Experimental Garden July Bloom Report

Ahhh July, in NC, 90/90, temp and humidity and the three H's, hot, humid, hazy.

My sister the Master Gardener introduced us to Moon Flowers

(Ipomoea alba)

years ago.  One evening we discovered something very fast feasting on the blooms.  After much observation we found a moth.  Our gardener in training decided to take a picture but I was sure this was not possible.  Below is the picture he took.

Our  entomologist identified it as a pink hawk spotted moth.  We were then able to register it as being found in our county.

That is not the only thing exciting about this flower.  It blooms at night and you can watch the bud open.  I cannot do time lapse so here is the next best thing.  These pictures were taken when it was trying to rain.

 Bud on the left is from yesterday, on the right is getting ready to open.












A few minutes later.

A few minutes later, the excitement is building...

As the storm built I had to take a picture of another one in full bloom.

Such a beautiful flower, fragrant, but the vine looks just like our wild morning glories.

We also learned that the pink hawk spotted moth lays it eggs in sweet potato vine and the caterpillars grow up there, so we always plant the vine near the moon flowers.

 

After all that excitement, we move on the the annuals that are blooming now.

Volunteer black eyed susans.

Hybiscus.

zinnias

And my favorite banana trees.

OK, everything here in the garden is an experiment.  But the seed package said bell peppers.  Am I wrong, or are these some other kind of pepper?

Cukes on the fence.

visit from the neighbors

Our neighbor brought her twins over for us to see.

Junior stay away from that bee hive.

She did not want them playing around that gas can.  So they left.  Guess we need to pick up stuff that might be dangerous to the children.

Tomatoes in prison

Background:
Last summer we had a good crop of tomatoes and went on vacation.  When we returned the squirrels had eaten most of the tomatoes.  They continued to eat them and we probably got two out of the garden that summer.

Update:This was the first year with the green house and I enjoyed starting my tomato plants from seeds.  Early in the spring we started planning on how to keep the squirrels from eating them.
We quit feeding the birds because when we did there could be 14 squirrels in the yard at one time.

Solution:
Build a prison for the tomatoes.  

We built frames and covered them with hardware cloth.

Time:  ~8 hours of work
Staff:  three
Cost:  Don't ask

We assembled the "cage" because they were already decimating the crop.  The top was not completed yet so we wired some hardware cloth to the top for a temporary fix.

It did not take long for this little intruder to get inside.  Look closely and you will see him near the top of the cage.   He was in there eating away for over three hours.  He just couldn't remember how to get out.  Finally we opened the top and he left.  But unfortunately, he is not afraid of us.

 We tried to close up the place where he was getting in and reattached the top.

Soon he found his way back in and was able to get out with a tomato.  Can you hear him singing, "catch me if you ca-an?"

Finally we plugged up the place where he was able to get into the tomato prison.  And he was so frustrated that he tried to eat the tomato through the wire.


Luckily we have a watch cat to keep away the squirrels. 

He was on break.

Experimental June Bloom Report

Yikes!  Bugs is the garden?
Last year was an abundant year for butterflies and this year looks good so far.  They love the ligustrum.

 All over the butterfly bush.

Ants on the pretty gold flower.  Our friend Gerri gave me seeds for this last summer and we have them blooming everywhere.

 Can you see the spider on the red zinnia?

If you love gardens you have to accept that bugs belong there.  Especially the pollinators.

We have two honey bee hives and appreciate the worker bees pollinating.

Thornless blackberries second year in the garden.  Hopefully they will do well.

 Same with the blueberries.

Baby carrots from a pot, yum.

The first cucumber, not quite ready to pick.  Give it a day or two.

 Cucumber blooms are so pretty, the honey bees help with this crop.

Green beans are almost ready to pick.

 The first tomatoes were picked green by the squirrels.  We are building a cage for the tomato garden to try and keep them out.  Wish us luck.  Last year they ate every tomato.

June is the most colorful time in the Experimental Garden. 

Think I will go sit and enjoy.

Experimental Garden May Bloom Report

Things are blooming in the Experimental Garden, things other than wild things and weeds.

Iris are blooming, and the yellow ones are going wild.

bleeding heart

We always like to put hybiscus in pots and enjoy the blooms all summer long.

The chives are through with this bloom and I will dead head them.

Husker red beard tongue (penstemon digitalis) Blooms attrack polinators, especially honey bees. they are about 2 feet tall now and the foliage is beautiful

This is our first year with thornless blackberries and if the blooms come through we should be enjoying the fruit.

First tomato blooms.

Roses

 Caterpillar buffet of parsley.  It you plant it - they will come.  More caterpillars, more butterflies.

Tadpoles have escaped the pond.

Just in case you thought they were big frogs on a boulder, compare them to a chive blossom.

May you enjoy blooms in May in your garden.