gardendiaries

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Wild that folks keep saying beekeepers abuse bees as if bees are not both venomous flying animals and fully unionized

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~✨Daily Gratitude✨~

✨im not in high school

✨i dont have cilantro soap gene

✨bisexual

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every plant is named some shit like "hairy leaf willow-rose" and it's not a willow or a rose. why can't we just call it The Squinky

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Do you garden?

No? Oh that’s okay.

Do you go outside ever?

Yes? Sweet!

Put on some sunscreen NOW

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🌱 Compost is proof that even decay can be beautiful.

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Planted a mini garden for my mom today as an early Mother’s Day gift 😮‍💨

What’s been potted: basil, squash, mint, tomatoes then TONS of okra, cayenne peppers, spinach and lettuce

Not pictured: red kidney beans, thyme, more lettuce, more spinach

🪴Planting tips below🪴

Most if not all of these are great companions to each other but will definitely need to be replanted in the future. So do better than me if you consider these same plants!

Remember to be careful of planting beans with certain plants since they’re basically nitrogen bombs for the soil AND they’re crazy climbers.

Happy harvesting and happy Mother’s Day!

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Be careful with over-pruning! Know when to put those clippers down!

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seed packets!! 🌱🌱🌱 | prints

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Some of you may have heard about Monarch butterflies being added to the Threatened species list in the US and be planning to immediately rush out in spring and buy all the milkweed you can manage to do your part and help the species.

And that's fantastic!! Starting a pollinator garden and/or encouraging people and businesses around you to do the same is an excellent way to help not just Monarchs but many other threatened and at-risk pollinator species!

However.

Please please PLEASE do not obtain Tropical Milkweed for this purpose!

Tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica)--also commonly known as bloodflower, Mexican butterflyweed, and scarlet milkweed--will likely be the first species of milkweed you find for sale at most nurseries. It'll be fairly cheap, too, and it grows and propagates so easily you'll just want to grab it! But do not do that!

Tropical milkweed can cause a host of issues that can ultimately harm the butterflies you're trying to help, such as--

Harboring a protozoan parasite called OE (which has been linked to lower migration success, reductions in body mass, lifespan, mating success, and flight ability) for long periods of time

Remaining alive for longer periods, encouraging breeding during migration time/overwintering time as well as keeping monarchs in an area until a hard freeze wherein which they die

Actually becoming toxic to monarch caterpillars when exposed to warmer temperatures associated with climate change

However--do not be discouraged!! There are over 100 species of milkweed native to the United States, and plenty of resources on which are native to your state specifically! From there, you can find the nurseries dedicated to selling native milkweeds, or buy/trade for/collect seeds to grow them yourself!!

The world of native milkweeds is vast and enchanting, and I'm sure you'll soon find a favorite species native to your area that suits your growing space! There's tons of amazing options--whether you choose the beautiful pink vanilla-smelling swamp milkweed, the sophisticated redring milkweed, the elusive purple milkweed, the alluring green antelopehorn milkweed, or the charming heartleaf milkweed, or even something I didn't list!

And there's tons of resources and lots of people willing to help you on your native milkweed journey! Like me! Feel free to shoot me an ask if you have any questions!

Just. PLEASE. Leave the tropical milkweed alone. Stay away.

TLDR: Start a pollinator garden to help the monarchs! Just don't plant tropical milkweed. There's hundreds of other milkweeds to grow instead!

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Remember too much love can kill—if you have chamomile don’t water it too much!! Treat it like a succulent and water after letting it dry up

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Why do they need that?

Isn't gardening the everyman's hobby? Well, yes!

So can't I just put whatever in a pot and go from there? Well, yes!

Then why does this video keep telling me I need more stuff? Well...

In my opinion, plants don't need too much to be fruitful. But going off that, sometimes they really, really do need that extra stuff that many of us don't feel like is too important...

Mulch: I hate buying mulch, but the plants that love mulch love it for a reason. These plants likely need a lot of water to make their fruit, but are easily susceptible to overwatering and root rot. Then boom, dead plant baby. They need these wood shavings for nutrients that the soil won't provide and protection. It's okay to spoil them!

Who needs mulch, then? Strawberries!

Sand: These plants can't stand soaked soil--water them (well) on-schedule and leave them alone! Their root systems are extremely, extremely important to them and will suffer if you give them too much water. Too much love really can kill these guys.

Who needs sand? Root veggies! And, surprisingly, lavender!

Container growing: These plants may seem cramped, but they need this restriction, and so do you! Fast-growing, aggressive plants need space of their own, or else they'll take over everything in your garden and pop up anywhere and everywhere. Fun if you prefer chaotic gardening, but your other plants may suffer for it...

Who needs to stay in the box? Mint and Strawberries!

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I have a confession

I don’t know where the compost is supposed to go in a garden and at this point I’m too scared to ask

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Text: “Tomato”, huh? Not a very descriptive name.

To YOU! Or at least to most of us English speakers. Because of the tomato’s origins in South America, we can thank the Aztecs for this name. In Nahuatl, the word ‘tomatl’ or ‘swelling fruit’ was used, instead of the Spanish word “tomate” that came after Cortez showed up.

Thank you Aztecs! Rot in hell, Cortez!

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Do you know how to companion garden?

Companion gardening isn't just for show or simple diversity! Combining plants in the same area for growing can deter harmful pests, improve soil nutrients, improve taste, and provide diversity! Think of it as a way for you to worry less about your plants and for them to worry about each more. Of course, always give certain flowers, fruiting crops, and sun-loving leaves their space, but be sure to give them a buddy! Here's some good examples, including some I use in my garden:

Marigolds: Tomatoes, Melons, Eggplants, Lettuce, Squash, Pumpkins, Cucumbers, Potatoes, Asparagus, Onions, Carrots

Who likes Marigolds? Nightshades, Alliums, and Apiaceae! They're the perfect companions for warding off pests and are gorgeous. Marigolds are the sacrificial lambs of every garden, and should always, always, always be considered!

Who doesn't like Marigolds? Beans...

Garlic: Tomatoes, Potatoes, Eggplants, Spinach, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Kale, Lettuce, Beets, Parsnips, Carrots, Yarrow, Tarragon, Chamomile, Strawberries

Who likes Garlic? Apiaceae!!! Crucifers!!! Fruiting plants!!! There's a strong similarity in many of these plants, namely that pests and animals LOVE them. But you know who they don't love? GARLIC

Who doesn't like Garlic? Beans, peas, asparagus, sage, parsley...

Rosemary: Cabbage, Sage, Thyme, Lavender, Carrots, Beans, Marigolds, Tomatoes

Who likes Rosemary? Leafy plants with similarly strong smells. Rosemary can ward off any pesky insects from coming close, as well as improve flavor in certain crops if planted in the same soil. Not to mention, it has similar care needs as most of its companions!

Who doesn't like Rosemary? Mint, potatoes, fennel...