Herbs that Attract Butterflies

Herbs will enhance foods flavor and many herbs can be used to heal the sick but some herbs are beneficial to bees and butterflies.  When you grow specific herbs and allow them to flower these herbs will attract bees and butterflies to your yard and garden. 

Lavender in bloom

Choose a section in your yard to grow a fragrant herb garden.  An area that is close to your outdoor living space will be appealing as watching the butterflies foraging the nectar is relaxing.  A Butterfly garden A great way to unwind after a day at work.

Plan a garden that will include a water feature to keep butterflies hydrated and a resting or hibernation box.  You may want to set the water feature to the side and add a small stone path –patio that is large enough for a garden bench.  Then plant the herbs according to their growing needs.  Some herbs require direct sun so plant them in an area where it is hot.  Others may need part sun in the afternoon and an overhang of a shade tree would be ideal.  You do not need to plant your butterfly herb garden in one area, be creative and plant groupings of fragrant herbs throughout your yard.

Grow herbs outdoors in a garden that has full sun to part sun in the heat of the day, with soil that is well-drained.  Keep the garden weed-free and apply organic mulch to help in retaining moisture.  

Maintain your butterfly herb garden by making sure that the soil does not dry out.  Install drip line irrigation or a soaking hose and water in the early morning.  I have my irrigation system set on a timer and it starts watering at 6:30 and ends at 8:00 a.m.  You may water in the late afternoon as long as there is a few hours of sunlight. Night watering is not recommended as the wet soil will attract garden pest

There are many fragrant herbs that attract butterflies.  Many of these fragrant herbs also can be used for herbal tea.  Here is a list of herbs that I grow in my yard and gardens.

Red and Fuchsia Bee Balm

Echinacea Coneflowers

Garden Mint

Lavender

Chives

Fennel

Evening Primrose

Chicory

Comfrey

Chamomile

Lemon Balm

Meadowsweet

Sage

Thyme

Yarrow

Valerian

My herb garden photographs:

Echinacea

Garden Mint

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Lemon Balm

Bee Balm

Growing Tips for Hawthorn Trees

Hawthorn is a large shrub or a small tree that is in the rose family. The tree will grow an average of one foot per year. This three-season ornamental tree features lovely flowers in spring, red fruit in late summer, and beautiful fall color.  Plant the hawthorn as an accent tree close to a picture window as you will want to view this tree in spring summer and fall. 

Accent your landscape with a flowering Hawthorn Tree:  Image Credit

Choosing a Hawthorn Tree:
Buy a hawthorn tree from a nursery or garden center.  Look for a healthy 2 to 4-foot tree with branches and green leaves.  

Where and When to Plant
Plant the tree in early spring or as soon as you can loosen the soil with your shovel. Hawthorn trees prefer to grow in an area that is rich in limestone with a sandy loom. However, the hawthorn will tolerate ordinary soil also. A location with the full sun with well-drained soil is agreeable to the hawthorn tree.

How to Plant a Tree
Dig a hole that is the same depth as the container and is the same width.  Loosen the soil with your hands to remove all of the clumps and to make the texture of the soil fine.
Remove the tree from a plastic container or if the tree is wrapped in a 100% burlap wrapping then release the burlap from around the tree trunk and pull back.  Otherwise, set the burlap-covered root ball into the hole.  As long as there is no wax coating on the burlap covering the roots will grow through the covering and growth will be fine.

Backfill the hole with soil.  Pack the soil so that there are no air pockets.  Water the tree well.

You can grow a hawthorn from a seed.  It is best to start tree seeds under a grow light indoors in late winter.  Your hawthorn seedling should grow an average of 1 foot in the first year.  Keep the seedling in a pot until it is approximately 12 inches then transplant outdoors in early spring after the threat of frost has passed.  

Care for Hawthorn Tree
Fertilize the hawthorn tree with water mixed (10-10-10) solution. Pour fertilizer around the base of the tree or fertilize it with organic tree stakes.  It is best to fertilize the hawthorn tree Every other spring and your tree will grow healthy.

Apply three inches of organic mulch; pine needles, grass clippings, or chipped trees around the tree.  Do not use synthetic mulch.
Keep soil evenly moist but not wet throughout the growing season.  If your autumn season is warm then continue to water the new tree until there is a hard freeze.  

Points of Interest:

1. Branches with berries look great dried and added to floral arrangements.
2. The Hawthorn tree brings luck to the owner,
3. Cedar apple rust can be a problem.
4. Branches have sharp thorns and children should avoid the tree.
5. The winter red hawthorn berries provide a reliable food source for the birds and in the spring the tree will provide shelter for nesting birds.
6. The bark is gray and smooth.
7. Mature hawthorn trees are 16 to 49 feet tall
8. Jesus Christ wore a crown of thorns made from branches from the hawthorn tree.

Growing Peppermint From Seed

Peppermint herb is aromatic as it has high menthol content. The leaves of the peppermint are bright green and are pointed; the peppermint produces a flower in mid to late summer that attracts bees and butterflies.  Mint looks wonderful grown in masses and it can also be grown in a container.  I like to grow peppermint in containers .  I arrange assorted sizes of containers and set them on my patio and along my gravel path.  The aromatic peppermint  repels mosquitoes and other flying insects and it freshens the air.  Peppermint is also a good way to repel stray cats.

Many people grow peppermint for it medicinal properties; peppermint is a natural treatment for indigestion, heartburn, headache, nausea and the oil of the peppermint will heal acne.  You can also use peppermint to sweeten beverages , and to garnish many culinary dishes.  The benefits of peppermint are many so it is wise to plant some peppermint seeds in your garden or indoors on a sunny southern exposed windowsill garden.

Peppermint flowers by: work by Wikipedia

Growing Peppermint from Seed

Decide if you want to grow peppermint from seed or from a nursery grown plant.  Seeds must be started indoors 7 to 8 weeks prior to the last spring frost.  Plant seeds in fertile soil.  Set the seeds onto of the soil and then press the seeds into the soil with the eraser of a pencil.  Plant the seed one inch below the soil line.  Water so that the soil is evenly moist but not wet.  Set the container next to a sunny window with party shade in the heat of the day.  Watch the soil so that it does not dry out.  Peppermint prefers evenly moist soil that is well drained.  Peppermint will not grow well in wet soil. Wet soil will kill peppermint.

Planting tips for Peppermint

A nursery grown peppermint should be planted outdoors after the danger of frost as past.  Choose a garden site that has full sun to part sun and soil that is fertile and well drained.  Clear the growing site by removing the sod and working the soil with a tiller or with a shovel.  Mix the soil with organic compost or manure.  Dig a hole that is the same depth as the nursery container.  Set the peppermint plant in the center of the hold and back fill the soil.   Allow 18 inches in-between plants.  Water newly planted peppermint.

Care for Peppermint:

• Keep roots cool by adding a pine bark mulch or leaf mulch around the peppermint.
• Water mint at the soil line in the morning and keep the soil evenly moist.
• Peppermint will bloom in mid to late summer
• Divide and transplant in the spring to prevent overcrowding.
• For small yards or apartments grow peppermint in a container and set next to a southern exposed window or under a grow light.
• Watch for rust; patches of orange red on the back of the leaves.  Remove all rust infected plants and get rid of them.  Watering mint in evening will cause rust so don’t do it.

 

Learn more about growing mint here:

Chrysanthemums Growing Tips

Accent containers with yellow mums

Chrysanthemums are autumn’s official flower. This flower is widely used in floral arrangements container gardens and many are planted in feature gardens.  Most people refer to this fall  flower as the mum. This colorful flower will bloom late summer through the first hard frost. Which means the chrysanthemum, will brighten yards and interior home decor from late September through November. 

I planted yellow mums along my flagstone patio and every June through mid July I need to pinch off the buds so that the plant will grow fuller and the buds will bloom in the late summer and early fall.  The first year I planted decorative mums and they did not grow well and then I learned that there are two types of mums, there are decorative mums they are annuals and are what florists use and then there are mums that you grow from a seed or buy from a nursery.

Buy healthy mums that have many buds. Check the nursery grown plant for broken branches and brown tips on the leaves. Find a mum that has lush green foliage and has a full appearance. If roots are growing out of the pot, it is a good sign that it has a rigorous root.

Start the mums by growing from seed indoors 8 to 12 weeks prior to the last frost in spring or you can buy a hardy mum that has been grown in a nursery pot.  If you intend to plant mums in the autumn it is best to buy a plant in a nursery pot and plant 6 to 8 weeks prior to fall hard frost.

Select your garden site wisely. Mums grow best in a sunny location with part shade in the afternoon.  They also grow well in rich garden soil that is well drained.   Grow mums away from a rock wall, foundation or privacy fence as they need good air flow.

Ready the garden by removing the sod, weeds and us a dig a hole that is the same depth as your nursery pot plus three inches.  Remove the soil from the hole and put in a wheel barrow or bucket.  Work compost or manure into the soil.  Next fill the hole with enough soil to make a small mound in the center of the hole.  This mound will lift the mum up and will aid in proper drainage.  Set the mum in the center of the hole on top of the mound and back fill the soil into the hole.  Firm the soil around the mum stem.  Water the newly planted mum.

Caring for Chrysanthemums
Apply two inches of mulch around the mum.  This mulch will aid in retaining moisture and will deter the growth of weeds.

Water Chrysanthemums in the morning; provide them with moisture up to one inch per week.  If the summer is hot then water the mums three times a week so they do not dry out.

When buds appear in late July or early August remove the buds.  The mum will then continue to grow full and bushy in appearance.  Feed mums in late summer with spray n grow.  Feeding them will produce healthy and large fall flowers. 

 When the weather turns bitter cold the plants will die back.  Cut them down to 1/3 their size and then apply three inches of mulch.

Tips:

1. Divide mums every 2 to 3 years
2. Water mums at the soil line with soaking hose.
3. The chrysanthemum flower attracts bees and butterflies.
4. Aphids like to nest in mums during the fall season.
5. Plant a nursery grown chrysanthemums them in September and keep the soil moist but not wet and enjoy the end of summer and early autumn flowers.
6. Unlike other fall blooming flowers the chrysanthemum is very hardy and a light frost will not affect them.
7. Decorate your home with mums by adding dried mums to garlands, wreaths or swag for your door or create a colorful mum and greenery floral centerpiece for their foyer or dining table.  Mum’s are also planted in feature gardens or in containers and are set next to a bail of straw or along the side of pumpkin. 

Growing Hosta in Shade Gardens

Shady areas in your yard are the perfect location for a Hosta garden. They grow well under shade trees, in containers, and in woodland gardens.  HostaS are Plantain Lilies and are native to China, Japan, and Korea. Gardeners grow Hosta for the unusual leaf, the variety of colors, and the texture. The plants are very attractive mid-spring through frost. 

Photographs of my Hosta shade gardens:

I have been growing Hosta plants since 1994.  Presently I have 40 plants.  It is safe to say that I love my shade garden.  Every year I look for a new plant to add to my collection. If you would like to add Hosta plants to your garden I would suggest that you buy a plant from a reliable nursery, and buy healthy plants in a container.  

Most plants grow 1-3 feet tall with a similar spread.  There are a few varieties that will grow 3-5 feet tall and wide, I have a giant blue Hosta, and the leaves are very large.  It took three seasons for the plant to mature and grow to four feet wide.

Growing tips for Hosta

Rich organic soil is needed to be successful in growing Hosta. The bed also needs to be moist and well-drained. Hosta will tolerate humid hot summers as long as the soil never dries out. You will need to be water 1 1/2 inches per week throughout the growing season. 

Fertilize the 3-4 times during the growing season. Use very light mulch or pine needles to control slugs, retain moisture, and control weeds. Don’t mulch over 2 inches as it may increase the garden pests; voles, slugs, and snails.  

Remove pests by hand daily and repel pests naturally with coffee grounds. Scatter the spent coffee grounds around the plants. Coffee will also deter cats from your hosta garden.

After the first frost, the plant will die back. Cut back the leaves to the soil line. Weed the bed and then cover it with 2-3 inches of organic mulch. 

In the spring after the danger of frost has passed. Fertilize your Hostas to encourage the plants to awaken from their winter sleep. I use Spray n Grow once a month during the growing season and I am pleased with how healthy my Hosta plants are.

Tips:

Hosta can be grown with Astilbe, Fern, Ajuga, Lily of the Valley, and toad lilies.

Deer are attracted to Hosta foliage.

Hosta will grow and multiply but never become invasive.  Divide clumps every 3-4 years in spring.

Do not plant in an area of dense shade as they do need some light from the sun to grow well.  My Hosta garden gets part sun in the morning and all are very healthy. 

Growing Culinary Herbs Outdoors

Every summer I grow herbs for cooking and for tea.  I use to grow herbs for healing but when I moved my space for growing herbs outdoors was limited as there are too many trees in my yard.  

 My husband suggested that I grow herbs year round in the greenhouse where we have grow lights. This of course is always a good idea as you do not have to worry about groundhogs eating your parsley or the brown grasshoppers.  It is the best to grow in way to grow healthy and organic herbs, however the bees and butterflies are not able to forage off the basil and rosemary blooms.  

I watched the sunlight in my yard and found that a small section received 4 hours of morning sun, followed by part shade in the afternoon and at 4:00 pm the section had full sun for another 3 hours.  The sun was enough and I decided to plant a small herb garden.
  

Photographs of my small culinary herb garden:

I set my herb garden up with a rock boarder.  I laid a thick newspaper lining to keep the grass and weeds from growing into the bed and then I added two inches of pea gravel mixed with sand for proper drainage and on top of that I added 12 inches of top soil mixed moisture control beads and equal parts compost.  I then planted; dill. African Blue Basil, Honeydew sage, oregano, Rosemary, chives, cilantro, Italian parsley and lemon mint. 

If you are contemplating growing herbs outdoors then here are some tips for growing herbs outdoors.

Grow Herbs in the Ground

1. Use a tiller to break the ground and loosen the soil to 18 inches.
2. Remove grass and rocks
3. Break up soil lumps so that it is fine in texture
4. Add organic compost to the garden soil and mix well
5. Add slow release fertilizer

Grow Herbs in Raised Gardens

1. Raised garden beds get more sun and dry out quickly so it is wise to set the raised garden in an area that is close to a water source; rain barrel or sprinkler head.Choose a flat surface for the raised garden.  A leveled garden will provide a good water balance.
2. Buy a raised garden kit and set it up according to the directions.
3. Fill your raised garden with a mixture of Scott's miracle grow moisture control garden soil, Scott’s compost and course sand. This mixture will provide your raised garden with hydration, nutrients and drainage.
4.  Another way to fill your raised bed is to mix half organic compost with half potting soil.  Add water pearls to help retain moisture. .

Grow Herbs in Container Garden

1. Drill holes on the bottom of the container to aid in water drainage.  For large containers you may want to drill holes on the side close to the bottom of container.
2. Fill your containers with all purpose potting soil mixed with compost or manure.  Add water pearls to help retain moisture
3. Fill soil to one inch bellow container top. This will prevent the water from draining off and will also allow you to apply peat moss or mulch around the herbs.

Tips:

1. Herbs need a minimum of six hours of direct sun to grow.
2. Plant herbs after you have installed your patio, walkway. Once planted it is best not to disturb the soil.  As compacting the earth for patio or walkway will shift the earth from the herb roots and cause the plants to suffer.
3. Water herbs daily; for containers and raised gardens, water in the morning and early evening.
4. Avoid allowing soil to dry out.

Mirabilis Jalapa Wildflower Growing Tips

The Mirabilis Jalapa is a wildflower that is commonly known as the four O’clock flower.  These flowers bloom late in the afternoon at approximately 4:00 and stay open throughout the night.  These flowers will close at dawn and will remain closed during the day, except on cloudy days.  

I grow four O'clock flowers and look forward to them blooming because they attract hummingbirds and also because of their fragrance.  I planted the magenta color close to my patio and the bi-color yellow grows close to the garden path.  I have also planted yellow mixed with the magnet in a large pot and set it on my patio. 

Photographs of my four O'clock flower gardens: 

Growing tips:

 Plant the seeds indoors 8-10 weeks prior to the last spring frost. Purchase seed starter kits at your local garden center. Fill the planters with soil. Then dig a hole that is ½-inch deep in the center of the pot. Use the eraser end of a pencil to form the hole. Place the black seed in the center and cover with soil. Water well.  Germination takes 8-12 days.  Transplant outdoors after the threat of spring frost has past.  Or you can sow the seeds directly into the garden bed. It is best to plant when the soil has warmed to 65 - 75F; germination is usually in 14 days. 

Grow Four O’clocks in full sun to part shade to shade in the afternoon when the sun is the hottest.  If your summers are extremely hot (95 to 105 F) then the four O’clock will benefit from part shade in the peak heat of the day.   Plant in well-drained soil, okay to grow in poor soil.  The plant will flourish if you amend the soil with compost or manure.  Space plants two feet apart. Keep the soil evenly moist until the plant fills out and gets a bushy appearance.  Then water as needed.  I generally water every morning with a soaking hose. The slow drip at the soil line is a good way to provide roots with hydration.

I grow magenta, white, yellow and pink four O’clock flowers as a backdrop to my stone patio.  These perennial flowers return every year due to our mild winters here in zone 7.  Both my husband and I enjoy sitting outdoors on a summer night especially when the air is perfumed by the four O’clock flowers.  What I like about this plant is that they are a large bushy with many branches.  When mature the plant will grows to almost four feet in height with a similar spread. I also enjoy the many blooms that come again throughout the late summer and fall season. When the days turn cooler the four-o’clock will stop blooming and will go to seed.

Tips:

Four O’clock plants are native to North and South America.  In South America, they are called the Marvel of Peru.

Four O'clocks are perennials in zones 8 to 11.  They may be grown as an annual in other growing regions.

  

Mature four O’clock plant have large tuber roots.  Divide and transplant the tubers every 3 to 4 years in the spring.  
  
Collect seeds in the fall and keep them in a labeled envelope.  Use these seeds for spring planting. Caution: do not eat the seeds; they are poisonous.