An indoor week

I haven't had an ear infection since I was ten years old, but I apparently have one this week. That and the heat have kept me literally under the weather this past week. I watered a bit, but that was about it. The weeds are taking advantage of my absence.

While confined to the house, I started watching Garden Fit. It's a combination of great gardens and ergonomic exercises to help ease gardening aches and pains.

This is what I see when I look out one of my windows into the backyard: in the foreground fuschia, then Queen of the Prairie, then coneflower, and way in the back milkweed. Pinks!

My "ditch" daylilies get a fair amount of shade, so are behind most of the others in this area. Once I get the yard waste cleared away from the back fence, I may divide the clumps and move some out there.

In fact, I have a lot of plans for what to do with the open areas around the shrubs. Bees still visit the monarda on the south side of the house; that would be a nice addtion, maybe interspersed with the daylilies. That's the thing about gardening - there is always room for improvement and experimentation.

Let it go

I'm tired of complaining about the lack of bugs in my yard. Instead, I'm adjusting my attitude. If the native plants are not going to attract pollinators, I might as well allow myself to plant some (pretty) non-natives.

A handful of bees have been visiting the milkweed

This is a photo of a redbud leaf. Google Lens was not helpful in identifying whatever this black stuff is. I hope it does not spread to the other trees.

More plants are blooming, like this monarda, a.k.a. bee balm. It is planted amongst the northern sea oats on the south side of the house, but the sea oats appear to be overtaking it. I'll leave it be for now, but may add bee balm to the backyard for some summer color.

Many (MANY) years ago I planted (and transplanted) some tiger lilies in the yard. Most of them have died out, but occasionally one or two pop up in unexpected places. Go figure.

This coming week promises to be a scorcher. That means rolling out of bed and right into dog walking mode, sans coffee, before the day gets too hot. Keep cool!

Useless effort?

This past week, the New York Times ran an article about what happens when a home with a yard planted in natives goes on the market. In their examples, the properties sold for a premium. I have a feeling that is not going to happen around here.

Which led to despondency about my yard. I put a LOT of effort into growing natives despite living in a pollinator desert, which results in a sense of futility. And then there is the weedy look of the natives at the front of the house - not what I would call curb appeal. I'm tempted to transplant them all to the backyard where they can look as weedy as they wish, then update the front to look more conventional (within reason).

Part of my funk is because this is the lull before summer flowers, but that is beginning to turn around.

The penstemon lives on despite my efforts to irradicate it

The start of milkweed season

First coneflower

Honeysuckle vine starts early and goes all summer

Fading climbing rose (surrounded by thistle)

I'm still battling weeds, but at least the lawn has slowed down. The newbies need daily watering, while the hanging planters require it twice a day. I cleared the dams that form at the downspouts, so I welcome a heavy downpour just to see my effort pay off. I pick strawberries every afternoon for my evening yogurt parfait. Things could be worse.

Fall is bustin' out all over

It's that time of the year, when the common milkweed lets loose with its fluff-carrying seeds. This batch should help repopulate the milkweed forest in the meadow.

We did have a light frost this past week, the kind that frosts the rooftops but that is about it. Definitely not a killing frost. Still, I dragged in the houseplants that have been summering on the deck.

My over-the-range microwave starting making zapping noises, so now I'm afraid to use it. I priced a new one - $300 plus $195 to install. I have to pay for Beau's teeth cleaning first. Meanwhile, I'm judging whether I really need a microwave at all. The function I miss the most so far is the timer.

Speaking of Beau, he has almost forgiven me for Friday's trip to the vet. At least he doesn't run away as soon as he sees me. They had to pull three teeth, so his mouth is sore. He still seems wobbly from the anestesia, or maybe from not eating. He's picky, likes just his Purina cat chow, won't even eat people food. I put out a Friskie's "soup" in case he gets hungry enough to try it.

Other excitement in the neighborhood was a police raid on the next block, at an Airbnb. It occurred in the middle of the night, and I slept through it. I didn't even know we had an Airbnb nearby, even though I frequently walk the dog past that house.

Speaking of Clio, a neighbor dog that bit her a few months ago took another run at us the other day. If I see "Leo" in the yard, we turn around. This past Thursday I didn't see him, and we weren't even in front of his house when he appeared out of nowhere. No injuries this time, but I did report it to Animal Control. Today, in a different neighborhood, a German Shepherd that usually just watches us walk by decided to bark and lunge even though we were on the other side of the street. I'm beginning to feel like I can't walk my dog anywhere safely.

So tired of summer

I have abandoned fall planting of anything because I am just so sick of the yard by September that I fail to provide the care fall-planted plants need.

In the spring, when I see all the tulips, hyacinth, snow drops, etc. in the yards of others, I think I will plant some come fall. But I don't. The only fall planting I foresee is some garlic I purchased at a farmers market, expressly for planting in the strawberry bed. If I fail to do that, well, I can eat the garlic.

In past years, the common milkweed has been overrun by aphids, but not this summer. Those little critters did notice the new-to-this-year swamp milkweed in the rain garden, however. Interesting.

While the weeds are mostly under control, this one corner has been neglected. It continues to be neglected because some wasps/bees/something-that-stings have built a nest under the compost bin. I can (quickly!) dump kitchen scraps in the bin, but that is about all I dare try.

All the winterberry holly shrubs are loaded with fruit this year. If we get some snow, those red berries will look lovely against a white background. At least, until the robins strip the plants. But that is what the winterberry is there for.

There has been just enough rainfall to keep the lawn growing, but the forecast for this week is dry, dry, dry. It's all I can do to force myself to water the container plants. I welcome a hard frost.

Spider season

There are spiders in the yard all season long, but it seems like they are particularly noticeable as autumn approaches. The front porch is festooned with webs, which I don't mind as long as the resident arachnids stay outside. I'll sweep them down just before Halloween.

According to this site, there are reasons spiders seem more prevalent in the fall. For one thing, the spiders that hatched in the spring are now full grown, and the males are seeking females for mating. They also may be seeking warmer quarters, like near crevices and doorways. I've had to stop a few trying to sneak inside when I'm holding the door open for the pets.

This is the first year for swamp milkweed in my rain garden. Besides them surprising me with blossoms, they are forming seed pods.

Usually, yard waste goes into a compost pile by the shed, but this year I decided the weedy stuff should go elsewhere, along with its weed seeds. I thought the city would pick it up separate from the regular trash, but I was wrong. They say to just throw it into the bins, except for leaves which they do pick up. Hmmm.

The temps have been moderate lately, making for pleasant days, but we could use some rain.

Year of spurge

Spurge is everywhere this summer. Unfortunately, a lot of it is in a bed in the front yard, a bed that is supposed to be full of ragwort and coneflower instead. Alas, the temperatures and the humidity have been rather discouraging this past week, but I shall get back to weeding someday.

The swamp milkweed I planted in the rain garden this past spring is actually blooming! I did not expect that. The nodding onion I transplanted from the front yard is also blooming, another pleasant surprise.

I'm not a fan of 'Goldsturm' rudbeckia since it does not attract polinators, so decided it should be sacrificed for the dye pot. The instructions stated that the blossoms should be harvested when they are past their peak. Last night I took a look, and they were WAY past that. So, despite the heat, I did just that.

Before

After

While walking the dog, I came across this excellant specimen of dog stinkhorn, a.k.a. Mutinus caninus. I've never seen it in the wild, only sprouting from store-bought mulch.

This summer I have seen a few more butterflies than last year, although none have found my garden worthy of providing sustenance for their young. As Cubs fans say, There is always next year.

Fireflies and blooms (and booms)

In the gloaming, I like to sit on the deck and watch the fireflies. There are a LOT in my yard this year. I like to think my yardening practices have something to do with that. The larva winter over in the ground or under tree bark. I assume my habit of eschewing mulch, doing fall cleanup in the spring, and favoring native plants all help. With over 2000 species, I hate to be more specific about them, but in general the light-emitting ones are females attracting a male, to mate or eat.

The summer blooms are starting to come out. Is it early? I think not - tomorrow is July 1. It just feels early, probably because of our erratic weather patterns.

Coneflower

Common milkweed

Bee on milkweed

Bee balm

I've been relatively diligent about removing blossoms from the strawberry plants, but have missed a few. The resulting fruit is delicious! There is nothing like a sun-warmed strawberry plucked right off the plant.

A few cherry tomatoes have developed, so I am looking forward to dining on those as well in the near future.

I've been lacksidaisical about staking my one and only tomato plant, and this is what happened. I'm also learning that container plants require a daily watering no matter how much rain has fallen.

Now a pet peeve. Here in Indiana, individuals can purchase their own fireworks. In my city, there are limits as to when one can set them off. However, I live near the edge of the city limits and the county has no such rules. Fortunately, Clio is relatively okay with the noise as long as she is inside and near me.

And while we are on the subject, once upon a time, fireworks displays were limited to once or twice a year, thereby making them special events. Now it seems like almost any reason is cause for fireworks. At least xmas is still only once a year.

End of grumpy rant.

But first...

Digging out the compost pile was on my to-do list for this spring. Sifting the existing compost from the rest of the detritis required the use of my yellow Vigoro garden cart... which had four flat tires, one of which was also shredding. I purchased a new tire, but could not figure out how to get the old one off (despite viewing several YT videos). No matter - I just filled all four with air (using my scary air compressor). The compost sifter also needed some repair. Finally, I completed the original to-do item, followed by spreading a shovelful of compost around each shrub.

Black (or brown) gold

I decided to take a look at my goals for this year, to see how I'm doing. Not bad so far. Ten coneflowers ('Sombrero Hot Coral') went into the bed by the sidewalk, and while I have planted the strawberries ('Evie-2') and garlic ('Early Italian'), the temperatures need to be a bit better before starting the green beans (there is a lined milk crate planter ready to receive them). The number of garlic cloves were more than the raised bed could handle, so the extras went into some containers; we'll see how that works out.

Fencing is to discourage Finn from treating this bed like a litter box

While not on the list, some dill seed ('Mammoth') was strewn around the spicebush, hopefully to attract swallowtail butterflies. And there is a pot ready for a tomato plant ('Sun Sugar') I purchased on impulse at Menards. The citrus plants at Tractor Supply tempted me, but I've been complaining about having too many houseplants, so I refrained.

This is the spring for flowering trees. I can't get enough of them (except for the Bradford pears).

'Perfect Purple' flowering crab, neighbor's flowering pear in the background

Redbud

'Prairie Fire' flower crab blossoms

One advantage of aging is one stops worrying so much about what other people think. An exception is my serviceberry specimens. They bloom at the same time as Bradford pear trees, but I hope no one thinks I actually planted the latter.

Around the yard:

Oak gall on witch hazel?

Milkweed!

We had some gale-force winds this past week. One day, a particularly athletic and daring squirrel took advantage of the wind to leap from the privacy fence to the sunflower feeder. Rather bodacious of him, if I do say so myself.

Aphids have legs?

My common milkweed plants, Asclepias syriaca, have aphids. They usually do, but this year it seems worse than usual. Should I be worried?

Common milkweed with a sooty mold outbreak

According to a recent essay in the Purdue Landscape Report, it depends. Oleander aphids (Aphis nerii), which is what I think my plants have, actually benefit monarchs by impairing the plant's defenses; larva will grow bigger faster. Oleander aphids are a bright yellow color and the hind legs are completely black.

Oleander aphids

In the past, I think I have also seen Aphis asclepiadis, Dogwood-milkweed aphid. They are slightly duller yellow than Oleander aphids, and the hind legs are not completely black. They are often attended by ants, which is what I have observed.

Oleander aphids, up close and personal

The good news for us lazy gardeners is no treatment is necessary. In fact, using chemicals will harm the monarch caterpillars more than the aphids. However, you can try to reduce the population by spraying with a stream of water. Or, like me, let the natural predators like ladybugs and wasps have their way with the aphids.

Few bugs anywhere

We enjoyed a picnic, swim, and hike at Metea Park on Independence Day. The pond was a bit shallow despite the recent rain, but I managed to do the breast stroke hither and yon, supported by a couple of pool noodles. (For some reason, I have no buoyancy.) Then we took a hike in the woods. We didn't need the bug spray I brought along, as there were basically no bugs. No mosquitoes, no deer flies, nothing besides a few gnats. I frequently lament the lack of bugs in my yard, especially pollinators, which I blame on lawn treatments, but it looks like it is an area-wide issue? Or not, as mosquitoes found me while I was visiting with the neighbors across the street in their backyard. They also have moles, while I do not. Go figure.

Eastern tiger swallowtail caterpillar at Metea

Coral fungus at Metea

The monarda on the south side of the house has brought out the bees, which I am happy to see.

The common milkweed in the same area is starting to bloom. Smells so sweet! I haven't seen any butterflies to speak of, but those red milkweed beetles are around.

The ironweed is just starting to bloom, so the rudbeckia can't be too far behind.

The blossoms have popped on the Buddleia 'Pink Microchip'. This little shrub likes growing in a container.

Besides the holiday, this week was week two of colorguard camp, so I was again busy chauffeuring my granddaughter. She won an award for being the hardest working "cadet". We watched her perform in the Three Rivers Festival parade yesterday, which marks the end of camp. Whew!

Have a festive week!