Cilantro is one of our favorite things…it makes it into soups, meat loaf, salsas, omelets, potatoes, and of course guacamole just to name a few!
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I’ve had good luck using celery as an attractor for beneficial insects. Once it starts blooming it doesn’t stop for ages.
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What percentage of your scion grafts fail?
Anyone know what the name of the insect below is? We called them skeeter eaters growing up … Do they do any harm?
Scion wood question - some of mine were a tan to brown color in the center (pith area?). Are these ok or not? I’m asking about persimmon specifically but assume the answer may be the same for other species as well. Thanks
I don’t think that matters, I’ve grafted tons of persimmons. As long as the cambium is green you are good. Also, I don’t graft persimmon wood with black streaks, most likely cold damage.
Turns out we were all lied to. They don’t eat mosquitos! The adults live for such a short time that they don’t eat.
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That looks like a Crane fly. Brady
Thanks very much for your reply.
And other things too. I keep thinking what happened to Kevin and his neighbors, not once but twice even after the authorities were around. I think it was different farmers each time, or crew, but in a small town I’m sure word got out. I swear Murphy does not like some of us very well!
I keep adding flowers and keep the ones that work. And now I must say lot’s of bees around. I already saw bees and none of my stone fruit is blooming yet. Any day now though!
Sedums Attract insects late in the year perennial. Columbine can come back and often resows anyway Borage is a wild plant, big and unruly . Self sows very easily. nasturtium tends to lightly self sow. I also just like Zinnia’s so grow them from seed indoors or outdoors. Easy to collect seed every year. Go for species plants, double flowers are unnatural and produce little nectar. Avoid them. Strawberries attract a lot of small native bees. Other beneficials find these listed attractive too.
You can try those IU listed or go through these lists of beneficial plants and insects
http://www.farmerfred.com/plants_that_attract_benefi.html
http://www.dianeseeds.com/beneficial-insects-flowers.html
I think these lists are good.You need to find what works for you. Many perennials flowers i could not establish. So I mentioned some annuals that work year after year. I planted borage once, and 5 years later it’s all over. I pull it out of bad spots all the time.
I recently added a contorted quince that should do it all, also golden currants that flower like crazy. I grow raspberries and elderberries. So Flowers are all over the place here in the summer.
I have Lilacs too, species tulips, small flowering plants also that are often sent as gifts in seed orders.
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Is it ok to spray dormant oil on plums at bud swell, no flowers yet, just, ready to pop. #bettersafethansorry
That’s about the time I spray mine,when there is a little color showing.
Is your oil a commercial premix?A small amount of Soybean oil and dish soap works against the Aphids here,during the Spring.Brady
No its mineral oil by Bonide, mix it with water and spray. Thanks Brady, for the response
Can anyone tell me if these are flower spikes on my Triple Crown Blackberry? It grew out two VERY long canes last year that have now started to side shoot in the spring, and new canes are coming up from the ground.
If I’ve read right I should be training the new canes like I did the older ones and pruning back the older canes once they fruit?
they will be yes
Today I noticed a lot of my peach flowers dried up. I don’t know why. No frost since the tree bloomed. Only thing I can think of is neem oil spray that I did right before most flowers opened. Can neem oil do that to flowers?
Yes, that’s the general plan. In my experience triple crown tends to be very vigorous if in good soil and sun and plenty of water.
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Sometimes when winter damaged they still open, but ovaries are dead. Or it could be blossom blight caused by the Brown Rot fungi. You should see stem damage, if none the flowers may have been damaged some time ago.
Does that trellis have just the one TC plant on it? That’s a lot of growth. You ought to get a nice crop this year.
I planted 7 Triple Crown’s a couple months ago and gave them 5ft of space, and now wonder if that will be enough. The 4 sprouts up now are no more than 4-5" tall now, but I imagine this warm weather ought to give them a boost.