Shampoo Ginger!

   So, thanks to Darling Daughter, I am now "forced" to try something new.  It is no big secret that living like I do, I muddle around with tisanes, poultices, balms and other herbal concoctions.  She knows this and also knows that I grow or forage my herbs.  In fact, she is all for it as she is quite the same.  That said, she and my son-in-law always find some plant that is not in the Small Gardens and they give me that as a gift.  Last Christmas, they gave me a ginger root.  This was unlike the culinary ginger that fills the back garden, it was Shampoo Ginger.  Alrighty, then!  I carefully planted this root in a huge pot to keep it separate from the other garden bound plants.  Well, it took off growing and never stopped!  

  I was meandering the herb gardens while thinking about what to plant for my fall/winter vegetable plot.  Imagine my surprise when I was greeted with nine blooms on the Shampoo Ginger plant!  (Those buds sure look a lot like the pine cones that the squirrels are dropping from the treetops.)  I gave the largest "cone" a gentle squeeze and, sure enough, it was filled with liquid.  It is that liquid that I am supposed to harvest and turn into shampoo!  Tomorrow will find me on my knees with a jar in hand trying to capture all of that lovely stuff before something knocks over the plant and spills everything.  

  This is my first experience growing, harvesting and using this type ginger.  From what I have read, each cone will refill a few times after they are emptied.  According to all information, only the red ones should be harvested as the others are still growing.  That makes sense.  There are a couple of brown cones that will need to be removed so that will be done, as well.  Wish me luck in this new endeavor!  I am making shampoo!

Ok, so what do you do with hot peppers?

   Two years ago, I took a wild notion to plant about six hot pepper plants.  I think that they were supposed to be jalapenos but as the plants grew, they set the oddest assortment of fruit.  Some were long and slender while others were short and stubby.  I shrugged my shoulders and thought "What difference would it make?  I just needed a few for the "Bayou Fire" tonic for the winter.  The six plants were prolific.  They bore far more peppers than I needed so I set to making hot sauce.  Well, you can only use so much hot sauce.  Those six plants insisted on bearing and bearing with no end in sight.  The shelves in my dining room-turned pantry were now filled to capacity.  (Over a thousand jars of assorted goodies are there for our use!)  What to do?  What to do?  Hmmm!  I shall dehydrate said peppers!  The thought behind this was that dehydrated goods do not take up near the space that canned goods do...so, I pulled the dehydrator down from the top shelf and got to work poking holes in peppers...lots of peppers...way too many peppers.  It did not take long to fill the twelve trays.  It did take long to dry them.  It seems that peppers are obstinate about their state of being and almost refused to become shriveled and dried.  They did, however, so into a half gallon jar, they went!  I felt pretty smug with myself for that idea...until I went out to the herb garden and found a bajillion or so more red peppers.  Ugh!  I was taught to appreciate everything and waste nothing...so I picked peppers.  I dehydrated more.  I now have two gallons of dehydrated hot peppers.

  Like I said, this was two years ago.  Those six plants suddenly became twenty-three plants because I inadvertently dropped a few peppers on the ground.  (Learn from my mistakes here, folks.  Never assume that a dropped pepper will just rot.  They do not.)  I have come to the realization that I am well on my way to having a "pepper grove".  Yes, two years ago, I planted six and now have twenty-three.  I thought sure peppers were annuals not cold hardy perennials.  Even when freezes killed most everything else in the garden, those peppers survived...and thrived.  Now during the third "growing season", I have picked.  I have "candied", preserved, pickled, dehydrated, made sauce and infused vinegars and oils.  I have given bowls of the peppers to neighbors, friends, relatives and even tried to give some to the nice lady at the hospital where I take treatments but she politely declined. Just what I need...no takers. What do I do now?  Just how much appreciation can one show to ever-bearing hot peppers?  Several times, I have been tempted to pull the plants and toss them in the compost but, knowing my luck, they will take root, love the rich soil there and bear more peppers.  I am about hot-peppered out here, folks.  Any suggestions?  

Mama Spider Knows Best

  Flanking the steps outside the French doors, a variety of plants can be found.  Several of these are ginger and turmeric plants.  The plants evidently love the spot under the arbor surrounding the door because they grow profusely and, once the leaves overhang the steps, the aroma is incredible when anyone uses the doors.  This also makes it handy to grab a few leaves or a root to use in the kitchen. The area is sort of like an herb garden with the added beauty of stained glass French doors.  I love it.

  Obviously, I am not the only one that loves the gingers and turmerics.  Deep down in the spirals where the new leaves come from the main stalk, a spider has made her web.  This is not the spider's main web but her retreat web where she hides during the daytime hours.  At night, the arbor is strung with an intricate web as the spider catches her supper but, as the sun rises, she crawls back in her hiding spot.  It is in that retreat web that she has her egg sacs.  There, she can protect the sacs from any marauding critters.  Centipedes and wasps are both known to eat the eggs so it is a full time job for the female to protect her egg sacs. 

  I noticed this morning that the spider had moved her egg sacs from the retreat web to a spot deeper in the plant's leaves.  Perhaps she feared for their safety or perhaps she, herself, is going to move to a less obvious spot.  Mama Spider knows what is best and I admire her determination to keep things safe.  At least, she does not have to fear me.  I would never intentionally shoo a spider from any of the gardens!

  

Molting Assassin Bug

   It seems that I post a good bit about the insects around here.  We have plenty.  Some wreak havoc.  Termites and eastern lubber grasshoppers are both on my "bad" list.  I am not a fan of either.  Also on that list are yellow jackets but I have not come in contact with any of those yet this year...yet.  I hope I do not.  They have nasty tempers!   We do, however, have some "good" insects and I have found myself fully appreciating those.  Just a couple of days ago, I found that assassin bug creepy-crawling on the turmeric leaves.  I was elated to see more of them today.  A lot of folks think I am nuts loving these bugs since they can give a painful bite.  The assassin bug has one large fang that it is not afraid to use when it feels it is in danger.  That piercing fang hurts!  Still, I am always excited to find the critters and never dream of killing them.

  Today, one assassin nymph was in the process of molting.  I found it on the fox grape vines.  Later, I found one living up to its name.  Back in the herb garden, one had caught a fly and was sucking the life from it.  Let's return to that one molting, though.  I always find it fascinating to watch how insects can actually climb out of their exoskeleton and become a larger critter.  I suppose not many folks take the time to view this but it is quite the undertaking for the critter and puts it in danger.  While molting, an insect is rather soft and vulnerable to any larger predators.  It has absolutely no defense at this stage and cannot even make a run for it.  The critter is literally "stuck" there until it manages to wiggle free and then "harden".  

  Most likely, others would purely see the critters as "just another pest" and try to eradicate them.  Not me!  I figure to let these predators live and flourish in the gardens.  They are free pest control and eat a lot of insects that would love to dine upon my cabbages!

Killers On The Prowl!

   September usually sees the garden filled with insects.  While a lot of these are classified as "garden pests", there are equally as many that are garden helpers.   They are there simply to munch on the pesky sort.  The turmeric plants are a good four feet in height now with leaves approximately eight inches wide.  A myriad of critters can easily hide in this tropical-like forest!  Lizards, frogs, ribbon snakes...all have been found there.  They are there simply because of the multitude of bugs that can be an easy meal.  There is also a lovely bug that is hunting for its meal, as well. 

  This morning, the bright orange Milkweed Assassin Bugs were on the prowl.  These expert killers are hunting insects that are on the plants to either eat or lay eggs.  They are Mother Nature's "insecticide".  These bugs keep things in check so there will not be an overabundance of other critters.  Most of the ones I found this morning were still juveniles that were just getting their wings.  They still had the white spots on their bodies.  

  I rather enjoy having the critters in the garden but keep in mind that Milkweed Assassin Bugs can and will bite if handled.  Their bite is not unlike a bee sting in pain level comparisons.  The only main difference is the lack of toxins.  The Assassin Bug's defense is just a bite...nothing more.  While the wound site may have a welt that lingers for a bit, there is no real danger.  That said, it is wise to avoid one and let it go on its merry way.  That way, the bug can do its job of eating all the pests.

A Jewel Of A Friend!

  Since finding that the garlic chives are blooming and that those blossoms attract numerous insects, the herb garden is first on my early morning hikes.  I find it interesting to see just who comes to visit and in the wee hours of the morn, I am able to see a mishmash of nocturnal and diurnal critters.  This morning, the blossoms were literally buzzing with insects but a lone critter on the turmeric leaf caught my eye.  A gorgeous Long-legged Fly was lounging in the first sunbeams to reach the garden plot. The green and coppery colors of the fly shimmered in the sunlight making the insect look a lot like some misplaced jewel. 

  The Long-legged fly (Condylostylus spp.) is an often maltreated critter since it so greatly resembles something that should bite.  Many folks think this is a weird type of mosquito or biting fly (esp. yellowfly) when actually it is a mild mannered critter that is quite helpful to gardeners.  The adult fly dines upon smaller garden pests such as plant mites and aphids while its larvae feasts upon other insect larvae and rotting leaf matter.  Neither have a propensity of biting humans nor pets. They really just want to flit about the plants and keep them pest free.  It is not often that you find such a grand helper and folks really need to stop spraying them!  So...look carefully and learn to recognize this fine friend...big eyes, long legs and a beautiful coppery/green coloring!

Encouraging Find

   Way back in February, I was surprised to find a beautiful, green lacewing on my front steps.  The small bug had just recently changed from its larvae state to an adult and was a bit sluggish yet.  Of course, I HAD to sit next to the insect to protect it from the (at the time) kitten, Bat.  Bat was at that curious age where everything that moved was a target of interest.  So, I "babysat" the bug until it was strong enough to venture out into the world.  Finding the insect made me happy as they are delightful things to have in the garden.  While in the larvae state, they have voracious appetites for a lot of garden pests.  Most people would rather dump a bunch of chemicals on the plants and call it a day but I am a bit more careful about my gardens.  No chemical sprays are used.  Those kill both the good and the bad.  Personally, I would rather let the lacewings do the job for me.

  I had high hopes that the lacewing would return to the steps to lay her eggs thus starting a new generation of helpers.  Imagine my delight when I found the telltale spiral of tiny, pale green eggs on the underside of the turmeric leaf!  This turmeric plant is in a large pot sitting on the bottom step near where the original lacewing was found.  In a few days, these eggs should hatch and the larva will start their hunt for prey.  This gives me hope that there may be less garden pests in the future.  Carry on, Little Lacewings!  

Expanded Herb Garden

   A few years ago, I added to my herb gardens and continue to do so each year.  Beside the "normal" kitchen herbs of basil, oregano and parsley, I added any and all herbs that I could find.  Now, my garden plot has exceeded its limits and things are having to be put in pots.  Two of my favorite plants are in the Zingiberaceae family...ginger and turmeric.  Not only are the rhizomes highly useful in the kitchen both are amazingly helpful as medicines.  Not to mention, they are both gorgeous plants!

  

  This year, both the ginger and turmeric have outdone themselves.  The plants (especially the potted ones) are a good four feet tall and quite bushy!  I peeped below the massive leaves to find dozens of fine rhizomes!   Both of these plants are incredibly easy to grow and yield profusely.  I find it strange that people would rather buy the roots at exorbitant prices than grow a beautiful (and useful) plant.  Just me...just saying...

The Forgotten Day

   Once again, Son came through for me.  With the scourge (of termites) that has taken over the entire Gulf Coast, wooden things do not stand a chance...even "treated" wooden things.  My rose arbors fell to the mighty bugs.  I, along with the rose bushes, was devastated!  My beautiful rose garden had fallen to shambles.  Then one thing or another got in the way of repairs.  You know...things like hurricanes, health and life in general.  Each time I walked through that section of the Small Gardens, I was saddened.  I tried to support the rose canes with hogwire cages but it was not the same as the beautiful arbors.

  Early in March, my birthday came and went. Other than my sister, my brother and his girlfriend and one cousin, nary a birthday wish came my way.  Most everyone simply forgot or simply do not care.  Most everyone except my daughter and son-in-law who thought to get flowers...not the florist type that die quickly but geranium plants.  I am elated! They know I love my gardens.  I am excited to have a new challenge as I have never grown rose geraniums before. Then, Son, too, did a gardening thing.  He built a new arbor!  He asked what type I would like and I told him that I would leave the design up to him.  I am now a happy camper with my new arbor for the rose bushes and some rose geraniums for the herb shelf.  

  With kiddos like this, I have no reason to be sad about growing older.  They do indeed try to keep things cheerful and I so appreciate them.  I can reclaim my title of Queen of the Small Gardens and amble through the Rose Garden and Herb Garden with pure glee.  Now, you will have to pardon me while I go train the roses to cover the arbor and tend to my geraniums.  

True Blue

  Last spring, I planted a lot of herb seeds that Darling Daughter bought for me as a birthday gift.  Sadly, many did not make it to maturity.  It seemed that a lot of critters loved to munch herbs.  One of the herbs was Borage.  The seeds sprouted grew to about 3 inches in height then the caterpillars munched them to the ground before I even noticed they were there.  I was heartbroken but kept busy tending the other plants.  This past fall, I planted hundreds of cabbage and other winter crops.  When I ran out of garden space, I planted a few in the planter boxes that had held the herbs.  I never thought any more of my disappearing Borage.  Well, the cabbages did well in the boxes but there was one "fuzzy" plant that outdid them.  I was not sure what seed had gotten mixed in the batch but it was healthy and seemed to be cold hardy, so I left it.

  Now, the cabbages are gone but that fuzzy plant is still growing!  I was delighted to see it had buds this past week as then I would be able to identify it. Yep, it is Borage.  For some odd reason, a single seed did not sprout until midwinter!  Needless to say, I am delighted with my single Borage plant and even happier to see that more seeds have sprouted!  Nigh on a year after being put in the ground, the plants are making an appearance.  

  Seeing the lovely blooms on the Borage plant, it would be fine by me if the entire hillside was covered with these plants!  The blooms are blue!  Not the purple that every one claims as blue in flowers but TRUE BLUE!  I find it odd that true blue flowers are hard to find but they truly are.  Borage fits that bill rather nicely!  They may be slow in sprouting but, once they do, these plants grow into a sturdy plant with plenty of buds.  I am smiling!

A Jewel Of A Friend

   Strung between the camellia bush and the herb shelf is a sort of haphazardly made web.  In this web is one of the prettiest spiders to call the place home.  We have dozens of these spiders around the place but this one is a favorite because she is literally right in the midst of my garden work area.  She watches me work and I watch her help keep the place pest free.  It is often an overwhelming chore for her as the bugs love the herbs.

  The friendly herb garden spider goes by several names.  Her real name is spiny-back orb weaver but a lot of folks seem to think that is plumb silly so they have piled many different names on her according to her appearance.  Some folks call her a jewelbox spider because her type can come in many different "jewel-tone" colors.  (Mine is yellow so I guess she is a yellow topaz.)  Other folks call them crab spiders because they have "shell" on their back that (possibly) resembles a crab shell.  Then, there are those who will call them smiley face spiders because (admittedly) the yellow ones do look sort of like that happy character (emoji).  

  My little spider friend won't be around much longer as she (just like the golden silk orb weavers) will make her egg sac then die.  Hopefully, her little ones will live to carry on their mom's duties in the garden.  I have become accustomed to having the spiders add their beauty to the herb garden and it would seem mighty strange to not have at least one nearby.  

10,000 Seeds!

   Back a few months ago, Darling Daughter decided that I needed more plants.  Actually, she decided I needed more seeds.  I was elated to receive packet after packet of herb seeds for my birthday.  Herbs are not only for culinary use but I tend to lean more to herbal home remedies than pharmaceuticals.  I do take medicines prescribed by doctors, if need be, but for lesser problems an herb will usually come into play.  Darling Daughter knows I love to experiment with herbs in the kitchen, too, so she supplied me with a bunch of things that I normally do not grow.

  One packet of seeds was labeled "Toothache Plant" and had 10,000 seeds in it.  Wait?  What??  Did I read that correctly?  10,000 seeds?  Yep.  10,000 seeds.  While that is all good, I read it AFTER sprinkling the seeds in the dirt.  10,000 seeds the size of grain of salt went down, down, down into the soil never to be seen again....until two days later, anyway.  Now, 10,000 baby Toothache Plants have sprouted.  I am not sure what I am to do with 10,000 Toothache Plants. (Please, please, don't let this be an omen!)

   I am now trying to figure out what to do with that many plants.  The packet did make a claim that about a fourth of the seeds probably would not germinate but I think they were wrong.  It appears that every last seed was viable.  Yep, 10,000 baby plants that will grow into large plants that will bloom then make many more seeds are staring up at me from the soil.  Oh, my.  Somebody better want some plants!  (The photo shows just a 4 inch segment of the planted space.)

Yellow or White?

  By this time, most folks are familiar with the pungent yellow spice, turmeric.  Not only is it the main spice used in curry, it has been touted as having a great many health benefits. Personally, it has been one of my all time favorites for the past twenty or so years. I have used it to treat everything from colds to venomous spider bites.  It is good stuff.  Folks, if by now, you do not have this in your spice rack, you are behind the times.

  While the yellow type turmeric (photo above) is well known and widely used, its relative, the white turmeric or white haldi is not nearly so popular.  In fact, not many folks have any idea there is such a thing.  There is.  It is good. Perhaps you should try it as well.  White haldi is said to have the aroma sort of like the blend of mango, ginger and turmeric.  It, too, has many beneficial traits.  White haldi can be used exactly as the yellow spice which may lead you to wonder why in the world I am giving all of this information about it.  Well, it is simple.  White haldi is super easy to grow!  The yellow is, too.  

  Darling Daughter has a plethora of the white haldi plants in her yard.  When she and my handsome son-in-law bought their place, the previous owners had a few leafy plants in a garden.  The next spring, dozens of the plants sprouted and flourished.  Ok, so now the garden was full of these fine broad-leafed plants.  Then, they bloomed.  Oh, what gorgeous blooms those were!  That led to her researching the plants and she found that they were white haldi.  The blooms are unmistakable!  Now, several years down the line, they are having to dig out plants each spring as the rhizomes keep multiplying.  So...what do they do?  They bring a bunch here.  I am elated to have yet another fine herb to add to my garden of healing wonders.  

  This afternoon, I made my way to the edge of the greenhouse which is the outer boundaries of my realm these days.  There, the Queen of the Small Gardens found that the white haldi is blooming!  I almost missed these lovely, pinkish blossoms as they were hidden among the broad leaves!  Well, having the white turmeric bloom must mean that the yellow should be doing the same or so I thought.  Nope.  The yellow is growing well but has nary a bud to show yet.  I shall have to keep watch but for now, I shall enjoy the blooms (and the benefits) of the white haldi!  Folks, see if you can find a start of these plants.  Both are gorgeous, have lovely blooms and can be added to the kitchen spice racks!

"Hippie Gardening"

  "Hippie Gardening"!  I had never heard that phrase until a good friend used it to describe a method of gardening he had come across during a shopping expedition.  Perhaps he knew it long before but he mentioned it when telling of the vegetables and fruits at a market.  Hippie Gardening was the words he used to describe the habit of using co-planting or at least that was the way I understood it.  Co-planting or companion planting is a nifty idea  about planting flowers or other aromatic plants in the vegetable garden to cut down on pests.  This goes on to knowing which plants do well as neighbors or which do better far away from the others.  The idea of planting flowers such as marigolds and nasturtiums around vegetables that are attacked by bugs is an old one that many folks had forgotten.  In recent years, there has been a huge resurgence of planting "old-style" and that is a good thing.  "Back in the day", folks did not use insecticides or chemical fertilizers so companion planting was a method that came in handy.  Knowing which plants would tolerate being next-door neighbors and which preferred to be off by themselves was a necessity.  Another long-forgotten bit of good farming was crop rotation.  To keep the ground from becoming depleted of certain nutrients, crops were never planted in the same spot year after year.  Crops were rotated to assure that nutrients were replenished before replanting.  For instance, Pop would never plant peas in the same field year after year.  The pea rows were alternated with other crops and after harvesting, the dead stalks were plowed into the soil to replenish the used nitrogen.  Plowing old plants of any kind into the soil added organic matter and kept the garden soil from becoming too hard.  Methods such as these can go a long way in having a healthy garden.

  At first, I giggled at the term "Hippie Gardening" but then I realized that I was snickering at myself.  I do companion planting.  My gardens are filled with vegetables, flowers and herbs.  The tomatoes are grounded by marigolds, the bell peppers are best friends with the basil plants and the cucumbers were in love with the nasturtiums!   Not only are there flowers in the vegetable plots, there are vegetables stuck in the flower beds!  The whole garden space is one mishmash of plants...but they are happy plants.  

  I never thought of this as any certain "type" of gardening, I just followed along with what Pop taught me as a kid back on the farm.  It worked then...it works now.  It is all a matter of knowing which plants can coexist and which are detrimental to the others.  Getting back to some of the old ways is not all bad no matter what it is called.  Co-planting, Hippie Gardening, Commonsense....whatever works.

This "Insecticide" Really Works!

  A couple of weeks ago, I found a young assassin bug climbing around on the ruby lilies.  It was stealthily hunting any critter that it could subdue with its one long fang.  I watched and pondered how that single fang could be so deadly and how the bug caught its prey.  The critter was bright orange which would surely alert other insects to its whereabouts so camouflage was not a big help here.  The bug went from plant to plant in search of something for supper.

  This week, the chive blossoms have lured many insects to the herb garden.  Along with the moths and bees, there were a number of assassin bugs sipping nectar.  As I watched and photographed insects, a life drama was unfolding before my eyes.  One assassin bug eased its way nearer and nearer to a small bee.  The bee was so engrossed in the nectar that it did not notice the bug until it was too late.  The assassin bug grabbed the bee and started to plunge that fang into it.  Again and again, the ruthless act was repeated by the bug.  The poor bee tried to twist and turn so it could sting the bug but there was no hope.  The assassin bug held tight and soon had stabbed the bee enough to mortally wound it.  Then, it began to devour the inner parts of the bee.  

  While I felt sorry for the bee, I was happy to see that the assassin bug was doing its job.  Many folks see these little, orange bugs and immediately pull out the insecticides.  I see them AS the insecticide.  I figure that I will just let Mother Nature handle this job even though it cost a bee its life. 

The Lady in Red!

  Since chive blossoms seem to attract a myriad of insects, I am fully considering strewing seeds over the entire hillside!  This would be a win/win situation!  I would not have to cut grass again and I would be able to butterfly/moth watch while simply sitting in my lawn chair!  Things could not get much better than that!  I would save about 8 hours a week in cutting time and could spend that extra time enjoying the beauty of Mother Nature!

 Early this morning, I glanced out the window and saw a slight movement above the white garlic chive blossoms.  The sun was not up yet but I could tell that the movement was a moth.  Ok, that did it!  I slipped on my shoes and headed out the back door.  The mosquitoes were terrible this morning but I was determined to get my photograph.  For several years now, a species of moth has been visiting the herb garden but photographing it was never an option.  This morning, the moth literally posed for the camera!  Right at sunrise,  a Scarlet-bodied Wasp Moth flitted over the blossoms.  It was gorgeous!  It appeared to be dressed in a red velvet gown with black trim at the head and hem of the gown.  On the black parts, lovely turquoise gemstones glittered in the sun glinting over the pines!  Such elegance!  Such beauty!  Yep!  Well worth the wait!

 

When is a beetle....?

  When is a beetle not a beetle?  The answer is simple....when it is a moth!  While out in the garden the other day, I noticed about a bazillion insects crawling about the chive blossoms.  One insect looked a lot like a beetle.  In fact, folks often think the insect is a beetle until they see it take flight.  The Ailanthus Webworm Moth does resemble a beetle.  It is long, slender and has long antennae.  It looks just like some fancy flower beetle but, like I said earlier, it is a moth. 

  This webworm moth rolls its wings tightly around its body when it is crawling around or resting.  This action does make it appear to be a beetle and not a moth.  The moth is actually a gorgeous thing!  It is bright orange and has rows of  white dots that are edged with bluish black.   The moth is active during the daytime hours and seems to prefer white flowers (hence my garlic chives!).  The only problem with such a pretty little moth is that it lays lots of eggs that hatch into caterpillars.  Like all caterpillars they eat leaves.  In my garden, this is not a problem as I am willing to share a few leaves so I can admire the beauty of the adults.  The real problem is in the way people view things.  The caterpillars spin a large, thick web in the tops of trees.  There, they while away the hours chewing leaves and growing.  The web protects them from predators but it is that web that is their downfall.  People see the web as a eyesore and tend to destroy it and all of the caterpillars therein.  

  The pretty little moth worked the chives in the garden and went unharmed by me.  I do not have a problem with Mother Nature and her workings.  For the most part,  my place is a sanctuary for critters of any sort. (I draw the line with a few, however! Termites...when they eat my house!  Roaches....when inside! Eastern Lubber Grasshoppers...when they hatch by the millions...literally!  Fruit flies...when I cannot get them to stay out of the kitchen during canning season!  Mosquitoes and gnats...when my blood is their supper!  Fleas and ticks...same reason!)  Most other critters are more than welcome!

If Only Critters Could Talk!

  I managed to slip out into the garden early this morning and was surprised to see how many critters had taken a liking to the chive blossoms.  Usually, the white blossoms are covered with lovebugs but this year there were only a few but joining them was a whole slew of other bugs!  Milkweed bugs, ailanthus webworm moths, longtailed skippers, assassin bugs, honeybees, bumblebees and even mosquitoes were busy on the blossoms.  Those were the ones I recognized.  Many more were flitting and crawling about the flowers.  Some, I was able to photograph.  Others were far too fast!  And then there were those that were too shy to stick around long enough for me to steady the camera in their direction.

  Finding so many different critters interested in the chive blossoms made me curious as to their nectar.  Is that stuff sweeter than say the roses that were blooming just a few feet away?  Does it taste better than the morning glories that fill the fence a directly behind the chive garden?  Are moonflowers, lilies and crepe myrtle blooms just not good enough for the bugs?  To me, the blossoms always tasted garlicky...these are garlic chives, after all.  So what is the big attraction here?  If only critters could talk!

Curcuma Petiolata!

  Curcuma Petiolata....I was pondering just what these words meant when I first heard the two together.  They sort of roll off the tongue with a bit of smoothness not often found among words.  Well, this far in the Deep South just about every word has its own bit of oozy smoothness as we have what is called a drawl.  I have never noticed it.  Perhaps because I have the same drawl and think it is the only natural way of speaking.  Still, Curcuma Petiolata are a couple of words that are gentle on the ears when said together. Now, do you have any idea what this is?  It is a plant.  Well, a curcumin plant...ok, so a ginger plant...of sorts.  Curcuma Petiolata is a type of plant that is in the ginger family and gives us turmeric.  Now, we are getting somewhere! Turmeric and ginger are both found in my kitchen at any given time as they are two of my favorite spices and my go-to roots for home remedies! 

  But..why the sudden interest in this plant?  Well, last year, Darling Daughter gave me a "start" of a plant she has growing in her yard.  The rhizome was potted and has been doing rather well for the past year.  The plant has reached a height of about two feet and now has a lovely bloom! It is that bloom that made me do a bit of research on the plant.  I have always called these turmeric plants but never knew the correct name. 

  Curcuma Petiolata!  This plant is also known by a lot of other names such as Hidden Ginger, Hidden Lily, Queen Lily and Jewel of Thailand.  It is easy to grow as it requires little to no care once it is planted.  It does like a nice watering often but grows happily in sun or shade.  Darling Daughter has hers in full sun while mine is in full shade.  The only downside (if it can be called one) is that the plant multiplies readily so be prepared to thin the crop now and again.  Plus side, once the neighbors see the blooms and lovely foliage, they are usually more than happy to take a few plants off your hands.  Word of warning, however, there is some critter that loves to munch on the bloom as is evident by the lack of pink petals on the top of my bloom stalk!  Tomorrow, I will try to catch the culprit in action so it can be eradicated!  Do not munch my Curcuma Petiolata!

Can't Have One Without The Other

  Months ago, the fennel was growing well.  It is one of the herbs that is easy to grow, fun to harvest, smells divine and once the seeds are dried, lasts forever!  Fennel is a must have in my herb stash. Not only is it a great culinary herb, it has numerous medicinal uses.  It calms the stomach, clears the digestive tract and can help cut phlegm from sinuses and colds.  I use it so many ways in my home remedies.   Being as it is easy to grow, I have several nice large clumps in the herb garden.  The bright green leaves and yellow blooms add a bit of loveliness to the yard.

  It is those bright green leaves that also attract egg-laying butterflies.  The black swallowtails seem to be especially fond of the plants so after the eggs hatch into hungry caterpillars, the fennel looks a bit ragged for a few weeks.  I am one who will leave most caterpillars alone to dine upon the herbs.  The butterflies are worth a few munched leaves.  Spraying the fennel would not only kill the caterpillars, it would also poison the plants for my use.  

  This morning, the reward of neglecting the fennel for the past few months had paid off.  A gorgeous black swallowtail flitted about the garden.  Obviously, the swallowtails love the nectar of the chive blooms, too!   Its beauty was well worth a few missing leaves.  It sort of makes me sad that, even though most folks love the beauty of butterflies, they hate the caterpillars.  Sorry to inform you, folks...you cannot have one without the other.