GROUND COVERS

Ajuga Reptans Seed - 400 Seeds 


Chocolate Chip Ajuga blooming blue flower spikes in the Spring

 

Ground cover plants are a great way to cover more space in your garden and landscape. They are also useful for small spaces and for places where other plants won’t grow. They can help with any erosion problems that you may have in your yard. Of course, you need to take into consideration growth rate, height, sun or shade, type of soil, location and drought tolerance when selecting a ground cover that is right for you. You should space groundcovers 12 to 18 inches apart.  I recommend planting evergreen ground cover plants for an all season effect. Two of my favorites are succulents such as colorful Sedums (full sun) and Chocolate Chip Ajuga aka Bugleweed (shade). Other recommendations are Trailing Juniper, Mondo grass and Liriope. Vinca, ivy and vines are also great ground covers but they tend to take over, so be careful where you plant them.

BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THE HARLEQUIN BUG

Yesterday, I found a small orange bug with blackspots on my Kale. It has left wholes in the Kale and some leaves have turned dry and brown.After researching the pest, I found it to be a Harlequin bug. These bugs are about a 1/2 inch long and love to suck the juices out of cabbage plants, kale, brocolli etc. The leaves will turn brown and the plant will eventually die. They will also attack other vegetable plants, when nothing else is available. The best way to control them is by handpicking them and squishing them.

PESKY TOMATO WORMS

There are many types of pesky worms that can cause damage to your tomato crop including pinworms, fruitworm and hornworms. Some pests can be controlled by handpicking, insecticidal soap and parasitic insects but some may need to be controlled by Sevin dust. Pinworms are about ¼ inch long and are yellow greenish or purplish black with brown heads. Look for webbing inside on the inside of your leaves and pinholes at the base of the stem of developing flowers and the tomatoes. The fruitworm will cause damage to the actual tomato on the plant. You should look for a small hole bore at the bottom of you tomatoes. Parasitic wasps can be a great way to control the fruit worm. Hornworms evolve into a moth and are green and are very difficult to see. They can reach 3 to 4 inches in length at maturity. They will chew on your leaves and your tomatoes. You could first try handpicking a mild infestation. You can make your own insecticidal soap by adding 4 teaspoons of liquid soap, onion horseradish, garlic, cayenne pepper to 2 quarts of water, boil, put in a jar with a lid on it and let it sit overnight. Strain and then transfer the concoction to a spray bottle. If you do not need this much you can cut the recipe in half and freeze any remaining. Because it is a pesticide and pesticides carry with them the danger of affecting human health, I only recommend putting Sevin dust when you have no other alternative. Don’t use on the actual tomato but put it around your plant and on the leaves. You should always thoroughly wash your tomatoes before eating them. At the end of the season till your soil and it will kill many of the larvae left behind by these pesky worms. If you are not sure what type of pest is affecting your plants the internet is a great resource and will provide pictures along with ways to control them.

BUTTERFLY ATTRACTANTS

Butterlies love sunny areas and plants such as Lantana, Butterfly Bush, Marigold, Butterfly Weed, Salvia, Cosmos, Dianthus, Rosemary, Honeysuckle Vine, Wisteria Vine and Passion Flower Vines, and Parsley, to name a few.  Do not use insecticides on these plants because you will defeat your purpose.  A combination of these plants will provide food and nectar. Additionally, you can welcome butterflies by providing water in a pot saucer with about an inch of sand and then add pebbles. The butterfly in the picture is a Tiger Swallowtail. You will benefit from attracting butterflies to your garden in that they will fly from one plant to the other for nectar and the pollen will stick to them and they will unintentionally fertilize your flowers and crops. Watching butterflies flutter by and trying to identify them is just another way for you to enjoy you and your family to enjoy your garden.