A wise gardener once said that a person can easily identify a particular butterfly if they know what kind of plant that butterfly frequents. Creating a butterfly garden that attracts a variety of butterflies is all about planting the caterpillar host plants as well as a mix of nectar plants for the adult butterflies. Butterflies can’t exist without their caterpillar host plants. In order to encourage adult butterflies to linger in their yards, gardeners should plant a variety of flowers as well as provide water and sand for puddles. One fun way to start a butterfly garden is for gardeners to choose which butterflies they hope to attract. Before selecting the butterflies, research the particular species to make sure they are native to a particular state or region in the world.

Attracting Swallowtails

One of most interesting butterflies is the Spicebush Swallowtail with a wingspan of 3.5 to 5 inches. The butterflies live in the Midwest as well as the eastern part of the U. S. Some of the best trees to plant to draw the Spicebush include the Red Bay and Sassafras. Other caterpillar host plants include the Spicebush plan, a shrub with glossy leaves. Spicebush Swallowtails like puddles. Other members of the Swallowtail family include the Black, Giant, Tiger and Zebra Swallowtails. Consider planting dill, fennel, parsnip, rue, carrot and parsley to draw the Black Swallowtail.

Drawing Brush Footed butterflies

One of the most popular members of the Brush Footed Butterflies family is the Monarch Butterfly. Butterfly gardeners typically plant milkweed, which is a host plant for the Monarch caterpillar. Within a few years, the seeds from the milkweeds will have dispersed to different parts of the garden and beyond. To draw the Red Admiral butterfly, plant nettles and false nettle. The Painted Lady butterfly, also in the Brush Footed family, depends on thistles, while the Buckeye gravitates to snapdragons and plantains.

Planting good nectar sources

Butterflies can often be found sipping nectar from flowering shrubs as well as annuals. A gardener will want to plant different flowers so there is always something in bloom every part of the year including spring, early to late summer, fall and winter. In the spring, the best plant for butterflies is the azalea or lilac bushes. In the summer, plant Buddleia. Some of the best annuals for butterflies include marigold, verbena, zinnias, alyssum, candytuft, cosmos and impatiens.

Mixing cultivated and wild plants

Many gardeners are used to purchasing their flowers from a plant nursery that offers the most popular cultivated plants. However, it is important to visit a native plant nursery that also carries a wide selection of wild perennials. Many butterflies prefer living in the wild because the plants that grow in the wild often contain more nectar. Look for wild perennials including the Black-Eyed Susan, Blazing Star, Goldenrod, Yarrow and Dogbane. Many of the wildflowers are often seen growing by the side of the road, but should not be disturbed.

Ultimately, creating a butterfly garden is about creating a natural habitat for butterflies. Butterflies need shelter, which can come in the form of trees or shrubs. A butterfly gardener needs to be attentive enough to provide mud puddles on a daily basis for butterflies as well as rocks or stones. Do not use pesticides anywhere near a butterfly garden as pesticides are toxic to butterflies.

Name:

Email:

 

DIY Garden Props

When the do-it-yourself craze sweeps into the garden, great things happen and if you thought that propagating seeds was addictive, wait until your own creations begin to complement all the growing things of your garden. Whatever your garden style—from rustic to cottage chic to formal—there is a myriad of garden projects that anyone can try. The following DIY prop ideas will enhance your garden and show off your crafting talent!

Sun-Catching Birdbath

Ever notice the great selection of old glass at thrift stores or yard sales? From old punch bowls to fancy cut vases, there are lots of places to find old colored glass inexpensively. Thick glass is ideal—avoid using thin glass which is far more prone to breakage or shattering. Birdbaths made from old pieces of glass add a bit of brilliance to any garden nook. Crafters will need some all-purpose adhesive that works on glass. Using various plates and vases, form the pedestal so that it’s wide and sturdy enough to form an adequate base for the bowl. A punch bowl or sided shallow vessel makes a great basin. The end result is an elegant glass birdbath that will complement any garden as a gorgeous focal piece.

Fun with Cement

Home improvement centers sell all purpose cement and with a mold of your choice, the two combine to form great garden props. Consider making leaf-shaped stepping stones to mark a garden path. Not all people are comfortable working with cement and molds; you can also form leaf shapes by wrapping silicone strips along the sides of your hardening cement to form leafy shapes. You can leave the end result the color of your cement or you can use outdoor paint to decorated them in shades of green or hues of fall.

Don’t get Stumped by a Stump

Gardeners are often hesitant about using chemical-based products to dissolve a stump and uprooting or burning it out can be a major project. You can, however, transform an unsightly stump into a unique garden feature. Depending on the size of your stump, you may use anything from an old wooden salad bowl to a birdbath bowl. Simply turn the bowl upside down and paint red. When the red paint dries, make large white dots and you have yourself a toadstool cap. Cement to the top of your stump so that you have a toadstool seat for the garden. Alternatively, you can decorate your stump to become a fairy garden feature with a mossy roof, fairy door, and other even windows.

Garden Signage

Need some vertical interest in an area of your garden? Consider planting a tall wooden post and nailing small directional signs to it. Direct your garden visitors to the tulips, rose bushes, or vegetable plants. You can also incorporate a touch of whimsy to the sign and add fantasy place names like the Hobbit Shire, Narnia, Hogwarts, or Secret Garden. You can also use large boulders and rocks to paint some signs with garden sayings or simple greetings.

Rocky Towers

Anyone can make simple rustic rock towers to add some vertical appeal to low-growing garden sections. Using smooth river rocks, you can glue the rocks into interesting garden markers. This can be done with small rocks no bigger than your palm or much larger stones. Use the markers to create a small border or to denote new sections of plantings. Adding various colors adds even more interest to your natural towers that even kids can help create.

Garden crafts add lots of interest to the garden and allow you to create items that are especially suiting to your space. Home improvement and garden centers boast rows of garden props, but these are mass produced and often far more expensive than the supplies it will cost to make your own. There are lots of tutorials online for making garden props; check some out and discover how easy and fun it is to decorate your landscape and garden!

Name:

Email:

 

For many people, time that is spent in the garden is just a logical extension of their love for the natural world. Cultivating a garden can be our way of contributing to nature and at the same time inviting her into our yards. Gardening is, by definition, an eco-friendly activity. Unfortunately, many of the tactics that people resort to in an effort to save their gardens from predators have a detrimental impact on the overall ecosystem. Chemical pesticides are harmful to humans, their pets and other wildlife. They may even pose hazards to the wider community if they make their way into water systems.

Garden pests, though small, can destroy entire gardens if their marauding goes unchecked. There are ways of winning the battle against pests without resorting to destructive chemicals, however. In many instances these alternatives can prove to be even cheaper than conventional methods.

You can begin by diversifying your plantings so that your garden won’t be devastated by one specific pest. Each kind has its own preferred foods, so a garden with a lot of variety will always have healthy portions even if others become infested. You can also create barriers between your plants and the various insects and worms that may like to feed on them. Drape some lightweight netting over your seedlings, working quickly so as not to trap any insects inside your barrier.

Such tactics can serve to ward off the majority of pests. Some will inevitably get through the tightest possible arrangement of nets, however. Fortunately there are insecticidal soaps that can be made from natural ingredients, and they’ll kill pests and prevent future infestations while keeping humans, pets and food safe. Some can even be made organically. Homemade insecticidal soaps are green, earth-friendly and cheaper than their chemical counterparts.

You can make a simple variety by mixing equal parts (about two tablespoons each) organic soap such as Dr. Bronner’s and olive oil. Add a chopped clove of garlic or some organic cayenne pepper to imbue it with even stronger antiseptic properties. Then pour your mixture into a spray bottle and you’ll be ready to treat your plants with a kind of protectorate that won’t damage them nor the people who will end up eating the fruits and vegetables that they bear.

Not all insects are the enemies of a garden. Some are actually beneficial because they prey on pests. Lady bugs, for example, can eat up to 50 aphids a day. Aphids are common pests that typically feast upon fruit and vegetable bearing plants. Lady bugs can be purchased in bulk and introduced into a garden as a natural line of defense. Lace wings and assassin bugs also make good predators for pests. You can attract such helpful insects to your garden by planting fennel, coriander and Queen Anne’s lace.

Name:

Email:

 

It takes a little more than simply digging and filling a hole to plant a tree that truly thrives. Taking a few easy steps to plant the right way can ensure your new tree survives and becomes a beautiful addition to your yard for a lifetime.

Tools and Materials

• Tree
• Shovel
• Scissors, knife, or wire cutters
• Garden cultivator
• Compost (optional)
• Water
• Mulch

Before You Plant

There are a few things to consider before you plant.

• Planting Season – The best seasons for planting a tree are fall and spring. To avoid stressing your new tree, plant on mild, overcast days, instead of on hot, sunny, or cold days.

• Choosing Your Tree – Always choose the right tree for your climate, region, and the available space in your yard.

• Placing Your Tree – The label on your new tree provides a wealth of information for choosing the ideal location to plant it. Poor placement is one of the main reasons trees fail to thrive. Check the label for the light requirements and the height and spread of your new tree when fully grown. Plant your tree where it will get the recommended sunlight so it doesn’t grow with a lean trying to reach the light it needs. You should also use the height and spread measurements on the label to make sure you plant far enough away from your home, power lines, and other trees and structures in your yard. Always plant your tree with the future in mind. Measuring now will ensure your tree doesn’t grow into a placement problem later.

• Digging Permissions – Since you’ll need to dig a deep hole to plant your new tree, it’s a smart idea to check with your local utility companies first. Some areas even require you obtain digging permissions from utilities before planting a tree. Your utility companies may visit your home to mark the placement of telephone lines, gas lines, and other lines and cables to clear the area for digging your hole. In addition, your local area may have tree planting ordinances like setbacks that you’ll need to consider when choosing your planting location.

Planting Your Tree

Now that you’re cleared to dig, and you’ve chosen the right tree, planting location, and season for planting, it’s time to plant your tree.

Dig the Hole –

Dig a hole for your tree that is only as deep as your tree’s container is high—and that is also 2 to 3 times as wide as the container. You only want your tree’s root ball to sit below the ground level, so make sure you don’t dig your hole too deep or you’ll risk burying the trunk too. You want to dig your hole wider than it is deep so your tree’s roots spread outwards. The soil level of your planted tree should be at the same level as in your tree’s container. Place your tree’s container in the hole to double check the depth. Once you have the right depth, dig the outside ring of the hole ½” deeper than the center. This will encourage outward growth and can keep water from collecting around the base of the trunk.

Prepare the Soil –

Loosen the sides of your hole with a garden cultivator to make it easy for the roots to grow and spread. If you have poor soil quality, such as clay or soil with a sandy consistency, consider adding some compost to the hole before planting your tree. If you add compost, recheck the depth of your hole to ensure it’s not too deep or too shallow.

Prepare Your Tree –

Gently remove your tree from its container. If your tree is in a pot, turn it upside down and tap the bottom until the tree slides out. If your tree is wrapped in burlap or netting, cut it away with scissors or a knife. Use wire cutters to remove any wire basket wrapping from your tree. Taking care not to shake off too much of the soil, carefully loosen the roots to make it easier for your tree to grow outwards.

Plant Your Tree –

Put your tree in the hole, positioning the root ball in the center and spreading the roots outwards. Place your shovel’s handle across the hole to double check that your tree sits at the same soil level as it did in its container.

Fill the Hole –

Break up the soil that will fill the hole with your shovel. Then fill the hole with the loose soil, compacting it as you go. Mound soil around the outer ring into a raised moat that will hold water, but make sure it won’t cause too much water to pool around the trunk. You should also make sure the tree isn’t leaning.

Stake Your Tree –

It isn’t always necessary to stake a tree, but some trees benefit from staking in the first year, especially in areas with high winds. Place three stakes evenly spaced around the perimeter of your tree that aren’t too close to the tree or its roots. Don’t tie your stakes off to the trunk or branches of your tree too tightly. You don’t want the ties to dig into the bark or negatively affect the growth of your tree. Check the stakes regularly to adjust for growth, and remove any stakes after the first year.

Water Your Tree –

Using a hose or buckets, soak the ground around your tree with water. Always water with a slow trickle instead of flooding your tree. Allow the water to soak in, and then add soil to compensate for any settling due to air pockets. Water again.

Mulch Around Your Tree –

Finish planting by placing a 1” to 3” layer of mulch around your tree as wide as the width of the spread of its branches. Don’t pack the mulch tightly around the trunk to avoid rot. Use enough mulch to keep weeds at bay and water from evaporating, but not so much that it suffocates your tree.

Caring for Your Tree

Follow the care directions on your tree’s label, or ask your local Lowe’s expert for tips on caring for your newly planted tree. You can sit back and enjoy the beauty of your healthy new tree thanks to taking these straightforward planting steps.

Name:

Email:

 

Putting the WOW Back into Your Garden

Are you tired of your garden and its half-dead flowers and uneven lawn? Make it your goal for this month to start working on your yard and make it look like a rich persons garden. Below are some ideas on what you can do with your garden to make it look beautiful and classy without having to spend a fortune.

A Zen Garden

To create a peaceful Zen garden you just need sand, some Chinese or Japanese plants, rocks, bamboo, water and maybe a statue of Buddha. Turn your garden into a serene area that will look modern and warm at the same time. So, fill parts of your garden with sand and make those circular patterns. Include the stones and plants to give it a natural look. The water element can be applied by using a water fountain, a fake river or a tiny lake.

Water Fountain

Adding an outdoor water fountain to your garden can really change the entire look and make your garden look richer and much more exclusive. Water fountains are not really that expensive, though they make your garden look extremely expensive and modern.

Grass Free Area

Place tiles in your garden and get rid of some (or all) of that grass. Tiles can make your garden look really modern and make it easier to take care of. When you have covered your garden with tiles you will be able to use much more of the garden, as there will be more places for you to place your outdoor furniture.

Large Pots

Remove some of those wild bushes and instead get some large pots and stylish plants, which creates order and gives your garden a very clean look.

Follow the Yellow Brick Road

Make a road of tiles leading up to your front door. This is a very simple way to give your garden a new stylish look. A road of tiles can have many different looks and can be a simple straight road or a curvy natural looking road.

A Pool or Pond

If you can afford it, you could always install a swimming pool in your yard. A pool is something that costs a lot of money and will take time to take care of. But if this is not a problem for you, this may be a possibility and something you should consider. If you do not want a large pool in your garden you can always get a small Jacuzzi, which can be placed in some sort of small conservatory. Not possible? A pond is a wonderful addition of water to a garden. There’s nothing quite like it.

Greenhouse

If you like flowers you can add a greenhouse to your garden. Greenhouses can be quite pretty if done and placed correctly. If you have a really large garden you should place the greenhouse to a side so that it does not look small and out of place.

These are just some ideas of things you can do with your garden to make it look new and improved.

We have been trying to address an eyesore corner of our yard since we moved in two years ago, and my attempts to plant flowers there have been utter disasters. So, this year, it will be our potato patch.

Potatoes like cooler weather, so March/April is a good time to plant them. We amended the patch with native soil from another part of the yard and a bit of garden soil. 

We had stored the remaining red potatoes from last year's garden in the basement over winter, in brown paper bags. As you can see at left, they mutated a bit. I am hoping those crazy eye sprouts will make for excellent seed potatoes.

A few yukon golds and purple potatoes from the garden center rounded out the planting.

To prep, I cut the larger potatoes in half (or thirds), ensuring that each piece had at least one eye. (Ideally, you should cut them a day in advance of planting to allow the cut sides to develop a protective layer.) I then buried each piece 2-3 inches deep with 12-inch spacing between each one. The rows technically should be 3 feet apart, but mine were more like one foot. Gardener's confession: I break that row-spacing rule a lot. 

I have mentioned my veggie-loving Corgi mix several times in my blogs, and she was quite interested in this little operation. She is just short enough that she was unable to steal any seed potatoes off my garden bench. The patch itself is now surrounded by four-foot fencing to keep her out. 

Last year's red potatoes produced thick, strong foliage and nearly took over their raised bed. I am hoping for a repeat performance this year.

Potato blooms are a really lovely white flower, so that will be an added bonus. Will post pics later in the season.

When the plants sprout and reach 6 inches, I will form hills around the plants to help protect the crop.

Name:

Email:

 

What to Do and Not Do

Do These…

• Do shred or chop materials first to help them decompose faster.
• Do add a lot of material at once instead of adding small amounts each day.
• Do add worms. Red wriggler worms are the best types of worms for composting.

Don’t Do These…

• Don’t attempt to compost human or pet waste. These types of waste contains toxic materials, including disease agents and parasites.
• Don’t compost ashes from charcoal. Charcoal ashes will kill the microorganisms necessary for decomposition.
• Don’t add lime to your compost pile. Lime can cause a drastic and sudden pH change within the pile, which in turn can kill off the microorganisms needed for decomposition.
• Don’t compost meat, dairy or fish products. These not only smell bad, they will also attract animals and will overheat your compost pile.

Final Thoughts

Composting is fun, good for the environment and good for gardening. Especially if you like to grow your own fruits and vegetables, a good compost pile will save you from having to use expensive and toxic chemical fertilizers.

Ultimately, composting is very easy once you get started. Other than watering and turning the pile from time to time, a compost pile requires very little maintenance. With very little effort on your part, you can transform your family’s dinner scraps and lawn waste into a feast of garden vegetables, fruits and flowering plants. Why wait any longer? Start your own compost pile today.

Great Composting Resourse - http://www.compost-info-guide.com/index.htm

It has been a typical March in Colorado: Beautiful 50- and 60-degree days book-ended by feet of snow.

Here is how our garden looked on March 10, a few days after nearly a foot of snow fell. It looks similar today after yet another weekend snowstorm.

Two weekends ago, however, we took advantage of the warm interlude between storms and started working on the vegetable garden. We turned over the soil and pulled out the last remnants of the 2012 plants, as well as several sneaky weeds that had already taken hold this season. My husband removed the cold-box frames, sifted compost from our bin and spread it in four of the eight boxes. He bought bagged compost for the other four.

The photo at left shows a sample of the compost from our own tumble-style compost bin. It has been working in that bin for almost two years and is now dark and rich. We add coffee grounds, kitchen vegetable scraps, eggshells, yard trimmings and more to our bin. For more instruction on composting, see Andrea Kalli's "How to Compost" series on this blog.

I prepped three beds for the spring planting. To the two rows meant for peas, I added an inoculant, which adds beneficial bacteria to the soil to help legumes grow. A trellis from last year will help provide support for the peas as they grow. Two rows of spinach and two rows of arugula completed that box. Two rows of carrots and two rows of beets made up the next box, and leaf lettuce and a mesclun mix made up the third. As I was planting on St. Patrick's Day, I joked that it was the planting o' the green, rather than the wearing o' the green (a joke lost on my only audience at the time: our Corgi mix who was busily trying to break into the garden).

I am eager for this latest snow to melt so I can search for the first sprouts from this planting.

Signs of spring were popping up around the rest of the yard as well. Sadly, I think our apricot tree won't produce fruit this year because it started to blossom too early. Those March temps below freezing will be too much for it, but I have heard that apricot trees rarely produce in Colorado for just that reason. It will be a beautiful tree regardless.

What's in your spring garden?

Name:

Email:

 

Where Should Your Compost Pile Be Located

Placing your compost pile in the right spot is actually an important element in successful composting. As you consider where to put your compost pile, consider the issues of smell, composting surface, air circulation and sunlight.

Smell

For starters, even if you follow all the rules, your compost pile will still probably smell from time to time as food scraps from your kitchen and other materials begin to decompose. Place your compost pile in a place where smells won’t bother you or your neighbors.

Composting Surface

Ideally, your compost pile should be placed on bare earth. Concrete can restrict airflow and will likely leave a stain.

Air Circulation

If the compost pile is located in a windy area of your yard, sometimes the wind can help with aerating the pile. However, if the area is too windy, and especially if the compost pile is not within a fully enclosed composter, the wind will spread the compost from the pile all over the yard.

Sunlight 

Finally, as you are placing your compost pile, take the amount of sunlight the area receives into consideration. Too much sunlight will dry the pile out and prevent proper decomposition. Too little sunlight will keep the pile from getting enough heat, which will also prevent proper decomposition.

Composting Equipment  

You can simply pile up your composting materials in a corner of your yard, but this is one of the most inefficient ways to compost. Composting bins are cost-effective and make composting much easier.

Making Your Own Bin

An alternative to buying a bin is to make your own. The easiest, cheapest way to make a bin is to buy a black trash can with a lock-down lid and drill some holes in it for ventilation. Drill 20 or 25 holes total in the top, sides, and bottom of the trash can. Then set the can onto a platform that allows for moisture drainage. A platform can be as simple as a few 2 x 4s.

With the lid locked down, roll the trash can on its side for several minutes every few days for aeration.

Homemade “3 bin system” composting bins are also popular with gardeners. These can be made with old wooden pallets or with 2 x 4s and chicken wire. As compost matures, it is transferred into the second and third bins for further decomposition. Lids can be added to protect the compost from the rain, but aerating must be done by hand.

Part 4 will be on Composting Do’s and Don’ts

Great Composting Resource - http://www.compost-info-guide.com/index.htm

In 2011, I wrote an article about the decrepit condition of my front lawn due to a fungus.

As a reminder, here is what part of it looked like in the end of March 2011.

I treated it with fungicide (Fertilome F-Stop), and it did wonders. Two treatments and the fungus was halted. At that time I was hoping that the grass would recover quickly and fill in the bare spots. It didn’t really do that.

So, in early 2012 I took a more proactive approach to helping my lawn recover. I raked up any areas down to the soil that had dead grass in them. There was a lot. Like I said in the earlier post, the fungus affected about 20% of my lawn, so there was plenty of dead grass. In late March I treated it with Fertilome F-Stop again, and then in 2 more weeks, a second application. Then, in early April, I did something I had never done before. Ever. I overseeded my lawn. The end result, once the seed took hold and began growing, was a lush, thick, green, and happy lawn again.  You can see a picture of the new grass just beginning to sprout below.

All last year I was singing the praises of lawn overseeding. Why hadn’t I ever done this before? I can only guess that over time, my lawn was thinning and I just didn’t really notice it. When we moved in, in 1996, it was a brand new house with a new lawn. 14 years had gone by and I had never even thought about overseeding. While researching the topic, I read that the best time to overseed is in the Fall, particularly in September. But I wasn’t going to wait that long. I kept the seeds slightly moist by hand watering for a couple of weeks. Within about 10-14 days I began to see tiny little “green hairs” all over. By the time May ended, my lawn was back to normal and I could easily mow without fear of ruining the fragile new grass. We did take it easy at first, keeping the mower high and walking gingerly through the new areas. Some sections were so big we just went right by them altogether.

You can read more about Overseeding here.

I did take pictures in July 2012 of the entire lawn, which are the pictures below and you can see the thick grass clearly happy as can be. Yeah, much of what you see in the pictures was about dead until I did the overseeding. A major difference! It was like a brand new sodded lawn. I never missed an opportunity to walk around in bare feet, enjoying the lushness of my rejuvenated lawn.

I’m looking forward to seeing how it comes in over the next few weeks. I will definitely take quick action if I see any indication of fungus damage. From now on, I plan to overseed every few years, whether I think it needs it or not. I’m a believer!