“I’m obsessed with insects, particularly insect flight... without insects, there’d be no flowering plants. Without flowering plants, there would be no clever, fruit-eating primates giving TED Talks.”
– Michael Dickinson
8/21/17:
During last weekend’s garden adventures, the cats and I were observing insects, and I decided to study the littlest flowers growing in our yard.
I followed a lovely white butterfly around with the camera, but these critters spend less time sitting still than the squirrels do! I also watched brown skipper moths, ladybugs, and a few bees.
Getting up close to so many of my plants, I was happy not to see any aphids on the leaves. Although some plants are still getting chewed on, there’s less new damage this week since I’ve removed handfuls of snails, slugs and stick insects.
I recently pulled up the majority of lettuces that had bolted, and re-seeded my planter boxes in the semi-shaded “vegetable patch”. But I left a few lettuces and the radishes to flower and go to seed, to see what they look like at that stage. The radishes now have tiny white flowers with simple petals; the mustard greens have similar blooms in bright yellow (and clusters of long thin seed pods which I’m saving to plant or use in cooking). The more complex purple flowers of the endive lettuce were a pleasant surprise.
I followed a lovely white butterfly around with the camera, but these critters spend less time sitting still than the squirrels do! I also watched brown skipper moths, ladybugs, and a few bees.
Getting up close to so many of my plants, I was happy not to see any aphids on the leaves. Although some plants are still getting chewed on, there’s less new damage this week since I’ve removed handfuls of snails, slugs and stick insects.
I recently pulled up the majority of lettuces that had bolted, and re-seeded my planter boxes in the semi-shaded “vegetable patch”. But I left a few lettuces and the radishes to flower and go to seed, to see what they look like at that stage. The radishes now have tiny white flowers with simple petals; the mustard greens have similar blooms in bright yellow (and clusters of long thin seed pods which I’m saving to plant or use in cooking). The more complex purple flowers of the endive lettuce were a pleasant surprise.
Clicking on the small images below will bring up a larger version.
Ladybug on hydrangea.
Endive lettuce flower.
Salvia microphylla “Hot Lips”.
A salvia I purchased at the local plant sale in October of 2015 is blooming nicely. It had mostly died back last year. I’ve not yet discovered the cause, or why it’s doing so much better now. I’m guessing that maybe it got over-watered: these are drought-tolerant, and in the wild they’ll grow in clay soil with decent drainage.
I’m making good progress at transplanting bigger seedlings into medium-size pots. I have 5 columbine plants that are about 8 inches tall, and 4 zinnia seedlings nearly as big. I hope that all of these get established enough to bloom before the colder weather of autumn settles in. There’s also one vigorous seedling from the plumeria seeds I got in Hawaii. I know that it will be too young to bloom for a year or two, however tall it gets, but I’ll water and fertilize carefully in the meantime, and bring it inside for warmth this winter.
I’m making good progress at transplanting bigger seedlings into medium-size pots. I have 5 columbine plants that are about 8 inches tall, and 4 zinnia seedlings nearly as big. I hope that all of these get established enough to bloom before the colder weather of autumn settles in. There’s also one vigorous seedling from the plumeria seeds I got in Hawaii. I know that it will be too young to bloom for a year or two, however tall it gets, but I’ll water and fertilize carefully in the meantime, and bring it inside for warmth this winter.