Around The Garden, Bugs good and bad, and more.

Dear Folks,

If you are like me, a bit of cabin fever (maybe more than a bit) is setting in, and I am cruising the garden looking for more things to do (I have a list and I need to get back to it - but not "exciting" stuff :) or just looking for something interesting or even a bit exciting, anything to take my mind off the things I can't do now.

Last week I spotted a ladybug larvae on one of my plants and just kind of said oh that's nice, went on my way and then thought - duh - camera! But of course by the time I got back to the area that day it was gone - hopefully munching aphids.

Ladybug larvae always make me think of a black and red cross between an alligator (many people think they look like that) and a dragon.  The picture above is from the Entomology Department of University of Kentucky.

What I did get a picture of yesterday, was the pupa stage of Ladybug life cycle.  The larvae enter pupa stage then emerge as the adult Ladybug we all know and love.

It is kind of hard to tell but the black "things" are aphids, not quite as clear because I needed to zoom in on the pupa.

 By the way the plant they are on is Chervil, sometimes called Chinese Parsley.  It has a lovely, delicate anise/licorice flavor herb.

So those are the GOOD bugs.

I also managed to pass over (I will look at that later) yellowing of a volunteer tomato plant in the back part of the garden.  That was oh, about 7+ days ago.  Then, I wanted to get a look at that plant because the fruit on it may have ripened.  When I checked the day before yesterday I saw it overwhelmed with Red Spider Mites.  You can see the webs in the picture.  I immediately made up the Safe Soap Spray (recipe below) and used it - even though it was morning and the sun was going to hit it.  This spray is good on the soft-bodied insects like aphids and spider mites, but because of the oil, it is best to use at dusk to keep the fresh oil from creating a magnifying glass effect on the leaves, BUT I needed to hit it right away.  The good news, when I went to spray the plant again yesterday evening the healthy foliage, the mites had not gotten to, looked good.

You can read up on Spider Mites and control including beneficial insects here at the U of California site.

You will note in that link they mention hosing the mites off first - I could not do that at first, but I am planning on it tonight, then will check how things are going to tomorrow evening.

Safe Soap Spray
1 teaspoon each Dawn Dish Detergent
and vegetable oil
1 quart of water.

Put in spray bottle shake (you need to keep shaking to keep the formula mixed) and spray the plants ALL over, get the nooks and undersides of leaves.  With Spider Mites you should spray 3 evenings in a row then observe.

NOTE: if using the spray with aphids which are also prevalent now, you need to spray 3 times minimum 5 days apart to kill adults, new hatchlings and the next wave of hatchlings, then monitor.

Fun Things From The Garden

I dry many herbs and also edible flowers to use in cooking or as a garnish.

The herbs I had drying in the refrigerator* were ready to jar up and put in the pantry, and make room for more to dry.

Left to right are:  -bay-rosemary-oregano-thyme-sage - the sage I actually bought from the store (organic) everything else came from my gardens.

I picked my pink wild Rose, purple Stock, Johnny Jump-Ups, and Nasturtiums.  One of the things on my meal agenda is to make "salad" sandwiches like Tuna or Egg, cut the sandwiches in quarters and dip the fresh edges into the dried flowers.  When I get around to that I will post a picture :)  I also have in mind to a cheese ball and roll in dried herbs and petals.

*I have a shelf over the drawer in the frig which is perfect for drying things because it is 1) out of the way and 2) my "baking" wire racks fit perfectly up there.  I spread the flowers or herbs on paper towels on the racks and leave them until perfectly dry (REALLY important because any moisture could result in mold in the capped jars).  Modern refrigerators with their constant moisture removal produces a "freeze-drying" - meaning cold drying and keeps more of the color and flavor of dry herbs and flowers.

I have been harvesting our Mulberries and Strawberries (Alpine white and red).  The Mulberries are almost done, but it has been a treat this year.  The last couple of years, once the tree started producing, I was often busy doing other things.

I am trying mightily to look at the stay-home-orders as a bit of a silver lining.  I have harvested a bowl of mulberries every day for over a week.  I am freezing some in batches to use later.

Ditto on foods like carrots and beets from the garden, roasting them up and freezing some portions to use later.  My freezer is getting almost too full!

In my next post I will share flower pictures from the garden and also 1 or more recipes.

Meanwhile May has several food appropriate National Days and a Week.

May 2nd is National Herb Day a day to celebrate herbs in all their wonderful usefulness.  It is the first Saturday in May, followed by a National Herb Week.

May 3rd is International and National Permaculture Day.  Permaculture is the development of agricultural ecosystems intended to be sustainable and self-sufficient.  Many of us already practice much of this ecosystem, buy saving and re-sowing seeds, using our own plant generated mulch and compost, and choosing plants which enhance each other.

May 4th - 10th (Mother's Day) is National Herb Week.  The is the first week in May which ends on Mother's Day.  I think that is so appropriate as many of us remember our Grandmothers and our Mothers who used herbs to help us growing up.

Why don't you challenge yourselves to find a new-to-you herb - culinary not medicinal - and learn how to grow it here in the Valley or wherever you live and what foods go well with it.

Two final things.

We took a picture near the beginning of the month when we had the last storm.  Just as the sun was setting - the clouds and sun combined to light up our neighbor's tree in a spectacular way.  You would never know that tree is a dusty looking dull green. 

Timing was right on, as it only lasted a few minutes.

And finally our good friend Jim Pipkin decided to do a solo backyard campfire concert playing some of my favorite tunes he wrote.  Jim is a song writer, singer, musician and story teller.  Kick back with a favorite beverage and put your feet up - about 25 minutes.


I hope you are able to garden, to enjoy the nurturing, harvesting and using.

Be Kind, Be Patient and Be Safe,



-- Catherine, The Herb Lady

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