Just Checking In

11 years ago

Hi everyone,

Sorry I haven't been as active lately here. Besides my garden, life's been keeping me busy. Just wanted to stop in and say hello and report that the butterflies are just going mad in my garden (which I have dubbed "Xanadu"). I haven't seen many Monarchs but one has taken a liking to my butterfly bush amongst the swallowtails, silver spotted skippers and great spangled frits. My purple ironweed is going crazy with blooms and has had some butterfly activity on it as well.

How are you all and your gardens doing?

Brad AKA Moonwolf

Comments (3)

docmom_gw
11 years ago
I'm so glad your garden is flourishing. Good to hear that the rest of your life is busy as well. Hope all is fun and positive. Happy Gardening!

Martha
moonwolf_gw
Original Author
11 years ago
Hi Martha!

Things are doing pretty well at this end. I'm volunteering at our local community theatre now, and everyone's been very nice to me. We just had a cast party Sunday, where my cake and lemonade were a big hit (no pun intended). Just made some refrigerator dill pickles about a week or so ago. Tried one the other day and they're just about ready lol.

I think this year, I'm gonna cut back on my Winter Sowing. I didn't get a lot of my seedlings planted and most died. Some are still thriving in their jugs, but I don't know if I'll be able to give them a home. The seedlings I gave to my sister and her family perished since they didn't water them properly. Last I was there, only the Sweet Annie I gave them (seedlings and a plant I bought) were thriving among a few annuals.

If I remember, I'll try and get a picture of my butterfly bush and surrounding flowers on here and over on the WS forum.

Happy Gardening to you, too, Martha!

Brad AKA Moonwolf
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susanlynne48
11 years ago
Brad, so good to hear from you and that your butterfly Xanadu is flourishing! Is Olivia Newton-John frolicking among the wings and flowers? Heehee!

I know what you mean about having too many winter sown seedlings to plant out. The first year, I did the same thing. I didn't do many this year, except for some Family Jewels milkweed in early spring. I started several tomato seeds under lights as well as peppers. Sowing seeds is a hit or miss operation for me. If I sow a few seeds, I get nothing. If I sow a lot of seeds, I get a meadow's worth of seedlings.

What butterfly bush do you have? I have 3 - Bicolor, Royal Red, and Ellen's Blue. The biggest nectar hit in the garden has been the Lavender Porterweed, Dallas Red Lantana, Cosmic Orange Cosmos, Golden Crownbeard, and Cut & Come Again Zinnias.

It's been difficult for most of the summer with temps here in the 100+ range, and one week we had 108+, coupled with the drought. I found myself watering daily.

The last two days, I am seeing Monarchs, so I wonder if some of them are moving South to Mexico already. Our temps have cooled down considerably, highs in 80s, lows in 60s. That's very cool for us in August. Perhaps we will get an early freeze this year, and that means some of my veggies may not get much production.

Anyway, Mama Monarch deposited eggs on my Asclepias speciosa and Asclepias physocarpa, so I need to get my containers ready. I have far too many predators in the garden this year. I've had 3 Gulf Frits laying eggs, and I cannot find either eggs or cats.

Are you getting eggs?

Susan