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| Bristly Locust flowers |
Perfect June weather is like a dream, a glimpse of heaven,
balm for the mind and body. The last few days have been just that perfect and
there are more perfect days ahead. The birds are singing, and baby animals are
everywhere. And oh, the flowers. Perfect
roses and nodding poppies, pillars of clematis and plump swags of
wisteria. Mock orange and weigela,
bellflowers and evening primrose, red geraniums and purple petunias. Sweet pink bristly locust and creamy ninebark
dancing with bees.
This is the month to remember in August, and in February. The garden at the cusp of maturity but still
fresh and unjaded. Skies deep blue, golden sunshine and gentle breezes, sweet
smells and sounds, the taste of strawberries. Cottonwood fairies floating in
the air. Thunderstorms briefly breaking quiet nights with rumbles and flashes,
the smell of rain hitting the ground.
June, I love June.
I can go out and weed in the morning or evening without
being too hot and even sit basking in the sun. The must do work, the planting
deadlines, the garden prep is mostly done.
It’s now maintenance and little artistic projects for the most part,
although with the must do chores done, I could tackle a bigger project. I can wander happily over the property with
my camera capturing dragonflies on reeds and butterflies on flowers. Or catching the sun hitting that flower in
the most perfect way.
Many times I just sit, mesmerized by June, day dreaming and
thinking. Waiting for a new flower to bloom, an unusual bird to stop by, the
deer staring at me to move first. Being still,
trying to remember it all, savoring the moments of contentment. June, often compared to a blushing bride but
more a flirting free spirit dancing barefoot.
June makes you love it.
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| Ninebark flowers |
Things about June you may not know
Did you know that no other month in the same year starts
with the same day of the week as June?
This year June started on Monday.
June in every year always ends on the same day of the week
that March does. That is Tuesday this year.
In old English June was called Lioa pronounced lee–thuh,
originally from the Latin word Lunius, meaning “of Luno”. The J sound/letter was adopted in English in
the 1600’s. Luno/Juno was the wife of Jupiter, and the goddess of marriage and
fertility.
Most women in the northern hemisphere are at their most
fertile time in June. A baby is born in March from such a conception and would
have optimal survival chances in most areas.
June used to be a popular name for girls. It was the 39th
most popular girls name in 1925. June
Cleaver, remember her? It fell out of favor for a while but is once again a
popular name for a baby girl.
June only has 10 days of “calendar summer” but September has
21.
June has the longest day of the year, June 20th
this year, which is known as summer solstice.
Happy
Father’s Day, Sunday June 21, 2020 to all of you gardening fathers
Coffee in
the garden
I don’t know why people continue to believe that the answer
to most garden problems lies in their kitchen. Home remedies are extremely
popular and clickbait garden sites continue to feature them regardless of
whether they are effective or even safe. There is a popular myth circulating
right now that I’m going to discuss: using coffee and coffee grounds in the
garden.
Literally thousands of school science projects have been
done where coffee was used to water plants with a control group of plants
watered with plain water. In almost every case the student found that plants
watered with coffee did not grow as well as plants that didn’t receive coffee.
Most scientific research done on the effect of caffeine on plants supports the
idea that caffeine inhibits the growth of plants and may inhibit or prevent
seed germination.
Don’t take your cold coffee outside and pour it on your
plants unless you have no other source of water. The chances are it will stunt
the plants growth. Remember what your mother said coffee would do to you when
you wanted to drink it as a teen? She was probably right.
What about using coffee grounds in the garden or compost
pile? If the grounds aren’t more than
20% of the compost pile you are probably fine. Using the grounds in the garden
directly around plants is probably not a good choice. Coffee grounds still
contain caffeine, although not as much as cold coffee. Some people think coffee
grounds make a good mulch, but in addition to the caffeine problem the grounds
can mat down and prevent water and oxygen from getting into the soil.
Coffee grounds are not that acidic, and it takes a lot of
anything acidic to raise soil pH, so using coffee grounds to raise soil pH is
pretty useless. It would take inches and inches of grounds to raise the pH one
point and the caffeine in those grounds may make plant growth impossible.
There is a small amount of nitrogen in coffee grounds when
its first applied to soil. But other sources of nitrogen are better and safer
for plants. Coffee grounds have also been found to kill earthworms, which
gardeners don’t want to do. They may also
alter normal soil microorganisms.
Coffee grounds do not deter ants or other pests either.
There’s no reason to collect the coffee grounds from restaurants or your
workplace as they are NOT that beneficial for the garden. Your household
coffee grounds can safely go to the compost pile but pour the cold coffee down
the drain.
More reading
Rose
chafer beetles
It’s June and that means it’s time for the rose chafer
beetle invasion. If you live on sandy
soil your garden may be particularly hard hit. The name rose chafer is
misleading. While they are very attracted to rose flowers, they’ll eat the
leaves and flowers on many kinds of plants.
Rose chafer beetles are tan, sometimes with a greenish cast,
with reddish orange legs and short antennae.
They are about a ½ inch long when mature and are strong fliers. In June they emerge from the soil where they
have been pupating and begin feeding on everything in sight. Plants are sometimes covered with the beetles.
Damage to plants is mainly cosmetic; the plants do recover
when the beetles stop feeding and die, near the end of June. But the loss of flowers and the sight of
leaves with only the veins remaining make many gardeners ready to fight. In June lots of chewed up leaves and flowers
may mean a rose chafer invasion is taking place.
For those who grow grapes, rose chafers mean more than
cosmetic damage. Grapes are generally
blooming at the time the rose chafer emerges and the hungry beetles love to eat
grape flowers and buds, which means the loss of the grape crop.
The life cycle of the rose chafer begins when adult beetles
lay eggs in sandy soil in June. Tiny
grubs soon hatch and burrow deeper into the soil. Unlike the European chafer beetle grub, the
rose chafer grub does not damage turf grass roots. It grows all summer, and then goes deep into
the soil to rest for winter. In the
spring grubs move toward the surface, eat for a short time then turn into pupae
for a couple of weeks, before emerging from the soil in June to start the cycle
over.
Since female rose chafer beetles prefer to lay eggs in sandy
soil, higher numbers of the beetles are found in gardens planted on sandy
soil. But the beetles can fly quite a
distance to feed.
To control rose chafers gardeners can hand pick the beetles,
dropping them into a container of soapy water.
Shaking a plant lightly will often dislodge dozens of the beetles. On sturdy plants a hand vacuum can be used
with the dirt cup full of beetles emptied into soapy water.
Common garden insecticides will kill the beetles. But
insecticides will need to be re-applied after each heavy rain and every 10-14
days. Systemic insecticides, like those
found in rose care products, will work but the beetle has to take a bite of the
plant before it is poisoned, so some damage continues to occur.
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| Rose Chafer beetles credit Dabunski, Flixr |
Whenever using a pesticide, read and follow the label
directions for mixing and applying the product exactly. Make sure the plants
you want to protect and the insects you want to kill are listed on the label. Different
insects or different plants can have different application and mixing
instructions.
Plants could be covered with row cover material while the
beetles are heavy. It must be securely
anchored to the ground, so beetles don’t crawl under it. Grapes though, need to have visits from
pollinators to make fruit so a row cover won’t work. Pesticides may also kill some pollinators but
are the best option for grapes if beetle numbers are high.
Some early studies by the USDA have found that spraying the
kaolin clay based product called Surround® on grape vines helped repel rose
chafer beetles. That product could also
be sprayed on trees and shrubs being eaten by rose chafers but be aware that it
gives sprayed plants a whitewashed appearance.
There is a lure scent that has been developed for rose
chafers that can be used in Japanese beetle traps. If you use a product like this put it far
away from the plants you want to protect.
Otherwise it will draw more rose chafers to the area which may feed on
plants before entering the trap.
One thing you do not want to do is to encourage your
chickens or other birds to eat the beetles.
Rose chafer beetles contain a toxin that can sicken or kill birds and
small animals. That’s why they are so abundant and damaging; they are not eaten
by other wild things.
The good news is that the invasion is short lived. By the end of June in most areas the adult
rose chafer beetles are gone, leaving behind eggs for next year’s beetle crop.
Hawkweeds
There are two types of hawkweed,
yellow, (Heiracium caespitosum) and orange, (Heiracium aurantiacum). They are considered separate species although
there is really very little difference other than color. Hawkweeds are also referred to as Indian
Paintbrushes, although that name is also given to other wildflowers. Hawkweed begins blooming about a month after
dandelions, but is generally better tolerated for some reason as a turf
weed. It is not uncommon to see large
patches of hawkweed that people have mowed around rather than over.
Hawkweed is a perennial plant that is
quite common in sunny fields, low maintenance lawns and along roadsides. It prefers dry, low fertility soils. It is usually found in patches because it
spreads by rhizomes as well as seed.
Strangely the two colors of hawkweed rarely exist in the same patch or
even in the same general area.
Hawkweed forms a low basal cluster of
leaves close to the ground. The leaves
are long rounded ovals with hairy edges and a prominent lighter vein down the
middle. The plant sends up slender flower stalks densely covered in dark hairs
that are 12-24 inches high. There may be a few small leaves along the
stalk. Yellow hawkweed tends to be
slightly taller than the orange hawkweed.
The flowers are clustered in groups at
the end of the flower stalks. The flower
buds are covered with dark hairs before they open. Flowers resemble daisies without the disk
area in the center and are about a 1/2 inch across. Each flower petal is divided at the tip into
5 parts. Insects do visit the flowers,
which produce some nectar, but the plant can set fertile seed without
pollination.
All parts of the plant leak a white
sticky sap when broken. Animals avoid
grazing on them, but the plant is not considered to be toxic.
 |
| Yellow Hawkweed |
10 great hotdog
makeovers
Its grilling time again, but meat is expensive this year. Hotdogs are always a favorite, especially for
kids and they are relatively inexpensive. But if you get tired of the same old
hotdogs here are some quick hotdog makeovers that will make wiener eating
interesting again.
Pair hot dogs with baked beans and potato salad and you’ve
created a great summer meal. Use some of the interesting makeovers below and
make hotdogs a great meal for entertaining adult guests also.
Steam them in beer.
Place a small amount of beer in a shallow pan, maybe an inch deep, add hotdogs
and put them on low heat so the beer is barely simmering. Once they have
plumped and cooked, they could be thrown on a grill to brown them. Keep watch over the pan so it doesn’t boil
dry, add beer from the can you’re holding as necessary.
Simmer in pineapple
juice. Once again use a shallow pan,
add about an inch of unsweetened pineapple juice and let the hotdogs simmer in
it. Add juice as needed. These are great served on Hawaiian style
buns.
Better with bacon. Split
hotdogs down the middle, don’t cut all the way through. Fill the inside of the
hotdog split with finely chopped onion, a little pickle relish and
mustard. Wrap each dog tightly with a
piece of bacon and secure with a toothpick.
These can be grilled or baked in the oven.
Cheese and bacon dogs. Fry one slice of bacon for each hotdog
until it’s browning but not crispy. Steam,
boil or grill hotdogs until they are almost done - probably 5 minutes on a
grill. Remove from heat. Split down the middle and sprinkle with finely shredded cheese-
cheddar is good. Wrap hot dog in the
bacon slice to hold dog together and
secure with a toothpick. Return to grill
or put under a broiler until the bacon is crispy and cheese melted.
Hotdog cover up. No buns will be needed here. Buy
a can of refrigerated crescent rolls.
Unroll the dough and separate each piece. Prepare hot dogs by splitting
down the middle and filling with chopped onion, mustard and shredded cheese. Crescent rolls usually come in a triangle shaped
piece. Lay a hotdog on the large end of the dough and roll the dough
around the dog. Secure with toothpick if
needed. These are best baked or grilled
over low heat.
Kraut and dogs. Simmer hotdogs in a shallow pan of
sauerkraut. Pile heated kraut over dog
on bun and add mustard.
Bacon and mushroom
dogs. Use about a 1/2 pound of bacon
to a package of hot dogs. In a pan
put the hot dogs and bacon. Cook until
the bacon is crisp and hot dogs are plump and splitting. Remove dogs and bacon. Keep warm. Pour off all the grease except 2
tablespoons. Place sliced mushrooms in
the pan with the bacon grease and a tablespoon of butter or if you must,
margarine. Cook and stir mushrooms until soft and heated, just a few
minutes. Crumble the cooked bacon into
mushrooms. Place hot dogs on buns and
sprinkle with cheddar cheese shreds. Add
a spoonful of bacon and mushrooms.
Barbecue
hotdogs. Barbecue sauce isn’t just
for ribs and chicken. Lay dogs in a pan of your favorite sauce, cook
slowly and turn two or three times.
Sweet sauces go good with hot dogs.
Peppery hot dogs. In a shallow pan place about an inch of
water. Add 1 cup of diced hot peppers,
(serrano, chile, jalapeno), 1/2 cup diced onion and a teaspoon of salt.
Prepare hotdogs by poking several holes in each with a toothpick. Simmer hotdogs slowly in the pepper water.
Turn from time to time and add water if necessary. The longer they sit, the
hotter they get. The best way to serve is with some roasted red or green
sweet pepper and some nacho cheese poured over the bun.
Deep fried hot dog- Do you have a turkey fryer or better yet a
small basket fryer? Fill with oil
according to your manual and fry the dogs.
Peanut oil gives them a great taste.
Make sure to remove hot dogs from the fryer before they get hard. If you slice
them down the middle except for about an inch at one end before you drop them
in the fryer they will curl while frying and could be placed on a burger bun instead
of a hotdog bun.
Using a good quality bun will make any hotdog taste
better. Lightly toasting the buns,
spread with a little butter, makes them even yummier.
Summer
solstice
Saturday, June 20, is summer solstice, the longest day of
the year, the beginning of summer. It used to be one of the most celebrated
days of the year by humans, along with winter solstice, when the shortest day
occurs, and the days begin lengthening again.
In the more northern countries, the celebrations are more
marked, probably because the sun is so welcome and vital in these climates and
because at summer solstice in the far north the sun never seems to set. But almost
every culture away from the equator celebrated solstice.
Different cultures celebrate summer solstice in different
ways. Solstice festivities almost always
include fire, with bonfires a requisite of most celebrations. Oak wood is commonly used in solstice
bonfires for luck and magic. People jump over the fires for luck and make
talismans of the ashes. The ashes of
solstice fires are spread on crops to bring a good harvest.
However, the astrological sign Cancer, a water sign, begins
at the time of solstice so water also figures into many solstice
festivities. In ancient cultures burning
wheels were often rolled into water or bark boats filled with flowers and herbs
were set on fire and floated down rivers.
Wreaths of flowers and herbs are included in many solstice
celebrations. The wreaths are worn on
the head and hung on doors and are said to bring good luck. Rue, fennel, roses,
rosemary, foxglove, lemon verbena, calendula, mallow, elderberry, St. John's
Wort, vervain and trefoil are plants associated with these wreaths and summer
solstice. Often the flowers or wreaths
were left outside to gather the dew on the night of the solstice. Washing your face with the dew collected on
the night of the solstice was supposed to make you beautiful and delay
aging.
Common traditions include a couple jumping over a bonfire to
make it known they were committed to each other and other rituals of fertility
and marriage. (Interestingly a woman’s
fertility is also highest at this time.) Conception in June results in a baby
born in March, which in earlier times was a good month to give birth. Food supplies would be more plentiful as the
baby began to require more milk, the weather more moderate, and the wife would
be recovered enough to help with spring planting. Even today June is the month
most favored for marriage.
Native Americans of the plains tribes held the Sun Dance
near the summer solstice. This was a time of dancing around bonfires, prayer,
fasting and tests of strength, depending on the tribe. In some tribes, young men were put through
grueling rituals to enter manhood at this time.
Midsummer’s eve is often confused with the summer solstice
but is not the same. It generally occurs
a few days later than the solstice, on June 23 or 24. It is supposed to mark the birth of John the
Baptist, who is supposed to have been born six months before Jesus and is a
product of Christianity adopting and adapting pagan celebrations. But there is a great mixture of fairy visits
and other magic associated with Midsummers eve in folklore also. The point
where the sun is farthest (yes farthest) from the earth, the aphelion, occurs
on July 3 at 3 am.
This would be a good year to start your own summer solstice
tradition to celebrate the beginning of summer.
Think sunbathing, swimming and a great bonfire at night. These are lovely
summer activities that can work with social distancing and still be fun.
There are moments, above all on June evenings, when
the lakes that hold our moons are sucked into the earth, and nothing is left
but wine and the touch of a hand.
-Charles Morgan
Kim Willis
All parts of this blog are copyrighted and may not be used without
permission.
And So On….
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