WARNING: Don't Use SkeeterVac's Tac Trap

Last summer we bought a SkeeterVac to deal with the mosquito problem here at Squirrelhaven. We got the cordless model and put it out in the garden. Its performance was superior to that of the Mosquito Magnet, our previous mosquito killing machine.

Mosquito Magnet waiting to be picked up by the garbage truck.

The Skeeter Vac uses several methods to attract and trap mosquitoes. The lack of a cord makes it very versatile.

This spring, when we set up the SkeeterVac, we put the tac trap on it. The tac trap is a sticky trap, with contrasting triangles of black and white, that goes on the outside of the machine. We noticed that the tac trap started catching mosquitoes, along with the other trap on the machine. Then we started seeing flies caught in the tac trap. No biggie, the machine is set up next to the compost bin, and I'm not worried about a few flies. Then this morning, I noticed a bunch of metallic green bees struggling to free themselves from the Tac Trap, with more already dead. That's too high a price to pay for a few less mosquitoes. I immediately covered the Tac Trap with plastic from the newspaper.

We will not be using the tac trap anymore. I strongly urge anyone with a SkeeterVac to stop using the tac trap immediately. I also urge Blue Rhino, the manufacturer of the SkeeterVac, to figure out a way to make the tac trap safe for pollinators. We must do all in our power not to harm pollinators.

Wildflower Wednesday: Asclepias purpurascens

I've discovered a fantastic native plant for the garden. It's very apt for this Wildflower Wednesday (thank you Gail!), as this is also Pollinator Week. Purple milkweed (Asclepias purpurascens) attracts pollinators of all sorts.

hoverfly


carpenter ants

I'm so grateful to them, as the reason I'm growing this plant is for the seeds I'll be collecting for the Native Seed Gardeners program.

I needed a milkweed that wasn't orange and able to survive in my garden without trying to take over. Asclepias purpurascens sounded just the plant, so when I learned that Native Seed Gardeners was offering free plants in exchange for the seeds, I jumped in. Of the three baby plants I put into the ground last year, two survived, only one blooming for the first time this year.

Purple milkweed is kind of a misnomer. The buds and blooms are actually a rich rosy pink to magenta.

The buds are almost as attractive as the blooms.


The base of the stems and the leaf veins are also pink.

The surprising thing about this plant is the scent. To me, it is reminiscent of cinnamon. I wish you could smell it.

While widely distributed throughout the eastern half of the United States, it is endangered in Massachusetts and Wisconsin. It is usually found in moist meadows, and in dry areas of oak/hickory savannas. I have it planted where it receives the overflow from the rainbarrel.

Asclepias purpurascens is a host plant for Monarch butterfly larva. It gets 2-3 feet tall, and grows in Zones 5 to 9 in sun to part shade. All plant parts are poisonous, but toxic only in large quantities. I don't have any photos of the seedpods because it hasn't formed any yet here at Squirrelhaven.

So if you are looking for a milkweed with gorgeous flowers, great scent, and is well behaved, consider planting purple milkweed. The pollinators will thank you.

My Best Shot

This has to be the most difficult of all the Gardening Gone Wild "Picture This" photo contests. I mean, how do you choose a single best frame? My photos are like my children or pets, how can I say which I prefer, when I love them equally, and they are so different. It was inevitable that my best shot would be of the tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa 'Ofuji-nishiki'), as I have taken more photos of it than anything else. I could have agonized over this for another 20 days. It depended on my mood, which image most appealed to me. So, as of right now, and only now, this is my favorite shot.

Hydrangeas, Campanulas & Clematis- Oh, My: June Bloom Day

Geranium 'Gerwat' (Rozanne) and Alchemilla mollis (lady's mantle)
The photographer risked life and limb (okay, only mosquito bites and much itching) to produce this month's images. Please marvel at the clarity achieved despite mosquitoes flying in the photographer's face.

June is a transitional month, bridging the seasons of spring and summer. The Irises are done, and the daylilies and coneflowers are still in bud. It's been raining here at Squirrelhaven, a lot. By that I mean frequency, more than amount (it's rained six of the last seven days), although it all adds up to quite a lot of wet. Not so good for the gardener, but a boon to the mosquitoes and the plants. The garden is assuming jungle-esque proportions, I've had to beat the mosquitoes off with a stick, but my main complaint is that I can't plant things because the soil is unworkable. On the other hand, the Clematises are having a stellar year. (The only exception is 'Henryi,' that keeps succumbing to wilt.) June is peak Clematis season.

The purple Clematis is 'Evipo031' (Bonanza), the pink is 'Comtesse de Bouchard,' and the red is 'Madame Julia Correvon.'

'Silver Moon' and 'Viola'

the scrambling (rather than climbing) 'Evisix' (Petit Faucon)


'Evipo 023' (Cezanne)


'Betty Corning' and 'Rhapsody' with the last of 'Natascha' in the background

Clematis 'Venosa Violacea' on the trellis by Alchemilla mollis, a winding-down Aquilegia vulgaris, and Campanula garganica 'Dickson's Gold' and Campanula persicifolia 'Blue-eyed Blonde.'

June is also Heuchera time.

Campanula 'Sarastro' and Heuchera 'Raspberry Ice'


Heuchera 'Frosted Violet'


Heucherella 'Burnished Bronze'

The Astrantias are enjoying the moister than usual conditions here.

Astrantia 'Roma' with a hybrid Geranium

Hydrangea season has begun, with only 'Penny Mac' and 'Claudie' not yet in bloom.

Clockwise from top left: Hydrangea quercifolia 'Flemygea' (sounds like a disease) (Snowqueen), Hydrangea macrophylla 'Bailmer' (Endless Summer), Hydrangea macrophylla 'PIIHM-1' (Twist-n-Shout), Hydrangea macrophylla 'Blue Billow.' To state the obvious, my soil is not acidic.

It's goodbye, Peonies,

last bud of Peony 'Vivid Rose'
and hello, Penstemons, here 'Dark Towers,' growing under the ninebark. Out back, it's Penstemon "Fairegarden," (thanks, Frances!)

waving behind the garlic, Geranium 'Blogold' (Blue Sunrise) and pansies. The Penstemon dominates this border until the Phlox paniculata get going. It's visible in the background of the shot of the patio pot collection.

In a container by itself in the front, Lavender 'Silver Edge' is in bud. I planted it in the ground for the winter, then moved it to the container this spring.

The dwarf hedge of Lavender 'Hidcote,' out front, has started blooming.


It's underneath this Cornus kousa, which is also having a great year. That is especially gratifying, as a late frost kept it from blooming last year.

It's supposed to be 'Beni Fuji,' but I question that. On the left, the first of the Hostas has started blooming: my favorite, 'Olive Bailey Langdon.'

Across the path from the Hosta is this little gem,

Corydalis 'ex Dufu Temple,' clearly enjoying all that extra moisture.


A couple more blue and bluish blooms

the native wild petunia (Ruellia humilis) and Dracocephalum 'Fuji Blue.'

Next to the Ruellia, Phlox pilosa 'Eco Happy Traveler' is on its second wave of bloom.

The white is sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima), which has naturalized in the mini-prairie.

And now, finally, the piece de resistance, the first blooming of one and the first full year of the other, making their Bloom Day debut, let me introduce -

Asclepias purpurascens and Callirhoe involucrata (winecups). I love them, with their over-the-top color. I had no idea the Asclepias would be that incredible. It's a local genotype that I'm growing for the Native Seed Gardeners. I will be collecting the seed, which will then be sown in local restoration areas. (And I just wanted a well-behaved milkweed for the butterflies.)

Thanks goes to Carol, at May Dreams Gardens, the hostess with the mostess, for creating Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day.

Also in bloom at Squirrelhaven:
Aquilegia vulgaris 'Leprechaun Gold'
Aquilegia vulgaris 'Sunburst Ruby'

Aquilegia vulgaris 'Woodside Blue'

Astrantia 'Rainbow'
Calycanthus floridus 'Athens'

Campanula persicifolia 'Grandiflora Alba'
Campanula persicifolia 'Telham Blue'
Campanula 'Samantha'
Centaurea montana 'Gold Bullion'

Clematis 'Fairy Blue' (Crystal Fountain) - puff stage
Corydalis 'Blackberry Wine'

Cotinus 'Nordine'
Dicentra 'Bountiful'
Dicentra 'King of Hearts'
Fuschia
Geranium 'Bob's Blunder'
Geranium nodosum 'Svelte Lilac'
Heuchera 'Lime Rickey'

Heuchera 'Smoky Rose'
Oxalis
Pelargonium
Penstemon 'Husker's Red'
Polyganatum biflorum/commutatum
Primula japonica 'Carminea'
Salvia 'Rose Sensation'
Sedum kamtschaticum
Stylophorum diphyllum
Thalictrum/Anemonella thalictroides
Thalictrum/Anemonella thalictroides 'Cameo'
Verbena hastata
Veronica repens 'Verbrig' (Goldwell)
Viola labradorica

Physocarpus' Flashy Fruits

This is for Kim/Blackswamp Girl at A Study in Contrasts, whose Physocarpus opulifolius 'Monlo' (Diablo™) fruits aren't as photogenic as mine. I'm not boasting, it's just that mine are in tight balls, and the plant is loaded with them this year.

The top photo was taken Friday, the above photo on Sunday. (Hence the difference in color and amount.) It's at peak fruitiness now. Like Kim, I prefer the fruits to the flowers, which are kind of cool close up,

but look like white blobs from a distance. Moreover, it's a bit too much of a contrast for my taste with the white flowers and near-black foliage. (I'm not crazy about white flowers anyway.)

Physocarpus opulifolius is native from Quebec to Tennessee and is hardy down to Zone 2. It is an easy plant to grow with few pest or disease problems. Plant it in full sun or part shade and give it lots of space, as it is a large shrub.

Sweet Relief for an Aching Back: a Special Edition OOTS

I don't like to post about my health, but a little background is necessary for this post. A few weeks ago, I hurt my back. I wasn't doing anything really unusual, but the pain was sharp, intense, intermittent, and persistent. Finally, after being woken in the middle of the night by pain, I decided to seek professional help.

My father and my sister have both been helped by the same chiropractor. My sister's recovery is the most dramatic. She was injured in a car accident. She was in constant pain so debilitating that she was forced to quit her job. Following chiropractic treatment, she's the assistant manager of a very busy store. That's enough evidence for me, so I made an appointment with Dr. Garrett.

Pulling into the parking lot, I was delighted with the planting there. It's truly a garden, rather than commercial landscaping. No 'Stella D'Oro' daylilies or Knockout roses here.

Yes, that's a Tree Peony.

Turns out, the doctor is a gardener. I've been going for daily adjustments, which is made much less onerous by seeing Tradescantia 'Sweet Kate' on my way in the door.

I also love the Japanese Maple. Around the corner is a neat little conifer with a pink Rhododendron (Azalea?).


Across from the entrance is a little shade garden with a bench.


Note the weight used to shape this shrub.

Around the corner, by the driveway is this neat combo, a Magnolia and a Euonymous.


Across the driveway is a long berm with Roses, Clematis and something spiky.

Here's a view from the other direction.


Beneath a tree are more Roses and Weigela.

My back is already feeling much better, although I'm still icing it.

* * *

I've been thin on the virtual ground recently, with end of the school year stuff and Irish dance competitions, including an overnight stay in Madison, Wisconsin, for a feis last weekend. School is now out for summer, which means I'm going to be even busier doing things with and for the kids. Next week starts the daily grind of getting the boy over to his baseball league and hanging around on uncomfortable bleachers and lawnchairs until he is done for the day. Then, when we're home, I'll have to share the laptop with them as our netbook is toast. And then there are all those plants I just bought at The Flower Factory on the way home from Madison. All of which means I'll have even less time for blogging until fall. Shorter posts will be in order, and I'll try to visit as many blogs as I can. Until then, happy gardening!

Don't Be Too Quick to Plant in That "Empty" Space!

or "Taking Stock," or "Dead, Alive, or Indian food"

There are only three sure bets: Death, taxes and dirty laundry (for the very wealthy and privileged, I'm not so sure about the last two). Life is the gamble. Although the odds of life winning out are strong, the game may be up with a sudden spin of the wheel. This is particularly true in the garden. We anxiously watch for the reappearance of favorite plants or cautiously inspect the stems and branches for signs of life: did it make it through the winter?

We sometimes precipitously declare a death, but, to take a line from Miracle Max in The Princess Bride,

"there's a big difference between mostly dead and all dead."

It pays to wait before yanking something out or planting something where you think a plant has died. Here's a plant that was "mostly dead" back in April.


Here's the same Centaurea 'Gold Bullion' now.

There's a bud forming in there.

I was convinced I had killed a Caryopteris. It showed no sign of life back in March, but look at it now.

Caryopteris 'Jason' (Sunshine Blue™) is supposedly borderline hardy in Zone 5, and is sometimes listed as hardy only to Zone 6. I'm glad I didn't yank it.

Then I was certain that I had lost all three Asclepias purpurescens, when I discovered one alive and forming buds.

But the biggest surprise came yesterday. Last fall I decided to try to overwinter an Oxalis in the house in a container. The plant was too big for the pot, so I divided it. On a crazy whim (I just love to live dangerously), I stuffed the division in the ground next to the chimney under the 'Betty Corning' clematis. It's the most protected spot in the garden. Spring came and went, with no sign of life. I had written it off. Then, while deadheading the Clematis, I noticed a spot of purple.

It's Alive! Just barely, and nowhere near the two Oxalises I have in containers which are in full bloom. But hey, Oxalis triangularis isn't hardy to Zone 5. I win.

But then there's the situation where a plant is alive when the snow melts, only to succumb later. The Erysium was fine all winter. It was sowbugs eating out the stems that did it in this spring. Similarly, the Scabiousa 'Beaujolais Bonnets' were alive when the snow melted. I didn't realize that they had gotten part of their roots out of the ground. I stupidly watched them dwindle and die.

I experimented with overwintering three shrubs in containers that I received for free as trial plants from Proven Winners. One, a butterfly bush, I put in a hole (the kids' "Worm Cafe") and filled the hole with shredded leaves. The second, a variegated Rose of Sharon, went up against the east side of the house and surrounded by a few pots of perennials and covered with shredded leaves. The third plant, a pink-flowered Annabelle-type Hydrangea "NCHA1" (Invincibelle Spirit™) was plunged into the soil in the new fountain bed. I've declared death in the cases of the butterfly bush and the Hibiscus.

But the Hydrangea is looking spiffy.

It needs a new home before it becomes pot bound.

While I'm on the subject of free trial plants, I have excellent news to report on the promising new lace-cap Hydrangea macrophpylla 'PIIHM-1' known as Twist-n-Shout™. Not only did it come through the winter with limited die back, but it's already forming buds.

I posted about planting it last fall.

I know I'm not the only one. Shyrlene, at The Bunnies' Buffet, recently posted of similar experiences. Have any of your plants made miraculous recoveries or risen from the dead?