State of the Garden
May 16, 2011

Compost-Compost has been ordered and should be delivered soon. I'll put out an email as soon as I know it has arrived.
Straw-Lea is ordering some straw. We need a truck or trailer to deliver it. If you have one, or know of one that is available, let me know. Gas money is available for the person who can deliver.

Trash-The blue barrel by the south gate is for rocks only, not trash. There is a 5 gallon bucket in the back side of the shed for small trash. Big trash should be hauled off.

Baby plants-If you have extra plants that you can't use and would like to share, put them in the wooden box by the compost bin.

Reminder-Keep working on the thistle. It's really sprouting up. If you don't have time to dig, spray them with vinegar. In the shed there is a spray bottle and a gallon jug of vinegar. A couple of squirts will wilt those suckers. Even though they will resprout in a few days,  we may eventually make some headway.

Flower strips- If you haven't chosen flowers for your flower strip yet, consider planting a beneficial flower border. Below is a copy of an earlier post.  Most of the suggestions are perennials, but many annuals are also good.

Happy Gardening!
Jan

Flower borders: The flower border surrounding our garden is an excellent set up to attract beneficial insects to our garden. The insects are out there, they just need to be invited in. Beneficial insects are of 2 types-the pollinators and the predators that attack the "bad" bugs. A couple of principles to keep in mind for a beneficial border are: (1) a border that blooms the whole season; (2) a diversity (at least 3 species)  of flowers blooming at the same time; and (3) a grouping of flowers that is large enough to attract the insects, about 25 square feet. Below is a quick chart that I made up. It is by no means complete, but it might give those of you with flower strips a way to start thinking about what you will plant this summer.

Beneficial border

Early blooming	Middle blooming	Late blooming
Lupine Penstemon Spiderwort Baptesia Borage Catmnt Dandelions	Beebalm Gaillardia Lobelia Mint, catmint Purple coneflower Spiderwort Borage Lavender All the herbs: basil, thyme, marjoram , etc.	Asters Gaillardia Lobelia Mint, catmint Purple coneflower Sunflower Borage Cosmos Lavender Tithtonia (Mexican sunflower) Russian sage Sedum All the herbs: basil, thyme, marjoram , etc.