Organic Emily is Moving!

Farrell house

It is with sadness and excitement that my husband and I will be moving our family in the next few weeks out into the country. Our home is for sale by owner.  We will be moving to the Sanpete county area. I hope to continue herb walks, workshops and other classes in our new area where we will have more land and access to the mountains once our new home is built. Look for updates on classes in other areas including lots of hikes this upcoming year.

If you or someone you know wants to buy my home please reach out to me through my contact page. It sits on just over a quarter acre lot.  The landscape is water wise on automatic sprinkling system. There are over 140 medicinal herbs in the garden beds, vegetable garden area, a large chicken coop and a large RV pad along the side of the house. The home is 4100 sq ft all updated with hand scraped hickory floors, some carpet and stone tile in the wet areas, butler pantry 21 x 7, sun nook off the kitchen, large workshop in the back (24 x 26) with 240 volts running to it. 5 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, lots of storage space, 2 extra rooms that can be used as a workout room and library or music room. Asking price is $668,000. Here is the link to the listing.

I will still be placing bulk food orders and taking orders for Christmas on the medicinal herb kits and body care products. We will most likely have a drop off sight for bulk orders. If you are interested in buying items for Christmas please get your orders in to me as soon as you can.  Much love! Organic Emily

“Bones” of the Garden

Vegetable Garden 1Spring clean up can be so much fun especially after being cooped up inside all winter!  It takes me about a full week to prune, clean the beds of any debris/leaves and lay down compost.  Above is a photo of the “bones” of my garden.  You can see my chicken coop in the background and a few vertical structures for vine crops to grow up.  In front is a hoop house frame I use to grow cold crops in the fall and preserve throughout the winter.   I grow most of my veggies in garden boxes.

Bones of the Garden 2Here are all 8 grow boxes on the east side of the house.  This entire area gets at least 8 hours of sunlight in the summer, except for the bed right up against the house.  There I get about 6-7 hours and grow currants and elderberries ( you can also grow leafy veggies in 6 hours of sunlight too).  It is very important to create a plan before just throwing down soil, boxes and plants.  Think about how much sunlight the plants will need (at least 8 hours for most), and if it is functional and easily accessible.  For example, be sure to allow a wide walk way for a large wheelbarrow to bring in good organic compost every year.

Bones of the Garden 3My Early Elberta peach tree with scallions planted all around to help deter peach borers (any allium family member should help).  Another great way to deter pests, including borers is to cultivate the soil every 2 weeks, 2-3 feet from the trunk out and about 2-3 inches deep.  This will interrupt the life cycle and kill off eggs and larva.  It has been pruned as an open center tree to allow sun light into it to ripen the fruit.  In the background is another vertical stand for my grapes to grow up and out.

This week I have been busy getting the soil ready to plant my cold crops tomorrow!  The weather has been fabulous!  Whether you grow your produce in garden boxes or in the ground you need to make sure the soil is workable.  A simple test to see if it has dried out enough is to take a handful and squeeze it, if it retains the shape of your hand mark then it may still be too wet.  You can also drop the handful to the ground, if it stays in a clump it isn’t ready.  If it falls apart you are good to go!  Any raised bed method is going to dry out much quicker than just straight from the ground.  If you want to speed up the process of heating up the soil, put down some clear plastic, anchored with rocks for about a week.  This will heat up the soil and dry it out faster for planting earlier.

As far as soil preparation goes I bring in good organic compost every year, like Nuri-mulch or Furti-mulch.  I dump wheelbarrow loads into every garden box along with a good, dry, ORGANIC, low number fertilizer (usually containing beneficial bacteria and mycorrhizae (beneficial fungus)).  The low numbers in the fertilizer won’t burn the seeds and give the plants the healthy head start they need.  I do not use chemical fertilizers for the reason they kill many micro-organisms that actually help protect and keep the plants healthy from disease and pests.  Besides who wants to eat chemicals anyways?  I don’t till my soil.  I use a vertical till process that is gentle on those precious micro-organisms.  Take a shovel or garden spade (large fork) and gently turn the soil.  Smooth out with a rake.  It’s as simple as that!  I also recommend watching a wonderful documentary called “Back to Eden”  found online www.backtoedenfilm.com  it is a no till method all together.  The weather is perfect this week in Utah!  Get out there and plant something new!  Happy gardening!

Extending the Growing Season with Hoop Houses

Hoop House 6

I did a post on hoop houses last year and wanted to share it again.  Making a hoop house is very simple and inexpensive!  You can extend your growing season from 3-5 months if you do it right.   Hoop houses and cold frames act as “cold storage” since the crops aren’t growing once the days get shorter and there is less sunlight.  We made our hoop frames towards the middle of October just before it froze, however I don’t suggest waiting that long.  We got lucky, it was a warm fall.   We decided to extend the growing season by making hoop houses over 2 of our grow boxes.  I had a different idea in mind when we put these together.  I thought we would be able to fit the pipes into T fittings and it would hold.  However, they ended up snapping and breaking so we ended up making some inexpensive adjustments.  A year later they are still going strong, so I know it worked!  Here’s what you’ll need:

Materials

8 – 1/2 inch PVC pipes (for 2 4×8 boxes)

12 small metal brackets( from the electrical isle of Home Depot) with screws to anchor pipe to grow box (see picture below)

Wire to wrap the pipes together

Painters plastic as thick as you can find it (6-8ply)

Clamps for holding down the plastic

Heavy fabric row covers for additional insulation

Hoop House 1

You will need 4 (10 foot) 1/2-inch pipes for 2 – 4×8 garden boxes.

Hoop House 2

Loosely secure 6 metal brackets onto the grow box.   3 on each side, measuring evenly between all 6.

Hoop House 3

Slide the PVC pipes into place and secure the screws tightly.  If you put them together on a cooler day, try setting them out in the sun to warm them up so they are less likely to break.

Hoop House 4

Cut an additional pipe into 3 sections fitted and measured to be secured in between each hoop. Your measurements may be different from mine.

Hoop House 5

Fit the 1/2 inch pipe into a T and secure to hoop with heavy duty wire. Pipe must be cut to fit into the 3 T’s.

Hoop House 6

Frame is secured down and ready for use!

Hoop House 7

You will need the heaviest plastic you can find.  This is 6 ply.  If you can find 8 ply, that is even better.  Cut to fit the box so it hangs past the ground.

Hoop House 8

Secure with clamps or extra squash (just for demonstration :)…   Be sure to check the weather and give the plants air to breath especially if it gets over 40`, they can cook!

Hoop House 9

For an additional 8 degrees of protection you can use fabric row cover.  I place this over my crops and then put the plastic over the hoops.  I purchase mine at Steve Reagan (500w and about 3900s in Salt Lake City).  The last time you will water is about mid-November.  Be sure to harvest out of your “cold storage” when the temps are above 32 degrees in the winter if they are still going strong (it depends on where your garden boxes are placed in the yard).  South-facing protected area up against a fence or building is best.  For more information on year-round gardening check out one of my favorite books called “The Year-Round Gardener” by Nikki Jabbour.

Clay Stamped Garden Markers

Clay garden markers 5

Here’s a project you can do with your kids!  Mine loved rolling the clay and stamping the letters!  These darling garden markers are reusable and weather proof because the words are stamped into the soft clay before placing them into the oven to dry.  Plan on making 18-20 garden markers with a 1lb. package of polymer clay.  We used our metal stampers from our Spoon Garden Marker project, but you can also use rubber stamps too!  The process is very simple!

You will need:

1lb. Polymer clay

Knife

Rolling pin

Metal or Rubber stamps

Jelly roll pan lined with parchment paper

275 degree oven

Clay garden markers 1

Cut the clay to make 1 inch clay balls.  Roll the balls into 5 inch logs.

Clay garden markers 2

Roll the log flat at a 1/4 inch thickness.  Cut the bottom at an angle for the marker to easily penetrate the soil.

Clay garden markers 3

Stamp the clay with metal or rubber stampers with what you plan on growing!

Clay garden markers 4

Place the soft clay markers on a jelly roll pan lined with parchment paper.  Bake at 275 degrees for 15 minutes or until the clay stiffens.  Let cool and place where needed!

DIY Garden Markers

Garden Marker Spoon 1

These durable garden markers were fun to make and not as hard as I thought they would be.  I saw this idea online and wanted to make them for my garden!  All it took was a few tools and a little muscle to pound the spoons flat.  Great for working out any aggression! 🙂  And I like that the words won’t wash off with time and weathering.

Supplies

Tools for Garden Marker Spoons

All you will need is:

  • Metal Stampers (I got mine off amazon for $15)
  • Old Spoons (second hand stores are great for this!)
  • Hammer
  • Permanent Marker (to fill in the stamped words)
  • Hard surface to hammer the spoons on ( I used an old paver)

 

Directions

  1. Hammer the spoons flat on a hard surface that won’t break.
  2. Stamp your spoons with the names of veggies and herbs you are growing in your garden with hammer.
  3. Color in the words with a permanent marker an wipe off leaving the words darkened and easier to see.
  4. Place in garden where needed!

 

Organic Fertilizers and the Health of Our Soil

Organic Fertilizers

The soil in our garden is an entirely different world then the one we live in.  Hopefully filled with micro-organisms actively moving and alive!  Recent work and research done by Dr. Elaine Ingham, a soil microbiologist, has found that the use of toxins, including chemical ferilizers actually harm the good microbes found with in the soil that help control the bad ones, including unwanted diseases.  We can liken it to the over use of antibiotics within our own bodies.  Many of these drugs as we know have been over prescribed and over used to the point now that we have to use stronger strains to kill off the “bad” bugs that live within our own systems when we get sick.  Unfortunately, we also kill the “good” bacteria too, leaving our system vulnerable to more problems if left unattended without a proper diet and efforts to put those “good” bugs back into the system.

Dr. Ingham’s work was recently discussed in one of my favorite books on soil called, “Teaming with Microbes”, by Jeff Lowenfels and Wayne Lewis.  What they found was that the chemical fertilizers actually killed off the microbes within the soil that protected the root systems of the plants and chased away the larger animals like lady beetles and praying mantis’ who keep the pests at bay.  It is possible to create an oasis so to speak for these beneficial microbes and insects to do all the fighting for us as mother nature intended, leaving us to simply enjoy gardening!  Let’s discuss some of those methods and a few organic fertilizers that help and not hinder the world of microbes.

Compost

One of the most important things we can do every year is to put down some type of good organic compost into the garden beds.  This serves a number of purposes.  Most compost is made up of small wood chips and animal manure.  There are also composts made strictly from plant sources as well like mushrooms, seaweed and alfalfa to name just  a few.  Worm castings (poop), chicken and horse manures are good options, all are high in nitrogen.  Cow manures can be used occasionally, but not often due to it’s higher levels of salts which can be toxic to the soil if over used.

  • First, the compost acts as a barrier keeping the weeds at bay.  Be sure to not plant directly in the compost because the plants need soil to grow.  The compost can be mixed in gently into the soil or moved to the side until the plant grows up enough to bring the compost back around it.  As a side not I highly recommend a fabulous documentary called “Back to Eden”, a film that can be viewed online for free at backtoedenfim.com.  It discusses the importance of using a no-till method and how this protects the micro-organisms in the soil.
  • Second, compost is full of large organic matter particles that allow for proper drainage and aeration, keeping the root system of our plants healthy.  This is particularly important here in Utah since we are very depleted in organic matter.  Most healthy soils should have about 5% organic matter, we typically have about 1% or less.
  • Third, compost is full of dense nutrients that are available to the good microbes who help to break them down turning them into food for plants!

Fish Emulsion 

Fish emulsion is an excellent non-burning plant food that comes from manufactured fish waste not used for processing.  If you don’t mind your yard smelling like the ocean for a day this can be a great option.  It is classified as an organic fertilizer because it is made from material naturally found in nature.  Long term use of fish emulsion can help improve the health and microbe complexity of soil.  It can be used for all garden beds including flower and vegetable.  It is higher in nitrogen than a lot of other organic fertilizers, up to five percent of its nitrogen is readily available, which gives plants a boost while soil microbes break down the rest.  Fish emulsion can be used every 3-4 weeks.

Blood and Bone Meal

Both blood and bone meal come from animals.  Blood meal is very high in nitrogen and should be used as directed.  Bone meal has been known to be a very good root stimulant.  It is very high in phosphorus and should also be used as directed.  I highly recommend getting your soil tested from your local extension office.  They can test your soil for nutrient count and tell you what you need and what you don’t.  This is important to know and understand because plants need different nutrients to do different things.  For example, nitrogen helps to increase leaf growth and phosphorus helps to increase flower/fruit production.  However a word of caution before just applying any fertilizer to your soil, our Utah soils are very high in phosphorus already, so not very much is needed.

Fertilizers with Beneficial Bacteria and Mycorrhizae 

There are some great organic fertilizers out there that contain beneficial soil microbes you can add to your soil for all garden beds.  For example, mycorrhizae is a beneficial form of fungi that can actually combat powdery mildew and other fungi problems.  Mycorrhizae will continue to grow year after year strengthening the soil.  They can come in powder, liquid and granulated forms.  I like a particular brand called “Garden Bloomers”  found at any local nursery.  What ever brand or source you choose be sure it’s something that won’t kill off the microbes in your soil.  A key concern with inorganic or synthetic fertilizers is that nutrients not immediately taken up by plants can cause pollution. Excess nitrogen fertilizer is a common cause for nitrate groundwater pollution. Phosphate fertilizer runoff can pollute streams, rivers and lakes by encouraging overgrowth and algae that deplete oxygen supplies and kill fish. While organic fertilizers can also cause pollution when used to excess, they are generally much safer to use because they release nutrients gradually, at a rate closer to plants’ need for them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Part 2: Natural Pest Control

Lady Bug eating Aphid

During these hot summer months pest problems can become overwhelming if allowed to get out of hand.  There are 3 main controls used for keeping pests at bay:

Mechanical – Hand pick insects and eggs off plant.

Biological – Plant certain types of herbs and flowers that attract beneficial insects (this is also known as companion planting).

Chemical – Organic and non-organic chemicals are included in this category.

The struggle between whether or not to spray organic vegetables with chemicals can be a burden.  Although chemical pesticides are needed at times, they are over used and can be extremely dangerous to humans, the environment and animals.  I recommend using a chemical pesticide as a last resort to save a plant.  Be sure to read all labels carefully and discard waste as directed.

“The Bad”

In part 1 we discussed the biological pest control options by attracting “The Good” bugs into our garden.

The bad bugs, if allowed to get out of hand can turn our happy gardening experience into a frustrating nightmare!  In part 2 we will go over how to combat the “enemy” with natural pest control methods that are inexpensive and can be made from every day ingredients in our own home, keeping our garden free of chemicals!  These are my top 10 pests with natural solutions!

 

Snails

Snail

Snails can be detrimental to the vegetable and flower gardens.  They eat pretty much everything and fast because they can multiply quickly!  It’s best to get a handle on this pest as soon as possible since they can lay up to 100 eggs within a few days.   One of the best ways to get rid of snails is to go out very early in the morning as the sun rises and hand pick snails off plants throwing them into a soapy bucket of water or a seal-able plastic bag to be thrown into an outside garbage can.  Another way to rid snails is to put beer or a sugar/yeast and water mixture into a pie plate or tuna cans.  Dig the shallow dish into the ground so it is flush with the soil.  The snails will be attracted to the beer or sugar/yeast water and drowned.  If the infestation is really bad use snail bate, a chemical solution, that can be used to get control of the problem.

 

Aphids

Aphid Collage

Aphids are detrimental in numbers!  A single aphid can produce up to 600 billion offspring!  As you can see from the picture above the damage of many plants can kill a plant or bring it close to death.  Some symptoms of aphids on plants are wet honeydew secretions, sticky looking leaves with hundreds of aphids on the under side of them, curling leaves and blossoms that begin become necrotic, making them turn black or even small webbing all over.  Aphids feed on sap from shoots, leaves, flowers and buds.  These little guys are too little and to large in numbers to mechanically be removed.  I like to make a homemade recipe with garlic and liquid soap to spray on them, suffocating their soft bodies.

To make the garlic spray puree 1 bulb of garlic with 1/2 cup water.  Add 2 tablespoons plant based liquid dish washing soap and cayenne pepper for a stronger concoction.  Allow to steep for a few hours or over night.  Pour the mixture through a sieve and cheese cloth.  Add more water and the garlic mixture to a spray bottle and spray!   Apply every 3-4 days until the problem is eradicated.

 

Colorado Potato Beetle

Colorado Potato Beetle

These voracious beetles can strip a plant down to it’s roots if uncontrolled.  They like to eat potatoes, eggplant, peppers and tomatoes.  The best way to combat these pests is to use a number of methods.  First pick as many of  the beetles by hand, rotate crops every year and use BT (Bacillus thuringiensis tenebrionis) a natural occurring bacteria that makes certain insects sick and die.  This product can be purchased at your local nursery.

 

Japanese Beetles, Grubs and Billbugs

Beetle Collage

These beetles are not our friends!  Especially the Japanese beetle!  It will destroy everything in it’s path!  The Japanese beetle has a beautiful coppery/green shell.  Billbugs and grubs mostly feed on turf grass.  One of the best ways to prevent this problem from occurring is to water properly by not watering too much.  For all these pest one of the best ways to control them is to use diatomaceous earth or DE.  DE is a nontoxic, organic concoction made of the fossilized remains of tiny one-celled marine animals called diatoms. Chemically, it’s almost pure silicone dioxide. To humans, DE feels really soft to the touch, but to grubs it’s like razor wire that literally shreds them as they touch it.  DE can be found at any health food store or local nursery.

Sprinkle 1/2 cup of DE to a square foot of soil or sod and mix it into the soil to a depth of about six inches. DE can cause respiratory problems, so wear a mask and work with it on a non-windy day. DE can also harm beneficial insects, such as earthworms, so use only where grubs are a problem.

 

Spider Mites

Spider Mite

Spider mites are microscopic and can sometimes be seen with the naked eye.  What is most prominently seen are their webs.  They feed on leaf sap similar to aphids.  Watch for speckling or bronzing color on the leaves.   The garlic spray I mentioned above is effective as well as using rubbing alcohol.  Mixing alcohol with water and spraying your plants will help get rid of spider mites naturally without damaging the plants. You can mix 1 part alcohol to 1 or 2 parts water for maximum effectiveness. You can also use a cotton ball dipped in straight rubbing alcohol to gently rub the spider mites on the bottom of the leaves of your plants that are indoors. Alcohol will kill the spider mites on contact. Remember to use this method in the evening so the alcohol will evaporate without the sun causing burn to the leaves.

 

Peach Tree Borer

Peach Tree Borer Collage

The dreaded peach tree borer can be difficult to fight off especially if the tree is already infested!  It can be very sad to watch our beloved peach trees slowly die overtime from this nasty pest!  In the picture on the left you can see the adult.  She will lay her eggs at the base of the tree and the larva will borer into the bark of the tree and feed on the wood.  The best way to prevent this problem from happening is to faithfully cultivate the soil 2-3 feet from the trunk out and 2-3 inches deep every 2 weeks during the late spring and summer.  This will expose the eggs to the elements and they will not be able to survive.  Planted garlic and other onion family members have been known to ward off the peach tree moth from laying eggs because of its strong odor.

 

Squash Bugs

Squash Bug Collage

My arch nemesis!  Squash bugs can take over in no time if you don’t know what you are looking for!  These life sucking insects literally suck the water right out of the plant in just a few hours, leaving it looking like it hasn’t been watered in weeks.  The plant leaves become droopy, necrotic and black.  A good fierce spray of the hose will bring the adults out from underneath their hiding places making it easier to hand pick them.  Be sure to have a soapy bucket of water for them to drowned in!  The copper colored eggs can be found on the undersides of the leaves in a cluster.  Be sure to remove as many as you can and crush them, then throwing them into the bucket of soapy water.  It is best to go out every day for a few minutes and remove them by hand until they are all gone.  If that isn’t good enough try using Neem Oil.  This organic chemical comes from the seeds of the neem tree.  Neem oil interferes with insect hormones leaving them unable to grow and reproduce.  When using any pesticide, including organic products, be sure to read all labels and use as directed.  Neem oil is also toxic for honey bees.  It is best to apply before 7am or after 7pm when most beneficial insects have left for the evening.

 

Leaf Miners

Leaf Miner Collage

Leaf miners love to eat spinach, Swiss chard, beet greens and other leafy greens.  The adult fly lays little white eggs on the back of the leaf.  Once hatched they burrow into the inner layer of the leaves, leaving trails of dead vegetation in their wake.  The best way to keep these under control is to plant nectar and pollen loving plants that attract parasitic wasps.  See part one for a brief list.  Using fabric row covers is an excellent way to keep them away.  Cover in the spring and bury the edges of the row cover around the grow box or soil.  Use a light enough fabric to allow water and sun penetration for growth.  If you choose not to use the fabric row cover it is important to look for the eggs as the first of the greens start to grow.  Remove them if you see any until the problem has stopped.  Neem oil can be used as a last resort.

 

Tomato Horn Worm

Tomato horn Worm Collge

Just thinking about these buggers gives me the willies!  They can be 3-4 inches long and have massive appetites!  A hawk or sphinx moth lays the eggs on plants like peppers, tomatoes and potatoes.  They blend in well with the green foliage and can be difficult to see.  If detected early enough the plant will survive.  The best way to control the worm is to hand pick them and throw them into a bucket of soapy water (definitely wear gloves).  What is even cooler is when the braconid wasp lays it’s little white eggs on the worm feeding on it’s flesh until it’s ready ready to pupate.  If such projections appear it is best to leave the horn worm alone and let nature take care of nature.  This way you will have more beneficial insects to fight off the bad!

 

 

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly Part 1: Natural Pest Control

Lady Bug eating Aphid

During these hot summer months pest problems can become overwhelming if allowed to get out of hand.  There are 3 main controls used for keeping pests at bay:

Mechanical – Hand pick insects and eggs off plant.

Biological – Plant certain types of herbs and flowers that attract beneficial insects (this is also known as companion planting).

Chemical – Organic and non-organic chemicals are included in this category.

The struggle between whether or not to spray organic vegetables with chemicals can be a burden.  Although chemical pesticides are needed at times, they are over used and can be extremely dangerous to humans, the environment and animals.  I recommend using a chemical pesticide as a last resort to save a plant.  Be sure to read all labels carefully and discard waste as directed.

“The Good”

In part 1 we will discuss some of  “The Good” bugs that prey on the bad.  These types of bugs are easy to attract and can fight most of the battle for us!  The trick is to plant the right kind of herbs and flowers that provide nectar, pollen and ground cover for those beneficial bugs to come into the garden.  Some of these plants also provide strong scents to deter and confuse other pests.  A few of the beautiful and beneficial plants you can grow are: marigolds, basil, dill, fennel, parsley, asters, echinacea, onions and garlic for their strong pungent smells.  And chamomile, cosmos, nasturtiums, petunias, calendula, tansy and zinnias for their nectar and ground cover to hide predatory insects.   There are so many more plants I could name, but just don’t have the time!  I recommend getting the book, “Great Garden Companions”, by Sally Jean Cunningham for more information!  For now I want to show you my top 10 “Good Bugs” that prey on the ones we don’t want in our garden!

Lady Beetle

Lady Bug Collage

Lady bugs are just 1 of 400 lady beetles found in North America.  Adults and larva feed on soft bodied insects like aphids.  Most adults need to feed on flower pollen or nectar to reproduce.

Lacewing

Lacewing

Lacewings are pale green or brown in color.  Adults mostly feed on nectar.  Lacewing larva, however, are voracious predators that feed on aphids, thrips, scales, moth eggs, small caterpillars and mites.  This is one bug you want in your garden!

Ground Beetles

Ground Beetle

Ground beetles are large, long-legged and shiny black or brown.  They hide under rocks or ground covering plants in the day and move fast when disturbed.  They feed on slugs, snails, cutworms, root maggots, and Colorado potato beetle larva.  Attract these beneficial beetles by growing ground covering petunias and using boulders or logs in the landscape.  Rove beetles resemble earwigs without pincers, and feed on many insects similar to the ground beetle.

 

Parasitic Wasp

Parasitic Wasp

There are hundreds of species of wasps, including many that are so tiny you can barely see them.  These mini-wasps often attack the eggs of pests, and are one of the most important insect groups that provide control of .  Attract these beneficial bugs by growing nectar and pollen rich plants.

 

Garden Spider

Garden Spider

 

All spiders feed on insects and are very important for preventing pest outbreaks.  The spiders normally found in gardens do not move indoors, nor are they poisonous.  Permanent perennial plantings and straw mulches will provide shelter and dramatically increase spider populations in the vegetable gardens.

 

Tachinid Fly

Tachnid Fly

Although Tachinid flies look similar to the house fly, these insects are important enemies of cutworms, army-worms, tent caterpillars, cabbage loopers, moths, saw flies, Japanese beetles, squash bugs and sow bugs.  Attract the Tachinid fly by planting nectar and pollen rich plants.

 

Dragon Fly

Dragon Fly

There are more than 80 species of dragon flies.  They vary in all colors and sizes, ranging from 1-2 inches in length.  Their larva are found in water.  Dragon flies eat aphids, mosquitoes and other pest bugs.  Dragon flies has decreased in population dramatically as wetland areas have become developed and taken away.  If you want to see dragon flies in your garden provide a small pond or water feature to attract these beautiful insects!

 

Honey Bee

honey bee

Honey bees are important pollinators to many plants.  They can often be identified by the pollen baskets they carry on the backs of their legs and fuzzy body.  They tend to be lighter in color compared to the wasp or hornet they are so often mistaken for.   The best way to attract honey bees is to grow plants with lots of pollen and nectar, many are listed above.  Did you know that pollinating insects are worth well over $8 billion dollars  our economy every year!

 

Assassin Bug

Assasin Bug

There are 3,000 known species of assassin bugs!  They are voracious predators of a wide variety of insects, including aphids, caterpillars, cucumber beetles, ear wigs, leaf hoppers and many more.  They inject their prey with a lethal toxin from their beak that liquifies their innards and then sucks out the contents.  They have been known to shoot venom at their enemies from a foot away!

 

Praying Mantis

Praying Mantis

These insects have big appetites, feeding on both beneficial and pest insects!  They can strike their prey within 50 milliseconds, making them one of the fastest animals on earth!

 

 

žLadybugs
are just 1 of 400 of lady beetles found in North America.  Adults and larva feed on soft bodied insects like aphids.   Most adults need to feed on pollen or flower nectar to reproduce.

Spring in the Garden

The majority of my time spent in the yard is in the spring time! From spring clean up and pruning to laying down compost, planting beautiful bright annuals and veggies, I spend about 10 full days (throughout May, April and March) working busily to prep it for the growing season! After all that time and hard work I get to sit back and relax for the rest of the year… well at least until the harvest and fall clean up (with a little weeding in between too)! If you prep the right way you won’t be a slave to your yard! Instead you will be enjoying it as you stroll through your own gardens or swing from a hammock!

Each year I lay down 3-4 inches of compost as a top cover in every bed. This has many benefits! First it acts as a mulch to prevent weeds from germinating underneath the layer, it regulates moisture availability to the plants, is a natural and organic fertilizer, and is more esthetic! I get many comments and questions about how much time I spend in the yard and people are always surprised at how little time I give to growing a beautiful and attractive landscape! The key is in the compost! You may also wonder if after so many years whether my beds will start to get really high from adding it every year… that is simply not the case. Organic matter is an essential part of our soil and is constantly breaking down from plant use or the elements. The ideal percentage of organic matter needed in soil is 5%. However, Utah usually has about less than 1%! Compost really is beneficial! Check out some of the pics of my front yard!

 

Front bench

We have this little shady nook by the front porch that is north facing. It doesn’t get very much sun, but just enough to grow a beautiful Japanese Maple, Box Woods, Corabells, Hostas and Impatiens.

 

Front center flower bed

The bed just in front of the shady nook is my sunny perennial bed filled with bee and butterfly loving plants, like Bee Balm, Penstemon, English Lavender, Chrysanthemums, Yarrow, Zinnias and Cosmos! In front I have an annual bed filled with short stack Zinnias and Dahlias, framed in with my favorite Karl Forester grasses!

 

flag pole flower bed

As we go further out towards the sidewalk there are more water wise plants placed around the flag pole, like pink Salvia, Iris’s, Hens and Chicks and Day Lilies! Again in front of that is another annual bed, this time I added purple Double Ruffle Petunias in the mix of Dahlias and Zinnias. I’m so excited to see all the happy bright colors pop in another month or two!

 

water feature flower bed

As you walk up towards the front of the house you can see Weeping White Pines, Laural’s ( a broad leaf evergreen that does best on the north or east side of the house), Echinacea, Peonies, Lavender, St. John’s Wort, Purple Salvia, Old Fashioned Roses, Day Lilies, Balloon Flowers and Creeping Thyme to fill in space. My husband welded the water feature last summer. It’s a beautiful sound to hear the water falling through the rocks!

 

front west flower bed

A picture of the third annual bed.

 

back west flower bed

I love this little spot in the front yard that takes you into the perennial beds through the gate into the back yard. On the left is a large Pacific Sunset Maple, Dogwoods, Burning Bushes, Iris’s, Tall Hedge Buck-thorns, Rose of Sharon, and Autumn Brilliance Service berry. On the left is a Cedar Atlas and other perennials like Peonies, Balloon Flowers, Corabells’ and Lilies!

 

front of house with stone steps

One last shot of the stone steps leading up towards the front door. The red tree on the left is a Columnar Crimson Century Maple. On the right is a Niche Willow