A trillion cicadas

Nothing says August around here like the drone of cicadas. For the first time since 1803, Brood XIX, or the Great Southern Brood, and Brood XIII, or the Northern Illinois Brood, will appear together in an event known as a dual emergence. I'm not likely to see it, as northeast Indiana is not their home territory. It looks like Illinois and Missouri will be hit the hardest.

Do cicadas bite? No, nor do they sting. But they are lousy fliers and landers, so may become a slimy nuisance on streets and sidewalks. Don't let your pets gorge on them, though.

Cicadas are actually good for Mother Nature. They drill holes in the ground, thereby aerating soil (and my clay soil could use a LOT of that kind of help). The slits they make in trees cause "flagging", a natural pruning of trees; when the limbs start growing again, they will be stronger and yield heavier fruit. Dead cicadas make great fertilizer, so throw them into the compost bin or let them rot where they fall.

Whatever you do, DO NOT try to kill them, especially with sprays as you will kill other bugs that you want to keep around. Just let nature take its course.

(Most of this information came from this article in the New York Times and this one in Smithsonian Magazine.)

Brood XIII (blue dots) and Brood XIX (red dots). Gene Kritsky / Mount St. Joseph University

Closer to home, I've seen something emerging along the south side of the house. At first I thought it was some weed spreading rampantly. Then I remembered what it is: dame's rocket. Technically, it's invasive, but I find it rather easy to get rid of, but I don't. It's quite pretty when it blooms.

Dame's rocket - not pretty yet

The garage setup for the seedlings was not the best (plus I kept forgetting to turn the lights on and off). The past few days, I've been putting them outside once the temps are above 50 in the morning, taking them in before the temps fall below 50 in the evening. They are starting to put out "true" leaves.

I did a little research on spicebushes, as I was wondering why the landscaper planted only one in my backyard. To produce fruit, there needs to be both female and male plants. Mine appears to be a male, so I was wondering if I should get a female. The answer is no. Even though they are native, they tend to be invasive. Also, they grow to be 6-12 feet tall and wide, so one will take up quite a bit of room. It's for attracting the spicebush swallowtail, and they don't eat the berries.

Otherwise, I've been piddling about in the yard. The asters I planted last fall have survived. I've taken in the orange stakes that mark the edges of my driveway and sidewalk (didn't need them this past winter - sigh - I miss snow). The grass has been mowed a second time.

Can we have a new normal?

Since the pandemic started, many (NOT ALL) of us have been wishing and waiting until we can "get back to normal". Well, that old normal was not all that great, especially for some people and some places. I try to keep politics and social issues out of my blogs - that's not why I write - but some things just cry out to be mentioned. I hope the protests lead (peacefully) to significant change, and the only way to change things for the better is to get involved however we can (money, time, letter writing, running for office, etc.) and to VOTE. If you don't vote, it looks like you don't care, and I can't believe anyone doesn't care about how we move forward from this point. (End of sermon.)

I was beginning to think that the only critters I was going to see at the hummingbird feeder were ants. I fixed that problem by applying Vaseline petroleum jelly to the metal pole holding the feeder. Soon after, I spotted a female hummer. But only one. I didn't know if that was normal (it is), so I looked up some info about hummingbirds at this site. Some friends of mine have been able to spot hummingbird nests in their trees, but my ranch house does not offer the same vantage point their 2-story home does. Caring for a hummingbird feeder is almost like having another pet - the nectar needs to be replaced every 3-4 days. It's for only a few months (she said optimistically).

Speaking of critters, my dog Clio managed to mangle her muzzle and ear, presumably in the torn hardware cloth skirting the shed. That lead to a bacterial infection AND a fungal infection. She was a mess, had to visit the vet, and now wears the cone of shame.

My SO helped me update the skirting around the shed with some plastic trellis. Since I didn't want to lie awake at night, worrying about whether we trapped a nest of baby bunnies under the shed and they were slowly starving to death, we left a gap for critters to come and go. Only later did it occur to me that Finn, my inside/outside cat, could also come and go. Finn was a stray who developed a taste for baby bunnies - he eats them, doesn't torture them - so I decided that was okay. Maybe someday there will be NO critters under the shed.

In my effort to downsize the garden, I moved some of the raised bed frames so that they surround the clumps of big bluestem and rattlesnake master plants near the back of the yard. The idea is to offer the dogs a visual clue so that they don't trample the plants - they like to run along the fence. I, the Toro jockey, will also have a visual clue and will be able to mow that area without damaging said plants. I plan to move some coneflower and rudbekia to those beds as well.

So now I have four islands of weeds in the middle of the garden. The weeds look rather grasslike - I'm guessing it's mostly quack grass. Ugh. I am not looking forward to dealing with that.

Meanwhile, up on the deck, the strawflowers are blooming. The plants aren't very tall, so maybe I will add something to the pot...

...like some zinnias. The seedlings are popping up. Zinnias and sunflowers are some of my favorite annuals. And marigolds, but I skipped them this year.

I was looking through some of my photos out on flickr the other day and marveling over how much better they look than the ones I take now. Back then, I was making more of an effort to take good pics, now I am barely documenting what is going on in the yard, and then only as a reminder because I suffer from CRS (Can't Remember Sh*t). Maybe I'll do better once things get under control (HAHAHAHA).

Note to self - WAIT

I blame the weather. This year winter seemed interminable (and it isn't over YET!) To combat the February doldrums, I sowed some seeds. Now most of the seedlings are of a size for planting outdoors. Tonight's low is forecast to be 19 degrees. NINETEEN! Will winter ever end?!?

I repotted some of the more spindly seedlings, as they were root bound and depressed about it. I will probably repot more. I'm happy they are so robust but really wishing it were May, not April. That's assuming May will be warmer than April. A big assumption.

Actually, today wasn't too bad, once the temps climbed into the 30's, as there was little wind and much sunshine. I attacked the yucca mound, planning to try to do in about 3/4 of it. I got carried away, though, and whacked it all. The problem was the yucca was spreading, not only within its bed but to other beds. My fault, I fear, as once upon a time I witnessed a downy woodpecker pecking at the dry seed stalk, so I stopped removing the stalks when the blossoms were done. I never saw another downy woodpecker at the yucca, but many baby yuccas sprouted all around, presumably from seed. A friend told me once that she had tried tidying up her yucca by removing the dried lower leaves, but the plant died. I'm counting on that working here, as I removed ALL the leaves, green and otherwise, plus sawed off the crowns best I could. I'm hoping that will do the trick.

Now the bed looks open and inviting, so of course I am contemplating what I can plant there going forward. There is a purple leaf sand cherry and a blue false indigo at either end. Maybe a dwarf butterfly bush between them and/or yellow flowers like coreopsis, daylily, or Profusion zinnias? And maybe I will reshape the bed to make it easier to mow around. Suggestions?

Slow spring

I was hoping there would be more indicators of spring in the yard by now, but the weather is not cooperating (per usual). Nothing is blooming, not even the snow drops. Nothing more than last time is showing above ground. At least the rain/snow has stopped, for a while.

Inside, the seedlings are doing well. I gave them each a pinch of coffee grounds because I have a vague memory of reading that was a good idea. Today I thinned some of them and gave them each a pinch of granulated compost.

I did purchase a Havahart Above Ground Electric Fence Kit, from Lowes, to limit the dogs' ability to tear up the yard. I knew there would not be enough wire or posts in it, but Lowe's did not have any 17-gauge aluminum wire that was not coated, so a subsequent trip to Tractor Supply Co was required. I love roaming through TSC, looking at all that exotic-to-me farm stuff. In another life, I lived in the country and was even a stringer for the Farmer's Exchange for a few years, so visiting TSC is also somewhat nostalgic.

Today I broke open the Havahart kit and discovered right off the bat that the instructions are woefully inadequate. Thank goodness for YouTube. The kit in the video, though, is better than the one I got: it came with a tester and fence posts with a sharp end and integrated clips whereas my kit has no tester and the posts are green PVC pipe with holes for (included) cotter pins. Pretty cheap. While at TSC, I purchased more wire and some fiberglass posts with integrated clips; I think I'll get more posts, as I'm afraid the ones in the kit won't be tall enough for Legs (a.k.a. Clio).

As I'm sitting here, I'm thinking I just may return the Havahart kit to Lowe's and purchase the rest of what I need from TSC. Live and learn.

Timing

Lately, I have been congratulating myself for not starting my garden transplants too early. My rule of thumb regarding tomatoes and peppers is to transplant them only when night temperatures remain above 50 degrees. That is usually mid to late May. So, of course, we are experiencing those ideal temps NOW, when my plants are still a bit too bitty for transplanting.

Peppers, tomatoes, marigolds, calendula, hollyhock, Mexican sunflower, basil, kale, parsley, zinnias

Also, the garden fence is still not in place, so I am loathe to transplant the broccoli or plant anything a woodchuck might favor. And it is raining, which makes it difficult to do much of anything outside besides let the seedlings harden off. So maybe it is a good day to hit Home Depot and purchase some supplies, pot up the tomatoes, and hunker down until the sun shines again.

First cut

Friday and Saturday were perfect for yardening, but I was out of town. Fortunately, Sunday's rain held off long enough for me to mow and trim. Once those chores were done, so was I. It is hell getting old.

The extended cool temperatures are extending the bloom season for magnolias and daffodils. The hyacinth and grape hyacinth are up and at 'em, and the rhododendron and forsythia popped over the weekend. Everything is slowly awakening.

I feel like I am already falling behind, especially in the vegetable garden, but this week's forecast is a reality check: highs in the 50's, lows in the 30's. With few exceptions, it really is too early to plant seeds or transplant seedlings. In the meantime, there are plenty of other tasks to keep me occupied while I wait.

Inside, the seed starts are doing well. The population under the lights include Black Eyed Susan vine, broccoli, lettuce, peppers, tomatoes, zinnias, marigolds, hollyhocks, calendula, Mexican sunflower, basil, parsley. I decided to give the fish emulsion a try despite my misgivings, and the fishy aroma did not affect the cat.

And that is about all for now.

Home again, home again, jiggity jig

My SO and I just returned from a weeklong "family obligation" vacation to New England. I left my garden and seedlings in the care of my daughter and everything survived. It helped that it stayed cool for the duration of our travels and even rained a bit.

I managed to get one mowing in before leaving, so the property did not look abandoned upon our return. Most of the daffodils are done (and they did not put on much of a display to begin with, thanks to the extremely cold spring weather). The rhododendron popped, as did the service berry.

The "old" asparagus that I thought had succumbed to the winter temps has broken through, and I have been enjoying a daily dose. It is amazing how tender it is, fresh from the garden, even the grossly thick stalks. I'm glad I planted more this year.

I am also glad the Meyer lemon appears to be recovering. It did not bloom this year, which is fine with me because I was not going to let it bear fruit anyway. I just need to be more careful about watering and feeding it, so next year it can once again be fruitful.

(BTW, in the process of finishing the garden fence, I moved the bird feeders. Later, I saw the squirrel sitting on the fence, looking longingly at the now too distant feeders. Foiled!)

Baby steps

The weather has been fairly temperate recently (except for the wind), so the garden is progressing appropriately. The onions are hanging in there, presumably putting down roots, as the tops look less than stellar. The garlic and rhubarb have made an appearance....

This past week, I planted peas, snap peas, spinach, lettuce, and radishes. And the daffodils are in bloom.

One problem with gardening in raised beds is perennials have a tougher time withstanding the winter weather since their roots are not deep within the earth proper. So far, I have not had a problem with garlic, which I mulch heavily. Last fall, I neglected to mulch the the asparagus and strawberries, both of which look not-so-good this spring.

I'm not happy with the strawberries anyway - the everbearing variety didn't everbear - so I am replacing them with a June-bearing variety. In all fairness, the strawberry bed probably did not receive enough sun, so it will also be relocated.

The asparagus may have bit the dust, as it is showing no signs of life. I'm not very experienced with asparagus; maybe it is too early? Regardless, I decided to plant more asparagus, a purple variety, which I did yesterday. I also gave the 25 new plants more elbow room room than I gave the previous 20 plants in the current bed. The new bed is also in a sunnier location.

In the never ending battles against rabbits and groundhogs, my SO is helping me build (and by "helping", he is doing most of the work) a garden fence. The idea is to run hardware cloth from the bottom to prevent digging and chicken wire from the top to prevent climbing. There will also be no posts set in the ground, so I can move the fence if need be. (I seem to change my mind a lot about the yard.)

Under the oh-ye-of-little-faith category, I am happy to report that all the indoor seedlings sprouted, with the exception of the 'Abe Lincoln' tomatoes, which I replanted yesterday.

I was planning to plant potatoes and transplant blueberries today, but "they" are predicting snow a few days from now. My gardening muscles are suffering a bit, but not as bad as I expected. Although the back of my neck felt like it was getting burned yesterday, it's not.

How does your garden grow?

Mem'ries

Last night, while making a butt dent on the sofa, I kept hearing these odd noises.  It took a while, but I finally identified them as wind, rain, and thunder.  I had forgotten what they sound like, all mixed together.  The storm got going in earnest after lights out, when I was reminded of something else:  my dog hates thunder.  She trembles, pants, and drools when it storms.  Not very conducive to sleep.

The zinnias look healthy and happy, when I remember to keep them watered.

The Italian parsley has germinated, too.  Compared to the zinnias, the parsley seedings are spindly and small.

I finished cutting down the ornamental grasses and planned to do some pruning, but the weather is not cooperating.  So, time to focus on indoor things.  Like assembling the furniture cluttering up the West Wing - there is no room for yoga!  And making arrangements to pick up my new cabinet, which requires the borrowing of the neighbor's truck.  And if I am going to borrow the truck, I might as well order that freezer so I can pick that up as well.  And get rid of the old non-working freezer in the garage.  And maybe the lawn mower will be ready for pickup by then.  Yup, it is definitely time to get into gear.