Herbs I Know????

As a Franklin County Master Gardener, there have been several opportunities to talk to groups about herbs. Unfortunately, I am not a herb expert. My family has ferocious appetites, but no requirements for delicate flavoring. Let's just say that if ketchup were an herb then I might be a herb expert. Growing herbs, therefore, is not a priority in my garden. Growing tomatoes and squash to fill growing kids' bellies has to take priority.

PEPPERMINT

There are a few herbs that are familiar to me.  For years I have let peppermint run rampant around my bay window and deck. These were places with poor drainage where nothing else seemed to grow. The peppermint is winter hardy, and revives with warmer weather. I had heard that rodents avoid peppermint hence the planting around the house foundation. I have flavored my ice tea with peppermint leaves. When my stomach felt off, I have chewed on the leaves. I love the peppermint aroma when I pull up spreading vines.

BASIL

Basil is easy to grow and compliments tomato-based dishes like spaghetti or tomato salad. I have grown it in pots on the deck and alongside vegetables in the garden. It seeds readily so there's almost always baby plants popping up the next year. I have saved dried basil for winter soups and spaghetti sauce.

ROSEMARY

Rosemary is a grass-like herb on a stem. You pull the thin leaves off the stem and flavor chicken or potatoes. There seems to be a trend in using rosemary as a landscape bush.  I can literally pick sprigs of rosemary after I visit the local shopping center.

LAVENDER

The lavender scent has a reputation for encouraging relaxation. It is dried and used in potpourri.  I do like the smell of lavender, but my patch has very little scent.

CHIVES

Chives offer an onion-like flavoring to foods such as baked potatoes. They are easy-to-grow in pots or ground, and return yearly. We rarely use chives so we are rewarded with beautiful purple flowers.

I hope you enjoyed my brief herb summary.

An Easy Garden Fence aka "The Fortress"

Protect your garden from deer by installing an easy fence. Here's how:

1. Drive 10 foot t-posts along the perimeter of the garden. We spaced the posts 10 feet apart. Place the corners first (read step 2). Run a string from corner to corner to line up the t-posts.

t-posts

Use a level to drive the posts in straight.

Use a measuring tape to drive the posts in the same depth. We used 96 inches for our exposed post height.

post driver

2. If desired, use 4 X 4 (inch) wood posts for the corners to add stability. Place the hole in a 16-18 inch hole. Straighten the post with the level. Pour Quikrete or a similar product to hold the post.

corner post

3. After all the posts are in, place the insulators that will hold the wire. We started the bottom wire 9 inches from the ground and subsequent wires 16 inches apart. Our top wire was approximately 7 feet off the ground. (Remember deer are high jumpers :). )

 insulators

4. Run the electrical wire through the insulators around the perimeter. Leave an opening for access and close the wire perimeter with gate handles. This opening can be wide enough for lawnmower or tractor access. It depends on your needs.

gate handles

In the past we have constructed a 4 foot t-post fence and taken it down after the summer garden. This fence has been designed to be permanent so we have allowed for an opening wide enough for a tractor.

One disadvantage of a permanent garden fence is that you can't easily move your garden location if pests get out of control. Moving the garden is an effective pest control method since many garden pests overwinter in the same area.

We have decided to compromise on the insect pest aspect in order to eliminate the deer damage since that has been a huge problem with our vegetable garden. See previous posts about our deer problem.

5. Hook up electric fence to fence charger.We use an electric charger mounted in a small greenhouse near the garden. Alternatively, you can use a solar fence charger mounted in the open.

electric charger

completed fence around garden

Thanks to our dear friends, Mary Pat and Joe, for giving us the t-posts. We appreciate your encouragement and advice on garden fencing.

Lamb's Ear: it's a soft thing

Many years ago I took my preschooler sons to the Joel Lane House in downtown Raleigh. We toured the colonial era home and small garden.  The tour guide pointed out the low growing, whitish plant called Lamb's Ear. She explained that because of its softness, it was used as toilet paper.

Later, I succeeded in growing my own Lamb's Ear. This plant is drought hardy and exhibits beautiful pink flowers as early as May. It tends to spread in the garden.

Birds of Spring

We are having a great Spring of bird activity.

There are nesting Eastern Towhees in our backyard Pampas bushes. It has been thrilling to catch glimpses of them popping out of the Pampas or watching the juveniles' short experimental flights. They are cautious nesters. We hardly ever saw the parents fly directly into the Pampas. They would fly into a nearby Camellia, and then swoop low (and undetected?) into the Pampas. Perhaps this circuitous route was intended to elude predators.

Juvenile Towhee

This is the first photograph I've ever taken of a Towhee without a window between the camera and subject. This young one was unsure of his flying skills so he lingered in a tree squawking while I lined up the shot.

 Pampas: Towhee Nesting Site

Bluebird House

For the first time in 16 years, we have baby Bluebirds in a house on our property. The adults have often explored our houses, but never settled in. We are thrilled, and I'll try to get a photograph of the birds.

The fabulous thing about recognizing bird calls is you can identify bird species that are high in the treetops and/or behind foliage.  Some of my favorite species have returned from their South American wintering grounds. I rely on their calls because they are treetop dwellers and nearly impossible to see. This includes the Yellow-billed Cuckoo and the Summer Tanager. Their names are linked to web pages that offer audio of these birds.

Six-spotted Green Tiger Beetle

This insect has a unique and beautiful, metallic green sheen. I found this specimen crawling around in the yard, and noticed that half is outer shell is missing. These are beneficial insects because they eat other bugs.

Note that the actual size of the Green Tiger Beetle is only 1/2 inch.

5/26/13 Update- Second photo added.

Termites in North Carolina

Termites swarming on an interior window sill

 Few words strike fear in the hearts of homeowners more than the word "termite." These destructive insects weaken a home from within by eating wood and other cellulose structures.

The destruction by termites is often unnoticed because it is behind walls or under floors. Occasionally, a homeowner will be lucky enough to witness termites swarming.  Swarming only occurs periodically when a large colony needs to split. Special winged termites called swarmers seek out a new location. This is the time to call professionals.

The maintenance of a termite warranty is important. That requires scheduling annual inspections, paying annual fees, and scheduling booster treatments. A termite inspection is almost always required prior to a home sale. Any infestation would be a hindrance to the sale's closing.

More information on termites can be found at the North Carolina Cooperative Extension website.

Many Ants on Peonies

This is the time of year my peony plants become heavy with buds...and ants. Years ago, I had been told that the ants perform a function that helps  the peony blossom. A quick web search indicates this is not true. The ants are enjoying the nectar secreted around the bud.

To avoid carrying ants inside with cut peonies, I carry the vase and a bowl of soapy water outside. I cut the peony knocking off visible ants. Then I take a paper towel dipped in the soapy solution and wipe off any emerging ants.

I place the cut peony(s) in the vase and let it sit outside for 10 minutes. Usually a few ants will come out of the flower. I knock these off with the paper towel. I give the cut peonies another 10 minutes and then take them inside.

Peonies are delightful perennials to have in the garden. Each year, the number of blossoms increases. If your peony is not blooming, the plant may be planted too deep. Peonies prefer a shallow bed. A peony plant can last for generations so it's well worth the initial investment.  The North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service has information about peonies on its website.

Spot Shot is a great stain remover

This is a little off-topic for a gardening blog, but I’ve discovered a super good carpet stain remover.  I bought Spot Shot for pet stains. The claims made on the can were impressive, so I gave it a try.

It worked very well, and the following explains why I was so impressed.  We had old stains from 15 years ago when our sons were babies, and they tossed around their leaky sippy cups with iron-supplemented formula.  The dark brown stains came right out with Spot Shot. I thought I had to live with those stains forever! 

This product is manufactured by the WD-40 Company.

Bird Watching While on Vacation

One of the exciting things about getting away is to view wildlife that may be different from that seen at home.  This year we took an early Spring trip to Corolla which is at the Northern tip of North Carolina's Outer Banks.

The following species of birds were spotted along Currituck Sound:

 Red-winged Blackbird

Boat-tailed Grackle

Other species seen, but not photographed, include the Great Black-backed gull and other seagulls as well as Sandpipers. An Osprey pair had a nest at the top of a pole at a water treatment facility.

The following species were seen at the Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge:

 American Coots

 Double-crested Cormorants

Great Egret

Results from the Great Backyard Bird Count 2013

The Great Backyard Bird Count lasts 4 days. I've been counting birds for about 5 years, and it's hard to predict what you will see during those counting days.

Goldfinch Fluffed by the Falling Snow

This year most of my counting was limited to window viewing because of the extreme cold and snow. The day before the count, a spectacular pair of Pileated Woodpeckers visited my yard. There was no sign of them, however, during the next 4 days. I love the brown-headed Nuthatches that have come regularly to my feeder. Again there was no sign of them during the count days.

During the count, both the male and female Eastern Towhees made a rare appearance in my backyard. A wild turkey swooped out of the sky and scurried into the  woods at the back of our property. A couple of Mute Swans graced a pond near our church.

Female Eastern Towhee

 Male Eastern Towhee

The summary of birds counted for 2013 is not yet available, but 134,935 checklists were submitted. In 2012, 104,151 checklists were tallied.

Mourning Cloak Butterfly: A Visit from the Winter Butterfly

     The Mourning Cloak Butterfly has adapted to take advantage of warm days in the winter. Adults will emerge from hibernation to feed on running sap. Special adaptations for this emergence are glycerols (antifreeze) in their blood and shivering to raise their body temperature.

     The photographed butterfly was observed in March 2013, but one was seen earlier in February.

New visitor at the birdfeeder: White-breasted Nuthatch

I’ve often noticed the White-breasted Nuthatch scurrying down tree trunks head first, and heard the characteristic beep-beep call (like a toy truck). For the first time, however,  I recently witnessed this nuthatch at my safflower seed bird feeder. He’s fast so it wasn’t easy to get a photo. It seems that he’s discovered a “honey hole” and will be a regular visitor from now on.

Enjoyment of the Garden from Indoors

Although frigid temperatures keep me inside during January, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the garden from indoors.

I watch birds and take photos. With limited foliage, it's easier to see and photograph birds.Here's a flock of Dark-eyed Juncos eating seeds from a Pampas bush. How many birds do you see? I counted 10.

A Brown Thrasher feeding off the ground near a feeder.

 

A Northern Flicker Woodpecker scavenging the ground for food.

An Eastern Towhee visiting friends at the bird feeder. I highly recommend putting a bird feeder where you can easily observe it from indoors.

6 Goldfinch on Feeder

If you enjoy watching and identifying birds, participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count. From February 15  through 18, 2013, you count and identify birds. Your results can be entered online and tabulated with other bird counts across the country.

I have counted birds sighted from my windows or while out running errands. Last year, my husband and I parked at a country pond and counted Canadian Geese, Hood Mergansers, and Kingfishers.

Although temperatures are low, there are still opportunities to enjoy flowers.

A Periwinkle vine blooming in January. This was an unexpected surprise.

Potting a few pansies in the fall can bring you delightful glimpses of color during a bleak winter.

Don't forget a few indoor plants to challenge your green thumb. I've been blogging about an orchid and amaryllis that I'm babying through the winter. It's my first experience with an orchid, and the amaryllis has provided wonderful photo opportunities.

A gift of an Amaryllis

I received a boxed Amaryllis bulb before Christmas and planted it. In photographs, I've chronicled its progress.

Week 3

                                                     

   Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

At Week 8, the flower stem is 17 inches long. The leaves have separated from the stem. The swelling flower bud should be blooming soon. I am adding a small amount of water anytime the potting medium is dry.

Week 8

The plant is changing very quickly now as it prepares to bloom. I'll take photos as frequently as I can.

The images above and below were taken a day apart during week 8.

The plant is getting ready to bloom and changing on an hourly basis. The next photos represent rapid changes leading up to a bloom.

These were taken during week 8 day 4.

Week 8 Day 5 (a morning,afternoon, and evening photo)

Week 8 Day 6 (2 morning photos and 2 afternoon photos)

Week 8 Day 7 (morning and afternoon photos)

Week 9 (morning and afternoon photos)

At 9 weeks all four flowers are in bloom. Beautiful!

Care of Amaryllis after Blooming

The instructions that accompanied the Amaryllis bulb are:

1. Remove flowers and stems. Continue watering and add liquid fertilizer.

2. In September, remove the bulb from the pot, cut away any leaves, and remove excess soil gently. Store bulb in a cool, dry place.

3. In November, replant bulb to start a new flowering cycle.

I'll follow these instructions and report back on the results.