It's become clear to me through posts and PMs that there are some gardeners here just waiting for the chance to discuss gardening!
So, I was thinking... how do you use gardening, or how does it affect you if you need a break, need some respite, need to relax, need inspiration....how do you use it as a therapy tool in caregiving?
What are your activities: Do you go out and pull weeds, read a magazine, design new beds? Look through garden catalogues? Go to garden stores?
And what interests have you added to your gardening? Visit estate or garden displays? Do you go to garden shows?
Does anyone design and plant Knot Gardens? Raised bed planters? Assistive gardens? Pollinator gardens (and have you thought of ways to help the bees and butterflies?)
Are your gardens primarily for pleasure or food, or a mix of both? Do you grow plants for medicinal purposes? Which ones, how do you harvest and process them? Any suggestions?
Do you grow plants that can be used in crafts, such as grapevines for wreaths and lavender for lavender wands? Do you make herbal products such as creams, lotions, chapstick?
What else can you share about gardening and the means in which it nurtures your soul?
Copper isn't a pesticide, or is there a pesticide called copper?
Gotta love Google!
https://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7426.html
I have an old peach tree and an old apple tree in the yard next door, that I love for their hanging over the fence into my yard with their bounties.
Each season the peach gets its lovely pink blossoms,
then a set of leaves that quickly go all curly and weird (almost a fungus sort of look); these then drop
and a SECOND set of leaves come in that are lovely for the most part.
It always grows great tasting peaches which the squirrels are loathe to share with me.
I asked an orchardist about it long ago; he may have given me a name of the pest, and he said "Oh, needs it's spring spray of copper".
Noooooooo. No pesticides for my garden with all the wild birds and squirrels. So we make do.
My question is this:
If you live in warmer climes, not so damp and without seasons, not so without hot sun in summer--do your peach trees STILL suffer from whatever this pest is?
Just curious really, and thanks to any experts.
Dawn dishwashing liquid is a multi purpose item. I love it.
I have a nice patch of Johnny Jump Ups that come back year after year. 💐
My grandfather and my godmother grew spectacular roses. I never tried growing roses because I saw the amount of time and labor that was required.
My grandfather worked in his garden until he was quite old.
My godmother had to stop gardening. She had macular degeneration and eventually went blind. She had Alzheimer’s disease and died in a nursing home.
My godmother and my grandpa were very passionate about their gardens. My grandmother wasn’t interested in gardening at all. She preferred crocheting, knitting, embroidery, cooking and watching her soap operas.
Foxgloves don’t grow here, too hot, but I understand them to be the source for the heart medicine digoxin
I love johnny jump ups. They used to seed and pop up here and there in my beds. Wonderful colour!
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Those flowers in the article are very distinctive. In comparison to other flowers some people may find them to be unattractive.
If you have a hot, somewhat dry, sunny spot that needs a nice bushy, flowering all summer plant, try Tithonia-bright orange flowers with cheerful yellow centers. They bloomed very well for me in Philly.
Treating for Japanese beetles is tough. See if your local garden center has something called Milky Spore. It tends to be quite effective in controlling for the beetles. Do not bother with the beetle bag traps, which encourages other beetles to come into your yard to sniff at the attractant in the bag trap. Of course, you do not want more beetles in your yard. The robins got used to me picking them off plants or finding grubs in the soil and wait for me to toss 'em their way.
I've always grown organically, no chemicals, and an happy with the results. It's been a rough couple of years here with my husband who has dementia, getting back into the garden helps with the stress and I hope to keep doing it.
He had guests houses in his garden. He had a Japanese tea room. I loved his Japanese garden!
He had magnificent sculptures in other parts of his garden.
He had beautiful water features in some.
They are unique! Which ones did you like? Would you plant them if they grew in your area?
What would your dream garden be? I watched The Gardener documentary. That man had a true passion for gardening!
I believe that his property was 3rd or 4th generation. He traveled the world for inspiration. He was a fascinating man.
https://balconygardenweb.com/ugly-flowers-youd-like-to-grow-in-garden/
I love flowers but I totally agree that these are ugly flowers!
Zinnias are beautiful! I love the bright colors too.
"What’s a gardener’s favorite Beatles song?
Lettuce bee."
Do.it every year doesn't always work out but I like trying
Anyone else started vegetable seeds,?
What are you growing? 🙂
We have an insectarium that I haven’t gone to. My daughters have gone and said that they enjoyed it.
My oldest daughter loved frogs and lizards when she was little. She even loved snakes and asked for one. I said no to that request! My youngest daughter doesn’t like any of that! LOL 😆
My oldest daughter tried the chocolate covered ants and crickets at the insectarium. She liked them and said they are the food of the future! Lots of protein in crickets.
My youngest daughter grosses out with all bugs.
One of my nephews had snakes. My youngest daughter did have pet mice at one time. I was surprised that she wanted those. The older one had hamsters.
My mom hated my hamsters but she told my daughter that her mice were cute! Hahaha She adored her grandchildren so she accepted all of their pets.
(but I've never encountered them in plague like numbers either)
I usually don't really mind bugs as long as they mind their business and leave me alone. But, grasshoppers are something else again. I definitely learned what not to plant if I want to.keep the hoppers away. In an old house the previous owner loved mums and planted gobs of them! Well they attracted gobs of grasshoppers! BLECH!!
I can’t even imagine walking my grand dog downhill! As you say, they pull on the leash something awful.