Tag Archives: Gardening

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

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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

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Scanning Nature 3: Purple Coneflower

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A Bounty of Broom Moths

Have your Baptisia been looking a little ragged lately?  Check for these little guys.  We are certainly having an outbreak in our yard, maybe due to the weirdness of the spring this year (?).  I expect the Indigos will survive, … Continue reading

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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

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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

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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

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We’re on a Sumac Roll, Aromatically Speaking

There is a new post in our native plants pages on Rhus aromatica, sometimes called Aromatic Sumac.  Defend your chickens and tan some leather.  Or just grow a nice plant or two.  It’s here: https://nadiasyard.com/our-native-plants/sumac-aromatic-rhus-aromatica/. Also, Nadia is working on … Continue reading

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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

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Specially and diversely unique. Or something…

It was waaay past time to turn the compost in our backyard. One of those jobs that seem much worse in anticipation than they actually are, turning compost is something I can put off for a very long time.  Now, … Continue reading

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