Increase your vegetable production by tucking in native flowers such as bee balm and echinacea (cone flowers) into the corners of your vegetable garden. Those native flowers will attract the pollinators you need for a successful crop, make your garden pretty to look at, and give the native pollinators - bees and butterflies - a welcome feeding station.
Parsley and dill are food for swallowtail caterpillars and so attract swallowtail butterflies. Add few extra ‘sacrificial’ plants in your flower garden or near your house to enjoy these beautiful creatures and applaud the young caterpillars as they chew through them.
Hand watering is the way to take care of your flower and vegetable gardens. Water early in the day to prevent diseases from taking advantage of the wet leaves. And, pick vegetables and flowers when the leaves are dry to avoid spreading any diseases that may have found their way onto your plants.
Usually, we get a lot of rain in the spring; it’s vital for all the trees and shrubs and perennials as they emerge from winter and send out flowers and leaves. This year we received virtually none. With the lack of rain, town watering restrictions have been issued earlier and with stricter rules. The Drought Monitor shows you where we are at the beginning of June. Two months ago, no part of the region was even ‘abnormally dry’.
Whenever you go out to garden, take a few seconds to spray all your clothing – not just below the knees, but on shirts and elsewhere – to deter ticks that want to jump on anything warm-blooded for their next meal. Use sprays that specify use of EPA-registered tick repellent ingredients. These include DEET, oil of lemon eucalyptus, and PMD.
May is the month to fertilize your perennials. They’re entering their growth cycle for their late spring and summer displays, and the fertilizer ‘boost’ will ensure a long and colorful display as you add the nutrients to bolster both root and flower production. But remember: when applying fertilizer, less is best.
