Wednesday, August 20, 2008
The blog has moved
when you have finished reading this blog, please continue reading recent rantings over at: http://osceolaflgardenblahblahblog.blogspot.com/
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Pileated househunting?
I sure hope so. I spotted (well, actually Chili spotted) two Pileated Woodpeckers (Dryocopus pileatus) in one of the pine snags. Since two years ago I had a pair build a nest in another snag (just about 30 feet away), I'm hoping they were househunting and they choose my location. Oh...the bluebird come by pretty much daily to grab some insects from the grass, but they did not start a third nest. I suppose I will just have to wait until spring of 2009......a worthwhile wait, I might add.
On an ornary note, I checked the Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants today to get the correct scientific name for the milkweed I purchased at the master gardeners plant sale which was marked as butterfly milkweed. Well, based on my research it appears to be scarlet milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) which is not native. I'm clearly disappointed to have been misled and sadly I started several pots with the seeds of this non-native. The butterflies seem happy with it, but since I was hoping to be "all native" moving forward, this just saddens me.
Next trip to Maple Street Natives in West Melbourne, i'll see if I can't get some proper native butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa).
On an ornary note, I checked the Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants today to get the correct scientific name for the milkweed I purchased at the master gardeners plant sale which was marked as butterfly milkweed. Well, based on my research it appears to be scarlet milkweed (Asclepias curassavica) which is not native. I'm clearly disappointed to have been misled and sadly I started several pots with the seeds of this non-native. The butterflies seem happy with it, but since I was hoping to be "all native" moving forward, this just saddens me.
Next trip to Maple Street Natives in West Melbourne, i'll see if I can't get some proper native butterflyweed (Asclepias tuberosa).
Sunday, August 10, 2008
leyland cypress or leyland depressed?
Two of my leyland cypress and the 2 little giant arborvitaes seem unhappy....really unhappy. They are turning brown. I'll have to do a websearch to see if I can find out why they are failing. I am going to begin potting up the errant sea myrtle trees (Baccharis halimifolia) to add to the back outside of fence naturalized area. Those that I have planted are doing very well!
Today's garden finds include the return of blue mistflowers (Conoclinium coelestinum) and the buds of chaffheads (Carphephorus carnosus or Carphephorus corymbosus) finally showing their purple color. I also picked and ate a few of the ripened grapes which I think probably are muscadine (Vitis rotundifolia). They tasted rather nice.
I started using the beta site of the ISB Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants located at http://www.plantatlasbeta.usf.edu. It is easy to use to locate the scientific names and determine if it is a native or not. There are also wonderful picture to help determine what the plants are and you can bring up by searching by county which helps limit the number of plants you need to weed through.
Mowing continues! Maple Av. natives here I come!
Today's garden finds include the return of blue mistflowers (Conoclinium coelestinum) and the buds of chaffheads (Carphephorus carnosus or Carphephorus corymbosus) finally showing their purple color. I also picked and ate a few of the ripened grapes which I think probably are muscadine (Vitis rotundifolia). They tasted rather nice.
I started using the beta site of the ISB Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants located at http://www.plantatlasbeta.usf.edu. It is easy to use to locate the scientific names and determine if it is a native or not. There are also wonderful picture to help determine what the plants are and you can bring up by searching by county which helps limit the number of plants you need to weed through.
Mowing continues! Maple Av. natives here I come!
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Rains return
Some nice thunderstorms are in the area. The plants really need a good drenching after a few days without measurable rain. The pond is back within its banks and I can get the lawn mower around it again to mow. And mow I have. I didn't even finish the back yard and it is time to mow the front again.....and that is without rain for a few days. I guess the oppressive heat this week contributed. Thankfully it is going to be back down to seasonable temps today.....and my morning garden walk confirmed that it has cooled down.
I saw the first buds on the Redroot (Lachnanthes caroliniana). A Gulf Fritillary Butterfly was mesmerizing on the Dogfennel (Eupatorium capillifolium) early in the week. I tried to catch him (her?) in a net to take a photo but I am a bit too slow. I also spotted one on the red flowered cannas. The alligator flag (Thalia geniculata) in the pond is beginning to show leaves. I can't wait for it to flower!
The climbing hempweed (Mikania scandens) is expanding along one section of the front side fence and has adapted to the daisy shaped metal lawn ornament in the "wild" section of the backyard. I await the pretty white flowers!
This past week I had many varieties of butterflies including sulphurs, monarchs, swallowtails (including zebra) and others. A good many dragonflies seem to be calling the yard home. I was surprised that they are up close to the house instead of being down by the pond...although the pond has a great many of its own. We have had a tree frog explosion as well! I'm happy that most that I have seen are green, so florida natives and not the cuban type. Many are the size of my pinky nail. I can't imagine the chorus that I will encounter each night when these guys all grow up. As long as they eat the mosquitoes, the are welcome to stay. I can always wear headphones.
I saw the first buds on the Redroot (Lachnanthes caroliniana). A Gulf Fritillary Butterfly was mesmerizing on the Dogfennel (Eupatorium capillifolium) early in the week. I tried to catch him (her?) in a net to take a photo but I am a bit too slow. I also spotted one on the red flowered cannas. The alligator flag (Thalia geniculata) in the pond is beginning to show leaves. I can't wait for it to flower!
The climbing hempweed (Mikania scandens) is expanding along one section of the front side fence and has adapted to the daisy shaped metal lawn ornament in the "wild" section of the backyard. I await the pretty white flowers!
This past week I had many varieties of butterflies including sulphurs, monarchs, swallowtails (including zebra) and others. A good many dragonflies seem to be calling the yard home. I was surprised that they are up close to the house instead of being down by the pond...although the pond has a great many of its own. We have had a tree frog explosion as well! I'm happy that most that I have seen are green, so florida natives and not the cuban type. Many are the size of my pinky nail. I can't imagine the chorus that I will encounter each night when these guys all grow up. As long as they eat the mosquitoes, the are welcome to stay. I can always wear headphones.
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