Allium

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Ladybugs vs. Aphids: Last One Standing

ladybug on Allium

Last bug standing?

I mentioned last week that I would be heading to the garden center for another batch of living ladybugs.  My lovely, onion-scented Allium is dripping in aphids and soot.  Ick, yuck and blech!

The first batch of ladybugs made some progress, but now all but one or two are gone.  They didn’t even leave a note to say why.

Where did they go?  The tasty aphid smorgasbord remains.   What’s an organic gardener to do?

Then I read this from OurWaterOurWorld.org:

Tolerate low to moderate numbers of aphids as long as they aren’t causing noticeable plant damage. There is a reason for this: aphids have many natural enemies such as spiders, ladybugs, lacewings and minute parasitoids (tiny non-stinging wasps) that often keep aphid numbers below damaging levels. These beneficial insects rarely appear on the scene until after aphids have begun attacking plants. This “lag-time” can be a day or two or as long as several weeks. As the season progresses, aphid control by these natural enemies improves because more natural enemies are attracted to your garden and more stay to breed.

So…I’m taking the wait and see approach as I keep a close eye on the plant.

Meanwhile, I’m trying to identify a different set of insects on my beloved pumpkins.  Stop by later this week for a look-see.  I bet you can hardly wait. 😉

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Dressing The Table on Thanksgiving Day

New Zealand Flax with Grasses

New Zealand Flax with Grasses

Happy Thanksgiving to those of you who celebrated today. Our day flew by. We spent the morning in a flurry of cooking (Chef Mike) and cleaning (that would be me) but took a few moments to toast each other with a glass of champagne. It was a gorgeous fall day, with bright skies and moderate temps. We couldn’t have asked for better.

I promised to share a photo of my tall arrangement (if it turned out). Though the New Zealand Flax has brilliant shades of orange and peach, it seemed a bit bland. I added tall grasses for movement and shape, but it still lacked color. I was okay with it, but when my husband went out for olive oil, he brought back a bunch of deep red chrysanthemums. Their brilliant color really made the arrangement pop. I had enough leftover to make two small groupings for the table.

New Zealand Flax with Mums

New Zealand Flax with and mums

The smaller mums, mixed with the last of the dried Allium and a few greens worked well together.  The dried Allium has an almost silver look.  I’m glad I saved so many seeds. I’m looking forward to growing more of it next spring.

Interspersed with the flowers, are small pumpkins. We had a few small ones left over from Halloween.  I added my new velvet pumpkins to the display, and a cherished clay pumpkin, handcrafted by my twelve-year-old son.

Small cheer and great welcome makes a merry feast.

-William Shakespeare

Mums' Allium and greens

Mums, Allium and Greens

Napkin Rings

Napkins ringed with raffia and tulle

I put the finishing touches on the napkin rings, made from left over pieces of raffia and tulle. I punched and decorated tags in lieu of place cards, adding them to the rings. Inspiration for the final detail came from Kelly over at Boomdeeada. Earlier this month I “built” tiny chairs for my fairy garden using  miniature spools. Kelly suggested wrapping the spools with a tiny greeting.  They were easy to make and a fun conversation starter.  I wrapped the saying around the spool, then sealed it with a tiny sticker.Tiny scroll

Thanksgiving Table

Thanksgiving Table

In the end, it was an eclectic table, just like me!

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Fairy Garden Yurt: Blue Fescue to the Rescue

As the temperatures drop, my thoughts turned to winterizing the fairy garden. Garden fairies need shelter from the biting wind and cold. Enter Blue Fescue to the rescue in the form of a living yurt.

Winter Fairy Garden materials

Winter Fairy Garden Materials

Blue Fescue Yurt

Blue Fescue Yurt

According to Wikipedia, “a yurt is a portable, bent wood-framed dwelling structure traditionally used by nomads in the steppes of Central Asia.” This adaption of the thirteenth century dwelling continues to live in the earth

I planted five small ‘plugs’ of Blue Fescue tufted ornamental grass, then gathered the tops of them together in one bunch. I wrapped and knotted the Fescue with a long strand of tall grass.  A welcoming bunch of clover hangs just above the entrance.

Bunch of clover

A welcoming bunch of clover

The yurt stays cozy with a downy-soft and fragrant lavender carpet, well suited to a fairy’s needs. Just outside the yurt are a pair of chairs and a lantern to light the way.

Birthday Chairs and a lantern

Birthday chairs and a lantern to light the way

A tall, orange umbrella offers shelter on rainy days. A petal-soft “lamb’s ear” is the perfect place for a pair of cats to curl up for a nap just below.

Orange Shelter

Orange Shelter
It looks *and* smells good

Come and sit a spell

Come and sit a spell and enjoy the subtle fragrance of Allium, lavender and orange

Please be sure to spread the word. Garden fairies welcome!

Resources:

  • Blue Fescue, available at most garden centers
  • Wood Mini Spools by Maya Road
  • Mini Lantern by Tim Holtz idea-ology
  • From the garden: baby tears, lavender, clover, lamb’s ear, orange (hollowed out by a rat) and Allium
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Allium Stellatum by Nightfall

I see beautiful white stars on this hot summer night, though I’ve cast my eyes down, not up. By the light of the moon, Allium Stellatum, also known as  Prairie Onions, are covered in tiny, star-like blooms.  The Allium set buds nearly two weeks ago. This evening they’re covered in flowers.  A light, sweet onion scent lingers above the soil

Many flowers close up shop for the evening. It’s a nice surprise finding these tiny flowers wide awake and enjoying the August heat.

Allium Stellatum or Prairie Onion

Allium Stellatum or Prairie Onion

Allium Stellatum

Star light, star bright

True star-gazers might catch a falling star tonight as the Perseids shower the night sky with meteors.  They will reach their August peak this weekend, visible to the naked eye in most parts of North America.