Organic gardener growing food and flowers, lovin' pollinators and birds.

August frustrations




It's officially the part of the growing season where I want to cut the garden down and start over.

I went outside after our second scary thunderstorm of the month to find toppled plants, mulch moved by rain runoff and hibiscus sawfly pests on my perennial hibiscus.


It's my fault for not applying NEEM to this earlier, and now the plants look like swiss cheese. I've tried handpicking and removing them, but there are so many this year.

via my Bitmoji account.
Needless to say, I'm looking a little like an angry version of my Bitmoji self (as seen at right).

Part of the problem (I believe) is that the summer is expected to be filled with glamour. Ideally, there is sun-shiny weather, weekends filled with fun activities, and warm weather where you'd just like to curl up with a book and lie on a deck chair to read - and maybe take a little snooze in the warm sun. Oh, and in my perfect summer daydream, I'm surrounded by beautiful flowering plants, like a photo spread out of a garden magazine.

But instead - at least for me - my summer daydream has not developed. The weather is crappy. There. I said it. The weather has been the absolute pits. And as a result of me not braving the humidity to cut back flowers, or say, mow the lawn, the front garden is starting to look overgrown and unkempt. I've barely kept up with feeding the hummingbirds and checking for caterpillars (basically I've now regulated August to just being able to care for these two garden creatures).

In addition, I've started to apologize for the front garden:

"Sorry - I've been working and going to grad school." 

"Sorry - don't let the plants along the walkway attack you."

"It's a little more overgrown than usual ... but I do like the cottage garden look... I guess this is extreme cottage gardening."

"Oh - I didn't realize there was crabgrass growing in my path. Oh look, it's everywhere."

And while the weekends have flown by and since the squirrels have made my deck chair their place to snooze in the sun and a comfortable place to eat the tomatoes they have stolen, let's just say I'm ready to tap out on summer.

I realize August frustrations is a common theme among gardeners in the late summer, and the recent humidity and excessive heat isn't helping anyone. But really, what gives? It would be great if we could pass this part of the season where we all just want to throw in our trowels and walk off. And say, pick up in another spot where my summer daydream exists. But I don't have access to a Hollywood movie set - so much for that.

But then, there's a flower that begins to bloom. And despite it's swiss cheese leaves, the bright, tropical blossoms of perennial hibiscus remind me that the summer will soon be over. And with it, will come some shorter days, but a little cooler weather where I can whip this garden back into shape.

And somehow, it will all be OK.



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Check out my podcast interview on 'Still Growing'



I was honored to recently be interviewed by Jennifer Ebeling of the Still Growing podcast. We chatted about gardening, photography, baking and of course, rabbits. You can listen to the podcast below:



Or, if you'd prefer to see the questions and answers broken out by timestamp, click here. There's also a giveaway (where you can score some photography pieces from me!) open to all listeners who leave a comment on Jennifer's post. (One lucky person will be selected and have some of my work shipped to their home.)

And of course, be sure to check out Jennifer's website, the 6FT Mama.
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Floral Friday: Aug. 19

This week's Floral Friday is brought to you by Instagram and my iPhone, because I'm wrapping up some graduate school projects that are just keeping me crazy busy (along with working throughout the day, of course).


A photo posted by Jen McGuinness (@jmcguinness31) on


Besides the beginning of my late-sown zinnias starting to bloom, I also have a cool dragonfly story, since rescuing insects has become a theme this summer it seems. (Last week a ladybug was rescued from the birdbath.) In the video below is a dragonfly I rescued from the huge spider web that I allow to exist by my back door. While my husband and I are not fans of big spiders, our policy since moving to Portland has become, "If it stays outdoors, it lives. If it comes inside ... no promises." So we've let these spiders set up by the back door and I hope it's helping the mosquito population in return.

But when I came home on Wednesday from school, I noticed this dragonfly struggling in the web, and to the spider's disappointment, I decided to help the dragonfly out. It took almost 10 minutes to untangle the little guy since he was stuck with sticky threads all over, but he must had known I was trying to help him, because he allowed me to use tiny little sticks to pull the webbing off. And then after it was all done, he didn't want to leave! I managed to get my iPhone out while he was still sitting on my hand and videotaped him cleaning his face and hanging out.

It was very cool. I ended up moving him to the flowers afterward and warned him to stay clear of the spider.



A photo posted by Jen McGuinness (@jmcguinness31) on


The tomato plants are starting to produce, but I have to say, I am a little disappointed that none of the big guys have made it, because the squirrels keep stealing my green tomatoes.

A photo posted by Jen McGuinness (@jmcguinness31) on


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Floral Friday: Aug. 12

This week's Floral Friday theme is brought to you by the color ... fuchsia! 

Fuchsia!


All joking aside, these two plants just happen to be the only flowers I photographed this week - not only because my crazy schedule has limited my time in the garden, but because these two plants are just dominating the scene with their bright, joyful color. And coincidentally, they are both plants I am trialling now in my garden thanks to Proven Winners and J Berry Nursery. 

The first plant is Proven Winner's Supertunia "Vista Fuchsia" petunias - and it has a really awesome story to go along with it. Not only is this plant blooming nonstop in my ceramic glazed pots in the front garden, but the little ladybug inside the bloom almost didn't make it. 

When I went outside to photograph what was blooming, the insect was trying (unsuccessfully) to navigate her way out of the birdbath. I was afraid she would drown so I scooped her out. I decided to place her on the petunia to dry out, and she stayed there for several minutes, regaining her composure. 

Who wouldn't want to recover on a petunia?


The second plant is also growing in one of my ceramic glazed pots, which is perfect for this plant from the Deckorations line. This pretty blossom is from Ruby Prince crapemyrtle, which does really well in the hot sun. It's also very tolerant of not being watered constantly. Usually I do not have luck with crapemyrtles in Connecticut, because the winter can be too cold for this Southern plant. I'm planning on bringing this guy inside this winter to see how he overwinters.



What's blooming - or starring - in your garden this week?
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Floral Friday: Aug. 5

This week is all about butterflies and flowers ... and more butterflies and flowers. 

I just love this photo of a tiger swallowtail butterfly on this phlox that has reseeded itself in my front garden. 

As you will see, I will be stalking this butterfly in more photos, but let's keep looking at plants for the moment!

The vegetables growing in the driveway are doing well in their grow bags.

Proven Winners Angelface Pink Summer Snapdragon (Angelonia angustifolia) 
blooming like crazy this summer!

Perennial sunflower in the morning light. 

I planted this alyssum in the crack between my raised beds and it just took off!
I am so glad I listened to my gut that told me to plant seeds here! This is some
of the best alyssum I've grown - ever! Even with the summer heat!

Nicotiana blooming. I need to plant more of this next year. 

Cosmos.

Perennial hibiscus. 

Spicebush swallowtail butterflies apparently enjoy ivy geraniums.

And spicebush swallowtail butterflies enjoy petunias, too, such as this Proven Winner's Supertunia Vista Bubblegum petunia.

And no surprise here, tiger swallowtails enjoy butterfly bush blossoms.



Can you see the pollen on this butterfly?


What's blooming in your garden this week?
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The Gardener's August Calendar ~ 2016



I have this problem in the summertime where I start watching the time for the sunset change. First I notice that the sun sets around 8:15 p.m. A few days later, it's at 8:12 p.m. Tonight will be 8:03 p.m. Maybe watching the daylight cycles is just a trait of being a garden, but to me, it's a big sign that the season I love is coming to an end, so it's time to make the most of it. So in that spirit, let's keep the tasks short and sweet, with the main goal that you get outside and enjoy the flowers, the butterflies, the birds, the clouds and nature as much as possible.



  • Keep an eye out for caterpillars! Monarch butterflies, black swallowtail butterflies and spicebush swallowtail butterflies are all laying eggs on host plants right, hopefully in your garden. It's easy to get a bug box and bring them inside, where they will be safe from predators, including birds and wasps. I have successfully raised several generations of black swallowtail butterflies (which use fennel, dill and carrot as host plans), and this year I'm raising four spicebush caterpillars that I found on my spicebush plant. Monarchs are the trickiest to raise indoors, but don't let that scare you! For some great information on raising monarchs, visit Monarch Watch. For more information on gardening for butterflies, here's a landing page I created when I was a host of #gardenchat last year talking about that very topic!
  • Water for birds - During this hot month, make sure your birdbaths are clean and filled with fresh water. Birds need water, especially in the Northeast this year where many areas are experiencing drought conditions. Dump stagnant water so mosquitoes can not breed in them. 
  • Vegetable Beds - Use any empty space in the veggie garden beds to sow carrot, beet, lettuce, radish, spinach and pea seeds now for a fall crop. I'm going to plant some in my cold frame, too, so I can extend the crops when the days get colder. As vegetable areas are harvested - and if you do not plan on sowing a fall crop (gasp!) - start sowing cover crops to help condition the soil this fall and over the winter.
  • Iris care - Irises should be divided every three to five years, or when the clumps start to lack flowers. I'm finding that many of my irises look like they need dividing this year, and a new location might be helpful because they've become a bit (unintentionally) buried in their current location. (There's a helpful article on dividing and transplanting rhizome iris here.) Irises like to have their roots exposed, and they seem to do well in drier portions of my garden where the rhizome won't be at risk for rotting, In addition, start trimming back irises to the "stubs" (except for rebloomers) which can prevent iris borers from ruining plants. This is not only a fall chore that you are getting a jump on, but it removes the site where the iris borer moth wants to lay its eggs, which will feed on the rhizome and kill the plant.
  • Hydrangea Care - If your hydrangeas need pruning, the time to do it is now so you won't be cutting off next year's buds. (Here in the Northeast, mine do not since they lost so much growth thanks to this past winter). There is a short three-week window to do this in August; after that, the plants will put their energy into creating flower buds for next year. Read more on how to do so here.
  • Maintenance  - The garden usually needs help this month with water, so keep an eye on plants. The best time to water is in the morning. Also, be sure to deadhead flowers regularly to keep plants looking their best.
  • Pests - Keep shaking Japanese beetles into cups of soapy water to get rid of them. The best time to do this is in the morning or early evening hours, when they are not as active. Have you applied neem oil to your perennial hibiscus? I forgot to this year and the hibiscus sawfly is having a field day eating the leaves.


  • Elderberries - Elderberries are a great edible fruit that actually grows well underneath my black walnut tree. While I often have to fight the birds for the berries, it is important to remember that they are not safe to eat fresh. The berries (blue or purple) are high in Vitamin C. To remove them easier from the stem, I freeze them first. There are so many things you can do with elderberries, including wine, syrup, jam and pies.  To learn more about this great plant, click here. (Just as a word of caution - do not eat wild, red elderberries because those are poisonous.)


  • Bulbs - Now is the time to figure out where you want to plant bulbs for spring blooms. Look at your garden photos from this past spring (really, how was that only four months ago!) to see where you need pops of color.

Remember to get outside and enjoy the flowers! Summer is fleeting - onward!

These chores are based on my garden located in Zone 6b.
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