Before.....

                                                After......

 

I picked the squashes just in time.  This is all that is left of the squash on the compost pile.

I put a few seed potatoes there for the fall.  We'll see if the deer like them.  I'm willing to sacrifice a few for an experiment, but not my whole crop.

 

Anything we really want to save goes inside the fence.  

 

The sunflowers are still there on the compost pile, way too big for the deer to get.  The birds are loving them.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!

 

Seeing Jewelweed and Poison Ivy together reminded me of the practice of companion planting in the garden.  Often it occurs naturally, but we can use the techniques in our own gardens.

 

Companion planting is the practice of deliberately planting, or allowing to grow, plants that compliment each other. They may provide shade or physical support, enhance growth or flavor, improve soil quality, deter bad or attract good insects and animals to the garden, etc.

 

There are many good resources for companion planting, like the Farmers Almanac and home gardening books.

 

Here are a few companions I count on in my garden:

 

Marigolds are pretty to look at,  and they deter many plant pests like nematodes, whiteflies, and bean beetles.  The deer don't like them either.

Borage planted near tomatoes deters tomato hornworms (which can devour your crop overnight.)   Borage also attracts bees to the garden to pollinate tomatoes, peppers, squashes, well...everything.

Basil improves the flavor of tomatoes (as every Caprese salad lover knows) but it also repels flies and mosquitoes.

 

Rosemary and Thyme improve the flavor of lots of things, and they deter the moths and worms that eat cabbages and other Brassicas.

Daffodils and castor bean are toxic to gophers and moles, so they stay away.  Deer won't eat them either.

 

Another good example is the "three sisters."  Native peoples have planted corn, beans, squash together for centuries.  The corn provides support for the beans to grow up, and the squash shades the roots of the other plants.

 

So you see, flowers are more than just pretty faces in our gardens, they provide many services too.

 

IMHO, (OK, not so humble) companion planting is far superior to pesticides, even though it is probably more work.  But when we kill insects, we kill the good ones along with the bad ones.  I don't want cabbage moths, but I do want Monarchs in my garden.  I don't love yellow jackets, but we NEED honey bees.  So we just put up with some things for the good of the whole.  That is a life lesson in itself!

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!

 

 

 

This is Impatiens capensis,  aka Jewelweed or Spotted touch-me-not.  Perfect specimens down by the Chestnut trees, dense stand, right by the creek, about 3 feet tall.  Poison Ivy close by too.

 

Fabulous story to go with it:

 

The sap of the leaves and stems is said to relieve itching from Poison Ivy, and they often grow side by side!   

If you accidentally brush through Poison Ivy, you can crush a handful of Jewelweed and apply it to the affected area, for temporary relief.  Of course, it's best to wash with soap and water as soon as you can.  

 

When I see Spotted Touch-me-not, I look around for Poison Ivy.  The orange flowers are a lot easier to spot than Poison Ivy.  And I NEED to KNOW where IT is:  we are NOT friends!!!

 

Other interesting facts:  hummingbirds, as well as butterflies and bees are attracted to the orange flowers.  And because of its fungicidal qualities, Jewelweed has been used to treat athlete's foot.

 

Oh, wanna see a good example of Poison Ivy?  I took this picture right beside the Jewelweed.

 

 

Careful out stomping around in the woods.  It's everywhere.

 

 

 

The goldfinches love these coneflowers.  Other small birds visit them too, for the seeds.

 

They will eat the seeds all through the fall, until there are none left.  It gets a little ugly, but hey!! we're feeding the birds naturally.  And we get to see them up close.

 

I've got plenty of seeds to share.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!

 

I don't know about you, but I LOVE rainy days in the garden.

 

First of all, I think I can hear my plants drinking up the moisture, especially after a long dry spell.  They just sound happy.  Secondly, it's definitely cooler, and you can plant little plants without them wilting immediately.  Third, you don't have to follow the shade around, all areas are accessible without sweating to death.  And fourth, nobody bothers you, they're all inside.  

 

And best of all:  the weeds are easier to pull out!!

 

So, get out there today, and try gardening in the rain.  That's where I'll be...

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!

 

 

 

These sunflowers also grew from seeds on the compost pile.  The deer didn't find them in time to eat the heads off.

 

George and Rose weren't so lucky.  Deer got a few of theirs.  Fortunately, they left most of them to bloom.

Be sure to notice them next time you're on Beacon hill near Stonebriar.  They are beautiful.

 

Sunflowers take about 80 days to mature, and some varieties can grow as tall as 12 feet.  There are many varieties. Choose one that makes you smile,  and try them, they are fun to grow.

 

It's a little late to start sunflowers, but if you hurry, you should be able to see blooms by Halloween.  But, that's pushing it.  You will get more enjoyment out of seeds you plant in May and June.  I'll remind you when planting season is upon us.  

 

In the meantime, notice them in your travels.  They're always good for a smile!

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!

 

These are butternut (left) and spaghetti (right) squashes.  They grew from seeds on my compost pile.

 

I really have to be careful what I plant, because everything grows!!  I just stuck seeds in the ground!!

 

The deer don't bother the squashes, only the leaves.  So if they leave enough leaves for the plant to survive, we will have a few squashes.  They are worth the trouble.  I'll post how to use them in the recipe section.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!

 

  

 

This is another plant that deer dislike:  Echinacea purpurea.  aka Purple coneflower.  It is quite prolific in its ability to reseed.  Since it is perennial, it takes a few years from seed, but once it is established, it just goes and goes.  

 

Every year when I cut it back, I save the seed heads.  Got lots if you want some.  In fact, many purple coneflowers that you see around Five Forks came from my garden.  Not the red, orange, or yellow ones, they are nursery grown, and I suspect they are annuals.  But Jim Brunst and I are going to experiment with them this fall to check out their ease of propagation.  We'll see what happens.  He's got some great big Denver Daisies too, that we will play with.

 

Meanwhile, know that nobody in my life should ever have to pay $$$ for Echinacea purpurea.  Just come get the seeds.  That also goes for DILL, OREGANO, MARIGOLDS, and probably some others.

 

We will talk about seeds some other time.  Fascinating subject, and really FUN process.  Can't wait to share.  

 

HAPPY GARDENING!

Mark brought up a good point while I was dreaming about geraniums...how fast do the deer eat them?  

I guessed:  as fast as you can plant them.  Not true!!

 

I've learned a few things...

 

They generally don't eat strongly scented plants, like geraniums.  Also consider growing:

    Rosemary, oregano, marigolds, lavender, verbena, lemon balm, lemongrass.

Other plants on the deer dislike menu are:

    Columbine, coneflower, peonies, foxglove, holly, rhododendron.

I'm sure there are others, but this list may help.

 

Of course, you can fence your plants, or apply stinky spray, but you can also plant away from tree lines and hedgerows and other places you see the deer hanging out.  I have a friend who just plants extra because she knows they are going to be eaten.  And truthfully, when deers' natural food sources aren't available, they'll eat anything, (read:  everything).

 

They WERE here first, and we do love seeing them up close,

so we just need to be smarter than they are:  plant what they don't like.  ????

I've never written a blog before, but it IS 2017, and it's time to move forward into the world of technology.

 

Not much to do in the garden in August, so I'll ramble a bit.  That's what you do in a blog, right?

 

My earliest experience in horticulture was a part time job in Mr. McGee's greenhouses.  I learned a lot about planting, watering, and weeding.  But mostly I dead headed geraniums.  I love them!  To this day, 47 years later, the smell of geraniums takes me back to that little place on Tidewater Drive in Norfolk, Virginia.

 

Mr. McGee was a bit crusty, dirt everywhere of course, but he taught me many valuable things.

 

He said, In the world of Horticulture, if you're not moving forward, you're moving backward, because there's no such thing as standing still.

 

I guess that applies to many areas of life.  So here I go:  moving forward!!