May 26, 2020, wetting my plants

Hi gardeners

Alliums

I was outside at 9 am trying to get all my hoses working so I could water everything I planted the last few days. It was already miserably hot. We go from one extreme to the other here, poor plants. I moved most of my houseplants outside over the weekend too, and some of them needed water already.

So much to do this time of year.  I still have cucumbers on the deck waiting to be planted. Hopefully I will get to them tonight after it cools down.  It’s sunny, humid and 92 degrees as I write this. I have health problems that make working in this heat really hard. I managed to get most things planted but there are weeds everywhere, grass to be mowed and trimmed, bird feeders to be filled and so much more to get done. May is always like this. I can’t wait to get to the sitting on the deck part of summer.

Things are really popping now. The lilacs are starting to bloom. They smell so good. The magnolia, redbud, flowering quince and apple trees are in bloom.  Sweet woodruff, alliums, mayapple and camassia are blooming. Violets and star of Bethlehem are popping up in the grass. The heat has done away with the tulips and daffodils.  But the heat has greatly improved the growth of the hosta.

The alliums are pretty in bloom but by the time they start to bloom the foliage always looks really bad, yellow and limp. It needs to be pulled out, but time is scarce. That and the way they spread everywhere makes me not too inclined to plant any new varieties, even though deer don’t eat them.

I had a disappointment with a plant shipment this week and I am going to mention names. I ordered from Springhill Nurseries, and one of the things I ordered was a large flowered white clematis I wanted to train on the ramp railings. They substituted a 3 in 1 butterfly bush, without notifying me. (It was 3 tiny plants in one 2-inch pot, that’s how they get 3 colors in one “planting”).  That’s not exactly comparable to a clematis vine.  Another type of clematis I could see substituting, but not that. 

And I ordered early, when things were in stock, yet by the time they got to shipping for my area evidently stock was gone.  That’s happened to me before with this and other companies, and I think companies should review that process. People who order early should have what they order reserved until it can be shipped to them instead of filling later orders first because their shipping dates are earlier. Ok rant done.

Myths about watering plants outside

Gardeners often wonder what time of day is best to water their gardens. The short answer is when you have time to water them. Most plants don’t care when they are watered as long as you get them water before they wilt. Morning, midday, or evening can all be used to water plants.

If you worry about watering plants midday when the sun is shining, because you were told it burns the leaves of plants, try this experiment. Choose an established plant in full sun. Water it, making sure you get water on the leaves. Come back in 24 hours and see if it looks burned. It won’t.  Plain water won’t burn leaves in the sun, just as it won’t burn your skin when you get splashed standing in the sun.

Think about it. How many times have you seen the sun come out right after a summer storm? How many times have you seen dew on plants as the sun rises? Water droplets do not burn leaves. When its very hot and dry a midday watering may cool plants beneficially. Some plants in pots and small raised beds may actually need midday watering in hot weather if you don’t want to kill them.

Now if you were spraying soaps, oils, alcohols, fertilizers or pesticides with the water you might have a problem.  Some of these might burn plants when applied in the sun. Read label directions. Or don’t apply anything but plain water in the sun if the foliage will get wet.

It is wise to water early enough in the evening that plants dry off before it gets dark. This prevents the foliage from remaining wet all night, which can promote fungal disease. Watering after dark, unless it’s drip irrigation, is probably not the best idea either.

Drip irrigation, or watering at the base of plants is good, but for most plants overhead watering is also good. That’s how nature waters plants after all. The leaves of many plants are designed to funnel water down to the plant’s base. Watering at the plant base does conserve water better if that is a concern. For plants like tomatoes and some other plants prone to fungal problems keeping water off the foliage may help prevent those diseases, although it’s no guarantee.

If you have a pot or container that’s very full of foliage, be aware that the foliage may shed water over the side of the pot/container, rather than wetting the soil. This can happen in a natural rain or overhead watering. These containers must be watered at the base of plants- making sure water gets into the soil.

So – how often should you water?  Different species of plants have different water needs. Look up your species and make decisions on that. Weather plays a crucial role here too. If you get an inch of rain a week most established plants in the ground probably won’t need watering.  But check them often in dry weather.

Containers need more watering than plants in the ground. That could be more than once a day in some cases. If a plant is wilting and the soil feels dry, water it as soon as possible. Be aware that in very hot weather some plants may wilt even if the soil is moist. They just can’t take up enough water. They generally recover overnight.

Remember plants will also wilt if they are too wet and the roots rot.  Containers must have good drainage, no exceptions. Gardens should not be situated in flood prone or wet, poorly drained areas unless plants are chosen that prefer those conditions.

Immediately after transplanting plants need to be watered more frequently, even trees and shrubs or drought tolerant perennials.  In hot, dry, windy weather check newly planted plants daily and water if they look droopy and the soil feels dry.

You might need more water in the long range if you water in the morning, because some of that water is going to evaporate. But morning watering, evening/late afternoon and midday watering are all fine for plants.  It’s a personal opinion, and most gardeners seem to choose a “side” and then vigorously defend it. Water when you prefer to do so.

Plants for Butterfly Gardens

Butterfly on tithonia

Plants that attract butterflies are very popular right now. Gardeners generally love butterflies (except for the few who actually damage our garden plants) and want to attract more butterflies to the garden. There are some interesting and beautiful moths that are also fun to watch. When you want to attract butterflies, you need to provide both plants they sip nectar from, and plants they lay their eggs on, called host plants.

You don’t have to plant only native plants to attract butterflies and moths.  While there are a few specialist butterflies who only prefer one “host” plant (the plant they lay eggs on) many butterflies accept several host plants and most visit a number of plants for nectar. Some of our butterflies are themselves introduced species so they are flexible in food and egg laying resources. When glancing through any butterfly and moth identification guide, you’ll often notice that many of the plants that they prefer to get nectar from or lay eggs on are non-native weeds or garden flowers.

Many butterflies prefer flowers that have flat surfaces, or that have short nectar tubes although a few butterflies and moths are drawn to flowers with long tubes. Butterflies and moths seem drawn to colorful, bright flowers like yellow, orange, red and pink. Some also like purple or blue flowers. Night flying moths prefer white flowers. Butterflies seem to prefer flowers in the sun, although they sometimes visit shade flowers. 

When you want to attract butterflies and moths to your garden you should provide colorful nectar flowers in large patches of the same color, rather than as individual dots of color here and there. Host plants for caterpillars should also be in patches.  One large buddleia can provide a good patch of color but for maximum attraction you’d want to plant a lot of marigolds.

Scent in flowers is not as important to butterflies as it is for bees. Some butterflies and moths don’t eat at all as adults, some only sip at mineral enriched mud, some prefer rotten fruit or sap, and some are even carnivorous. And even in this advanced scientific world we don’t know what nectar plants and host plants that some of the rarer species of butterflies and moths prefer.

A patch of mud, especially with a little manure mixed in, and some soft fruit like a mushy banana, a slice of melon, soft strawberries on a plate somewhere can increase the number of species attracted to your garden.  But beware soft fruit can attract bees and hornets as well as flies.

Butterfly feeders also exist in which you place sugar water like a hummingbird feeder, but they are not that effective in attracting butterflies and will attract a lot of bees, hornets and ants too. It’s probably best to stay natural and use plants to attract butterflies.

If you wish to attract butterflies and moths, you’ll have to decide if you are willing to tolerate some plants that are considered weeds and that may not be very attractive to the human eye. You can choose only pretty garden flowers but that will limit what species are attracted. One idea is to let one area of your property grow the weedy plants, maybe one that can be hidden a bit, and keep the prettier plants in the garden.

There are some plants that will attract the maximum number of harmless butterflies and moths in a list below. Some may be both nectar sources for adult butterflies and moths and host plants for caterpillars.  A good identification guide will often tell you if a rare species of butterfly or moth has been seen in your county and what host and nectar plants it prefers. You may be able to add these plants to your garden also. 

Plants such as cabbage, that might attract butterflies or moths, but those butterflies or moths would be unwelcome, aren’t mentioned. No garden can probably add all these plants but try to add as many of the listed plants to your garden as possible. Remember patches of the same plant are better than singles. The plants on the list below are mainly northeastern and midwestern plants, but many are good for other places as well. They are not all native plants.

Swallowtail on a lily

Butterfly nectar and host plants

Anise hyssop

Asters, native species and cultivars

Baby’s breath

Baptisia

Bee balm- monarda, all kinds- bergamot

Bearberry

Beech

Beggars Ticks- bidens- any kind

Black eyed Susans, rudbeckia species

Blackberries

Blueberries

Black cherry, choke cherries

Black locust

Bog rosemary (Andromeda glacophylla)

Boneset

Buddleia- butterfly bush

Burdock

Buttonbush- Cephalanthus occidentalis

Calibrachoa (Million bells)

Campion

Catnip

Ceanothus sanquineus (wild lilac)

Cheese mallow

Clovers of all kinds- gardeners may want some of the ornamental crimson/reds

Columbine, all kinds

Crown vetch

Currants

Daisies of any kind, wild and domestic

Dame’s rocket

Dandelions

Dill

Dogbane

Fireweed

Fleabane

Grasses- native and non-native, bluestem, bentgrass, Bermuda, beardgrass, lovegrass, panic grass and others – caution- many butterflies, skippers and moths that favor grasses are pretty but are considered pest species.

Goldenrod

Gooseberry

Hawkweed, orange and yellow

Hollyhocks

Honey locust

Honeysuckle, native and non-native

Hops

Iris versicolor

Ironweed

Joe Pye Weed

Knapweed

Knotweed- small species of Persicaria or Polygonum not Japanese Knotweed, which does attract butterflies but is banned in many areas.

Labrador Tea

Lambsquarters

Lantana

Leadplant

Lobelia

Lupines

Pearly everlasting

Phlox, both native species and domesticated cultivars

Pigweed

Butterfly on calibrachoa

Plantain

Mapleleaf viburnum

May apple

Milkweed- Butterfly weed- Asclepias species

Mints of any type

Mustard/rape, Brassica kaber

Nettles (Urtica species)

New Jersey tea

Oaks – native species

Oregano

Passionflower

Paw Paw

Prickly Pear cactus

Privet

Purple loosestrife (yes, many butterflies like it)

Purslane

Queen Anne’s Lace

Redbud

Rockcress

Sassafras

Self-heal

Senna (cassia)

Sheep sorrel (Rumex)

Shrubby cinguefoil (Potentilla) all kinds

Spicebush

Staghorn sumac, other sumacs

St. John’s wort

Strawberries, all kinds

Sunflowers, all kinds

Teasel

Tickseed

Tithonia

Toadflax

Thistles, bull, Russian, all kinds

Vervain

Vetches, all kinds

Violets, all kinds

Wild plum, Prunus americana

Willows

White pine

Wisteria, native or Chinese

Yarrow- all types

Zinnias

This is not a complete list of all the plants that butterflies utilize.  Many tropical plants put outside in summer also attract them and many other annuals and perennial flowers get at least some attention from them.  A colorful garden with a variety of species and letting the garden edges go a little wild will do wonders to attract butterflies and moths.

Let’s Give Dame’s Rocket Permanent Legal Status

It’s late spring and the beautiful spicy sweet scent of dame’s rocket is wafting through the evening air. It’s pretty purple, pink and white flowers are covered with bees and butterflies. But I know on some webpage somewhere people are being called to action against the lovely dame’s rocket.  “It’s a noxious invasive plant” they holler, “we must pull it all up- join us for a workday pulling this invasive plant!”

 

Butterfly on Dames rocket

How ridiculous this is. Dame’s rocket, Hesperis matronalis, has been on this continent almost as long as European people and as long as dandelions, stinging nettles, apples, earthworms and honeybees.  It was a cottage garden flower that also served as an early source of spring greens and it was as carefully planted here by early European settlers as roses, apples and cabbages. This is one immigrant that fully deserves permanent legal status.

Stinging nettles, Urtica dioica, are ugly, and cause a painful rash to someone who accidently brushes against them or tries to pull them. Their pollen is extremely allergenic. They get 6 feet tall and spread rampantly. They are considered to have medicinal properties and that’s why they were carried over here by European settlers, just like dame’s rocket. But unlike dame’s rocket no one seems to be on a mission to find and destroy stinging nettles, except me. I destroy them every chance I get.

Dame’s rocket looks rather like phlox, both the native woodland phlox and the phlox of cultivated gardens. It is in the mustard family however and has 4 flower petals instead of five like phlox. Its leaves are arranged alternately on the stem rather than opposite each other as in phlox.

Dame’s rocket is considered to be either a short-lived perennial or biannual plant. It spreads by seed, which is produced in long narrow pea pod like structures. Dame’s rocket is found in most of the Eastern half of the country, southeast Canada and a few places further west.

Yes, dame’s rocket escaped early gardens and popped up in unexpected places. You’ll see the tall clusters of beautiful fragrant flowers in shades of lavender, pink and white blooming along roadsides and ditch banks in late spring. Many a gardener has stopped and collected some for their own garden. They bring beauty to otherwise dull and disturbed areas.

If you want to keep dame’s rocket in your garden, you’ll need to let plants go to seed, then watch for and protect the young plants that pop up in late summer. These are the plants that will flower next spring. The plants that flowered this year will die. In my garden dames rocket moves around a bit, depending on where the seeds fall. I do not find it invasive at all, it has never taken over the garden.

Dame’s rocket is loved by bees and butterflies. The larvae of many native butterflies and moths have adapted to eating it and it is considered a good host plant for several species. In Europe it is still a garden plant, and double flowered varieties and other strains exist. So why is there such an animosity against it by some in the “native only” crowd?

Dame’s rocket isn’t poisonous, nor does it cause an awful stinging rash if you touch it. It doesn’t spread disease or damage agricultural crops. Its only crime is to occupy space that some misguided people feel should be occupied by other plants, native plants. And here’s the funny thing about that. The places you see dame’s rocket growing are not natural, undisturbed environments. They are generally found in places already changed drastically by man and aren’t crowding out native plants.

In many disturbed areas native plants would struggle to grow and if dame’s rocket wasn’t there some other more unpleasant invader might be. Apple trees also pop up, sometimes along nature trails, busy freeways and parking lot and retention pond edges. They occupy space that could be occupied by native trees. But have you ever seen a campaign to eradicate these alien invasive plants?

I love dames rocket and do what I can to keep it blooming here on my property. I don’t judge plants by their country of origin, just by their beauty and usefulness.  I think the perfume industry should look into turning the fragrance of dame’s rocket into a new scent, “eau de alien” maybe. And for those who like spring greens try growing dames rocket in the vegetable garden.

When someone urges you to take action against dame’s rocket, simply because it’s occupying space they feel belongs to some other plant, tell them to stop interfering with nature. Nature knows how to heal damaged environments and provide for creatures in the web of life. Tell them to go pull dandelions and stinging nettle and cut down wild apple trees instead. 

Skillet fried asparagus

Asparagus is available in local farmers markets in May up to late June.  It’s also easy to grow this vegetable in home gardens.  But asparagus is a little tricky to cook.  If you enjoy this spring treat here’s a recipe to try.

Some asparagus needs to be peeled before cooking.  If the stems are larger in diameter than a pencil they are probably a bit tough and need to be peeled. To peel, simply slice off a thin layer of outer skin with a paring knife up to the start of the tip area.

Ingredients

       

2 pounds of asparagus stalks

8 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

Peel asparagus and slice very thinly, diagonal slices work best; slices should not be more than a 1/4 inch thick.  Par-boil slices by putting them in a colander and dipping them into boiling water for 1 minute. Drain well and pat dry with paper towels.

Heat butter in a frying pan with soy sauce and lemon juice. When the butter is bubbling add the asparagus slices. Stir and toss until they are crisp and the butter lightly browned. Will serve 4-6.

Some people look for a beautiful place. Others make a place beautiful.

- Hazrat Inayat Khan

 Kim Willis

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May 19, 2020 lilacs and burgundy starry sky

I am watching the sun try to come out and hoping it makes it. After several days of needed rain, I am ready for some sun again. The garden liked the rain though. The plants are looking perky and growing quickly.

I made my big trip to the greenhouse Thursday. It was raining and I thought there would be fewer people out, but I was wrong. Lots of people had the same idea. I picked up a lot of plants, all my car could easily carry, because I don’t want to make another trip.  I got annuals, plants for making baskets, perennials that struck my eye and some veggie plants too. I knew we had a rainy weekend coming and that’s good for planting and holding plants until you can plant them.

Saturday was a good day for planting, and I got about half of what I bought in the ground or in pots. But I also had some mail order plants come that needed planting and I wanted to move the plants off the porch and outside to wait for that wonderful rain. Sunday and yesterday I managed to get some more things planted between showers but I still have a lot to do.

All my “unheated porch” plants are now outside. That’s the pots of over wintering bulbs, geraniums, two huge jasmine plants and ginger. Next week when the deck is cleared of things that need to be put in the ground, I’ll start moving the houseplants outside. I have sweet corn seed to plant too. Then there’s mowing and trimming that needs doing. It’s a busy time.

The redbud and magnolia are beginning to bloom. Every time I step out the door I smell the delightful scent of clove viburnum in bloom. I love that smell. The tulips look nice now and there are still a few daffodils in bloom. Creeping phlox is in bloom. Forget me nots are still blooming.

Have you seen the burgundy version of the petunia 'Night Sky'? ( 'Starry Sky Burgundy') It’s a deep burgundy color with white blotches and it’s stunning. I bought just one plant and I want to give it a prominent place and see how it holds up this summer. I bought a pink version last year I ended up not caring much for. I have been buying 'Night Sky' since they brought it out.

I’m kind of a petunia junkie. I walk down the greenhouse aisle and there are so many beautiful ones.  I only have limited space for petunias, so I need to make choices but it’s hard. I found this other petunia that’s sort of a blend of rose and brown, hard to describe, that I had to have, now I am deciding what I am going to do with it. And then there was the pretty blue variety called “Denim” and the rose ones with a white throat – and so on.

I bought some nemesia to use this year in pots. I haven’t grown that in a long time. And I bought a number of different types of fuchsia since I discovered that they bloom all winter inside. Not that I need more plants inside but still, they are so pretty.

Those daffodil flowered tuberous begonias I bought earlier in the spring and potted up are just now beginning to sprout.  I also found a big tuber I planted of some sort, a mystery tuber, that’s sprouting and I didn’t label it.  As soon as the leaves unfurl a bit the mystery should be solved.

The hummingbirds are finally back. All of the bird feeders have been being emptied at an astonishing rate. It’s that time of year. I noticed that Rose Breasted Grosbeaks and Purple house finches are joining the orioles and hummingbirds at the nectar feeders and at the jelly feeder. And I saw an oriole eating suet too. 

It’s hard for me to get suet right now, I order it with every grocery order by the case, but they don’t always put it in the order. It’s too expensive to mail order it. I believe in feeding suet all year round because it attracts a lot of different birds you don’t normally see.    

Memorial Day weekend is the upcoming one.  It’s a traditional time to get the garden planted and it looks like for most of the country it will be a good planting weekend.  I hope everyone gets all the garden time they want. Remember- stay safe – social distance.

 Starry Sky Burgundy

  

Moving Houseplants outside

I strongly believe that almost all plants benefit from a summer outside, just as our children and pets benefit from being outside.  It’s a personal decision of course and there are situations where moving houseplants outside isn’t practical. Some very tender or very valuable plants may be better left inside and some people feel the indoor environment needs plants as well as the outside.

When the plants are in office or commercial settings it might be hard to move them in and out.  People who live in apartments may not be able to give their plants a vacation.  But when they can be moved outside into a suitable environment there’s nothing better for plants than to be outside.

After a few weeks in the right location your plants will be glowing with health. The wind strengthens the stems and rains wash away dust.  They may put out lots of new growth. A few months outside will allow them to survive all those winter months inside much better.

Transitioning inside plants to outside

A successful transition to summer outside for the plants takes a bit of care and planning. The dangers of frost and freezing should be over of course, but some plants also require even warmer conditions before they are happy outside. Know your plant’s requirements for warmth. 

Even plants that like bright light and were in good sunlight from a window or under grow lights can be harmed if they are placed in direct sunlight immediately. The UV rays from the sun are much stronger outside than when they shine through a window.  I admit I have burnt some plants by moving them into sun faster than they were able to acclimate. The damage will show up as white blotches on leaves or browned areas. In most cases plants recover and replace the damaged leaves but you want to avoid this trauma if you can.

Choose a shady spot to move plants into for a few days. If you know there’s a stretch of mild but cloudy or rainy days ahead it’s the perfect time to move plants outside, but even then move them into shade first. It’s not good to move inside plants outside when it’s very hot, windy and dry.

Wind is a shock to plants kept indoors also. Make sure your acclimation area is sheltered from strong winds. Keep the plants well- watered for a few days to help them adjust. Many houseplants don’t do well in a continuously windy area outside after acclimation either. Banana leaves for example are often shredded in windy locations. Siting them against fences or buildings may help.

After an acclimation period of a few days some plants can take full sun. Those include citrus and other potted fruit trees, hibiscus, brugmansia, rosemary, other herbs, geraniums, desert type cacti, mums, mini roses, poinsettia, amaryllis, some palms and croton.

Some plants though, will never be able to go into full sun conditions outside.  Those plants may surprise you- many succulents, kalanchoes, jades, your Christmas and other forest cacti, Norfolk pine, philodendrons, pothos, streptocarpus, calathea, prayer plants, ferns, ficus, fuchsia, schefflera, some dracaena, cordyline, rex begonia, and many others cannot take full sun even after an acclimation period. They will need filtered shade or partial shade for the summer. Most people don’t move African violets and orchids outside but if you do, they need partial shade to full shade.

You may have to move some plants several times to keep up with shifting seasonal light or because they don’t seem happy with the spot they are in. If they are wilting frequently or the leaves seem scorched, you need to move them to a shadier place.  If they look spindly, get “leggy” and are pale green they may need just a bit more light. But once you find the right location for the plant you will know it by how healthy the plant looks.

Care of houseplants outside

Make sure to keep an eye on the water needs of plants you move outside. Some pots will need watering frequently outside, especially those in sunnier locations. All pots outside need to drain well, you may have to lift them up off the ground a little for good drainage. Try putting a few small stones under the pot, making sure not to block drain holes. Plants on patios and decks may also need a slight elevation off the surface.

Check pots after a spell of really wet weather to make sure pots aren’t too wet. If you can’t improve the drainage try turning the pot on its side and elevating the bottom slightly. This may allow water to drain off the top. If pots can drain well too much rain is rarely a problem.

Fertilize plants while they are outside for the summer if you want good growth and bloom. Stop fertilizing about a month before your expected first frost and before you bring the plants back inside.

People worry about houseplants picking up insects outside, but some insect problems are eliminated or controlled by moving plants outdoors.  Outside natural enemies can find the pests.  Wind and rain wash and blow them away. I rarely find that houseplants are bothered by insects like Japanese beetles when they go outside. While it’s true insects may be carried inside after plants are outside for the summer they can be treated just before the move back inside to lessen the threat.

Ideas for using houseplants outside

Many houseplants can be worked into summer container gardens. Spider plants for example, can be used in place of spikes in containers. (Actually, the dracaenas sold as spikes make good houseplants and can be kept from year to year if moved inside before frost.) Small ficus or palm trees can also provide height in containers. Philodendron, pothos and bridal veil can be “spillers” from containers.

Shade gardens can have Norfolk pines added to provide texture and height or rex begonias can be added for color. Cacti and succulents may be worked into rock gardens. Of course, things like geraniums and hibiscus are excellent for porches and patios.

If you intend to bring plants back inside in the fall you may want to leave them in pots and sink the pots into the ground or the potting medium in a container. This makes it easier to move them in the fall.

Your houseplants enjoy a summer vacation as well as you do.  If you can indulge them, you’ll make them healthier and nicer looking.

 Plants that don't control mosquitoes

Have you seen or heard that keeping certain plants on the porch or planting them in the garden will keep mosquitoes away? The plants you see in memes on social media will not work to repel mosquitoes if you simply sit near them or plant them in gardens. This includes various mints and lemon balm, lavender, rosemary, catnip, citronella, lemon grass, garlic, sage, ageratum, marigolds, scented geraniums often marketed as “mosquito plants”, bee balm and other plants commonly suggested in memes online. THESE PLANTS DON’T REPEL MOSQUITOES.

In fact, so many garden plants are said to be mosquito repellents that we shouldn’t have any mosquitoes around most gardens. But as many of you have probably found out, it’s a waste of time and money to plant these things to repel mosquitoes and a danger to your health to rely on these plants to keep mosquitoes away.

Some of the above plants may have some effect on repelling mosquitoes if they are made into essential oils or other “potions” and applied to the skin, but they don’t repel mosquitoes simply because you are near them. Some plants can be burnt, and the smoke will repel mosquitoes to some extent but sitting in smoke isn’t exactly good for anyone. And the plants listed above are not the plants in which burning leaves is effective.

Research has shown some small repellant effect of certain potted tropical plants, generally on one or two species of mosquitoes. These plants include blue or African basil, tree basil, L. uckambensis or fever tea, and Lantana camara. Lantana can be found in garden centers, but it is also poisonous, considered to be an invasive plant and only about 27% effective in repelling mosquitoes. I’ve provided some references at the bottom of this article.

By the way there are no plants that keep ticks, ants, cockroaches, flies, spiders or mice away either, by simply planting them around the house or garden. If you want to use the folklore simply to convince someone to plant a certain plant, fine, but they may doubt your wisdom in the future.

Most people who advocate this stuff don’t even use it themselves, they just repeat what they have read. Believe me the art of repelling and killing mosquitoes has been widely studied all over the world for a long time. And science tells us mosquitoes just don’t care about what plants you are growing on the patio or in the garden.

This is the worse kind of folklore and internet hogwash because it can cause severe illness and death when people think this stuff is true and they get a disease from a mosquito bite. It should be illegal to allow clickbait articles or memes that promote this, since it’s a matter of public health. If you see such a meme or link click on it and report it as false news or misinformation.

What does repel mosquitoes

If you have no problem applying make-up, sunscreen, or using over the counter allergy medications you should have no problem using a good commercial mosquito repellant on your skin. Deet is the most studied insecticide in the world and has been used for over 50 years. It is a synthetic chemical product but if label directions are followed it is extremely safe, probably safer than some sunscreens and many types of make-up. Since mosquitoes can carry deadly diseases, keeping them from biting you is extremely important. 

To keep from getting bitten the CDC suggests using these products on your body and clothing. Products with DEET including Off!, Cutter, Sawyer, and Ultrathon brands. DEET also repels ticks.

Some other recommended mosquito repellants are products with Picaridin, also known as KBR 3023, such as Bayrepel, and icaridin, Cutter Advanced, and Skin So Soft Bug Guard Plus. Products with IR3535 such as Skin So Soft Bug Guard Plus, (another formula), Expedition, and SkinSmart are also good.  Products with oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or para-menthane-diol (PMD) such as Repel are fairly effective. Some mosquitoes bite right through clothes so a repellant safe to use on clothing should be sprayed over clothing in high population areas.

Interestingly one research project found that using Victoria’s Secret Bombshell perfume repelled mosquitoes. The ingredients are secret, so we don’t know what causes the effect. However, you would have to apply it all over your exposed skin and it’s expensive.  I actually tried this as an experiment but didn’t notice any difference in mosquito activity.

Along with repellant, wear long sleeves and pants when working in mosquito infested areas, especially at dawn and dusk and on cloudy days. There are nets you can wear over a hat that can protect your face from mosquitoes. Sunny windy days make good days to garden without major mosquito problems.

You may want to avoid floral scents on your body and clothes and drinking alcohol before going out to garden. Research has indicated these things attract more mosquitoes. And here’s a funny fact I found out about mosquitoes- they are attracted to the smell of limburger cheese. Scientists found that the cheese produces a bacterium very similar to that produced by dirty, sweaty human feet, so similar that it fools mosquitoes. And since mosquitoes like the smell of dirty, sweaty feet it might be good to keep your feet cool and clean while gardening.  

If you are sitting on the porch resting after gardening, one of the most effective and safe mosquito repellants is a simple box fan, with the air turned right on you. Mosquitoes won’t fly into a strong “wind”. This is very safe and effective when protecting infants from mosquitoes.

Keep Bt products (Mosquito “dunks” or “bits”) in any water features to kill mosquito larvae. These are harmless to pets, wildlife and people. They may kill the larvae of some other water creatures like mayflies, so don’t add them to natural bodies of water. Or add some small fish to water features. Empty bird baths, pet dishes and other containers of standing water frequently. Keep screens on rain barrels. Keep long vegetation mowed around the house.

Don’t fall for the ads, or social media memes that have you buying and planting various things in the garden and around the house to repel mosquitoes. Mosquitoes aren’t just a nuisance; they are a health threat. Don’t rely on old wives’ tales and cheerful nonsense to keep you safe, rely on science and common sense.

More information, references

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3059459/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15228722

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/10/151029101456.htm

http://www.entsoc.org/press-releases/researchers-compare-natural-mosquito-repellents-deet

All the Lovely Lilacs

Nothing can top the lovely fragrance of lilacs as spring begins to slip into summer. Lilacs are a symbol that planting season is in full swing, they are a phenological sign that warm weather plants can emerge or be planted. When the lilacs are in full bloom in your area it’s generally safe to plant things that can’t stand cold or frost.

Originally from colder areas of Asia and Europe, lilacs were one of the first plants that early settlers brought to America. They are grown around the world in temperate climates. Lilacs are so hardy and easy to grow that they often persist for hundreds of years after the person that planted them is gone, as many old abandoned farmsteads can attest. While considered old fashioned by some, lilacs are one of the most planted landscape shrubs in North America.  

The large old-fashioned common bush lilacs, Syringa vulgaris, make good privacy screens and hedges. Common lilacs grow best in zones 3-7. Most are quite fragrant, they come in several colors and have heart shaped leaves.

Tree lilacs, Syringa reticulata subsp. reticulata, make excellent specimen trees as they have interesting bark and fall color as well as white flowers. Tree lilacs have oval shaped leaves. They boom later than common lilacs and the blooms have a slightly different scent than common lilacs. Tree lilacs don’t grow well in hot climates, zone 7 is the limit.

There are dwarf and compact varieties of lilacs generally from the species Syringa pubescens, that can be used in foundation plantings and in perennial beds. Syringa x chinensis, a hybrid lilac is somewhat more compact than common lilac and has oval shaped leaves with rose purple flowers.

Gardeners in planting zones 8 and above may want to try and find Syringa persica, Persian lilac, which tolerates heat better than other lilacs. It has purple flowers and lance shaped leaves.

Lilac flowers range from lilac to deep wine-red, pink, white and light yellow. There are now some lilacs with bi-color flowers. Lilac flowers are born in large clusters in late spring.  As they age the flowers may become lighter in color.

Most common lilacs have that wonderful lilac scent, but beware; some varieties have little or no fragrance. Lilacs bloom for only a short time, so to prolong the heavenly scent; you can plant several varieties that bloom at different times.

Growing Lilacs

Choose the site for your lilac carefully as they resent being transplanted.  Although they root easily, they may not bloom for several years after being moved. Lilacs need full sun for the best bloom and disease resistance. They prefer light sandy soil that is slightly alkaline and well drained. They may not bloom well if the soil is too acidic and may fail to grow in heavy, wet soil.

Common lilacs can get 15 feet high and wide, so make sure the spot where you plant them will be big enough for their adult size. If you are using lilacs as a hedge or screen, plant lilacs 6-10 foot apart.

Transplant lilacs in a cool period of the year; early spring before they leaf out is ideal. Keep them watered while they get established. Too much nitrogen will cause lilacs to have lots of leaves and few flowers, use a little 5-10-10 fertilizer in the early spring if the plant seems to need a boost.

Lilac problems

Lilacs sometimes get powdery mildew, a fungal disease that makes the lilac leaves look like they were dusted with white powder. While it looks bad, it doesn’t affect the lilac plant too much. You can use a garden fungicide as a preventative spray once the weather starts getting warm. Planting lilacs in full sun and spacing them so there is good airflow around them helps prevent powdery mildew.

Another problem of lilacs is lilac borer.  If lilac stems seem to be wilting, check them for tiny holes.  This usually affects older, woody stems.  If you find holes, trim that stem off as close to the ground as you can and destroy it. Pruning the oldest stems off lilacs helps prevent lilac borers from being attracted to your bush. You can also treat the lilac with a systemic insecticide to kill borers.

Pruning Lilacs

Lilacs bloom on old wood, the blooms form on stems that grew the year before. Too much pruning at the wrong time will leave you with no flowers.  Prune lilacs immediately after they flower. All lilacs benefit from removing the dead blooms, so they don’t form seeds. Prune to shape and to keep stems at a reasonable height. Try not to remove more than a third of the plant each year.

If the bush is too large and overgrown, take out the largest and oldest stems first, the ones with woody bark. This keeps the plant thinned out and healthier. Lilac borers are attracted to the largest woody stems and removing these helps keep them away.

Unless you need a drastic pruning to restore order, don’t remove more than 1/3 of the plant stems each year. Lilacs can be cut down completely, right to the ground, and will generally recover although it may be a couple years before they bloom again.

A common problem with lilacs is that they grow too tall and the blooms are out of sight. You can trim the tops back to a more manageable height, but you may not have many blooms the next year. You may want to cut back a third of the plant each year.

Most shrub lilacs sucker, (produce new plants) from their root system, remove suckers that are spreading too far into other areas. Keep them thinned out so lilac stands don’t get too crowded and prone to disease.  Suckers can be dug and transplanted to start new lilacs.

Some varieties of lilac

There are hundreds of varieties of lilac. If you like the look of old-fashioned lilacs, choose common lilac, Syringa vulgaris.  Some  popular varieties include; “Lilac Sunday”- typical lilac color but many more flowers, “Charles Joly”- double flowers of dark purple-red, “Rochester” - white, “President Lincoln”- blue, “Krasavitsa Mosky”- double flowers of pearl pink, “Primrose”- pale yellow, “James McFarlane”- a late blooming pink, and “Sensation”- a violet red with white edge. 

Dwarf and compact lilac varieties include “Miss Kim”-lilac color and late blooming, “Tinkerbelle”- deep pink, and “Red Pixie”- wine red.  Tree lilacs are often sold as “Chinese” or “Korean” tree lilacs.  Most tree lilacs have creamy white flowers but “Syringa meyeri” has red-purple blooms.

Lilac edible and medicinal qualities

Lilac flowers are edible. They can be used in salads or as garnishes on cakes and other sweets. The flowers are sometimes used to flavor syrups or honey.

Lilac water was used as a cosmetic astringent and skin toner. It was used to treat skin rashes and scrapes. Sometimes this was made from a flower tea or from leaves and seeds of lilac.

The leaves and seeds of common lilac were used to make medicine for expelling worms and to treat fevers.  It was also used to treat malaria.

It is interesting to note that there is no true lilac essential oil because the lilac scent is not dissolvable in water or alcohol.  Almost all essential lilac oil is an artificial compounded scent that smells close to real lilac scent. There is a new method of CO2 distillation that can produce a waxy lilac “essential oil” that is very expensive.

The heady scent of lilacs in the spring is something every gardener should experience. There’s a lilac for every garden so if yours doesn’t have one, it’s time to get one.

May: the lilacs are in bloom. Forget yourself.     

Marty Rubin

Kim Willis

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And So On….

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