Nadia’s Backyard- Pests and Parasites May 17, 2013
- The Return of the Stinker March 1, 2013
- Winter Rations December 31, 2012
- To All Things a Season November 16, 2012
- Galls Galore October 16, 2012
- Fall Medley #1 October 16, 2012
- Hitting the Trifecta September 7, 2012
- Where have all the berries gone? August 13, 2012
- There Be Giants Here! July 16, 2012
- No Free Lunch: Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) July 6, 2012
Category Archives: Gardening
Pests and Parasites
A very effective agent of biological pest control, this tiny wasp in our backyard is preparing to lay an egg on (or in) the little green aphid.. When the egg hatches, it will live inside the aphid, munching happily away, … Continue reading
Posted in Gardening, Insect pests, Insects, Photography
Tagged Gardening, Insects, nature, Parasitism, Pest control, Pests, Plants, Wasps
Leave a comment
The Return of the Stinker
Hard to believe but stuff’s coming up! Not just the ubiquitous daffodils that pop up just in time to tease us about a yet-distant spring, but other stuff. Like Wild Leeks. Yeah, smelly old Allium tricoccum. What is this plant … Continue reading
Posted in Cooking, Edible Native Plants, Foraging, Gardening, Native Plants, Recipes
Tagged Cooking, Food, Gardening, Missouri, Native edibles, Native Plants, nature, Photography, Recipes
Leave a comment
Hitting the Trifecta
It’s not often—or ever before, to be honest—that I’ve had the chance to photograph several stages in an insect’s life journey in just a week or so, but I think I nailed it recently. We’ve got some wild senna growing … Continue reading
Posted in Gardening, Insects, Native Plants, Photography
Tagged Butterflies, Insects, Native Plants, nature, Photography, Reproduction, Wildflowers, Wildlife
4 Comments
Where have all the berries gone?
This is what the fruiting head of Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) often looks like after the berries have matured. What berries, you say? Ask the birds that ate them all, especially the robins that love to gorge on them and leave … Continue reading
Posted in Edible Native Plants, Gardening, Native Plants, Photography, Wildlife
Tagged Birds, Food for wildlife, Gardening, Native edibles, Native Plants, nature, Plants, Reproduction, Wildflowers
Leave a comment
No Free Lunch: Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca)
Have you got milkweeds around? If not, why not? Have you ever noticed how many insects they attract? Finally, have you ever noticed some of these insects dangling lifelessly from the milkweed’s flowers? Ever wonder why? (I hadn’t, until recently….) … Continue reading
Posted in Edible Native Plants, Foraging, Gardening, Insects, Landscaping, Native Plants
Tagged Asclepias, Butterflies, Food, Gardening, Insects, Milkweeds, Missouri, Native edibles, Native Plants, nature, Photography, Plants, Pollinators, Pollinia, Reproduction, Wildflowers, Zebra Swallowtails
2 Comments
Ants in Your Plants? The Magic of Myrmecochory.
Let us again consider the Bloodroot, one of spring’s most lovely and ephemeral visitors. Having emerged in March, the little herd in our yard is just now finishing with its crop of seeds, and here they are. Almost, but not … Continue reading
Posted in Gardening, Insects, Native Plants, Seasons
Tagged Ants, Bloodroots, Insects, Missouri, Mutualism, Myrmecochory, Native Plants, nature, Photography, Plants, Reproduction, Sanguinaria canadensis, Seeds, Wildflowers
6 Comments
Bloodroot Update (At Last)
I finally added the Bloodroot article to our Native Plants section here. These days our annual crop of Sanguinaria has long ago dropped its blossoms and has settled into respectable child-rearing mode. Looks like a good crop of seeds this … Continue reading
Posted in Gardening, Landscaping, Native Plants, Photography, Seasons
Tagged Gardening, Missouri, Native Plants, nature, Photography, Plants, Pollinators, Spring, Wildflowers
Leave a comment
An Eerie, Early Spring (but at least the Bloodroot’s up!)
Stuff is popping out all over, almost too fast to keep up with. So far we have over twenty Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) blossoms either open or coming up in our yard. I am now inspired to add this handsome citizen … Continue reading
Posted in Gardening, Landscaping, Native Plants, Seasons
Tagged Gardening, Medicinal, Medicinal Plants, Missouri, Native Plants, nature, Photography, Plants, Spring, Wildflowers
Leave a comment
February Flora!
February 23, and we have non-native crocuses blooming and native wild leeks peeking up in our backyard. Talk about your winter wonderland… Note: the leeks link has a couple recipes. It’s Nadia’s article in the newsletter of the Hawthorn Chapter … Continue reading
Posted in Edible Native Plants, Foraging, Gardening, Native Plants, Seasons
Tagged Crocuses, Gardening, Global Warming, Missouri, Native Plants, nature, Photography, Plants, Wild leeks, Winter
Leave a comment
You can’t keep a good Goddess down
Despite yesterday’s snow and the 15-degree reading on our outside thermometer this morning, our Sky Blue Aster still held onto a few bedraggled blossoms. I mean, you really have to admire the persistence of this late-season bloomer! It’s over for … Continue reading
Posted in Gardening, Insects, Landscaping, Native Plants, Seasons
Tagged Asters, Butterflies, Gardening, Insects, Native Plants, nature, Plants, Pollinators
Leave a comment