I'm not sure if any of the neighborhood cats partake of it,
but it is such an easy-care plant,
that it has earned a place in the butterfly bed.

 One of the best flowers for arrangements is the Rudbeckia.
The more blooms you snip to bring indoors,
the more full it becomes.
It just screams summer!

Lantana surprisingly overwintered just fine.
It surprised me, as there were no changes until the last two weeks.
It came back gangbusters thanks to our recent gifts of rain.
You'll see this plant constantly covered with pollinators.

The other flower beds are filling up with gorgeous blooms 
and providing a lot of nectar for critters.
The bonus is that we get to enjoy the beauty of every magnificent blossom.
I'm glad I took the time to work on the flower beds this spring.
We are all reaping the benefits.