Gardening Diary – August 30, 2019

 Sharon continued to weed the Hydrangea bed and I continued to weed along the right fence.

Gardening Diary – August 29, 2019

 Sharon weeded the Hydrangea bed. She focused primarily on removing the Bluevine [Cyanchum laeve (sometimes called Ampelamus albidus)] which covered parts of plants in this bed. She also cut back some of the Sweet Potato Vine, Marguerite Ipomoea [Ipomoea batatas] which covered part of the Golden Ninebark [Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Luteus’].

Hydrangea bed.

Picture taken on August 30, 2019.

She cut down and removed the Oakleaf Hydrangea [Hydrangea quercifolia] that was planted April 22, 2013 and started to decline last Fall.

Starting from the right corner of the Clematis bed, weeded the area between the right fence and the Hardy Bensonhurst Purple Fig [Ficus carica] which includes the Apple tree bed and Noah’s bed. Focus was on Morning Glories, tall weeds which included Pokeweeds [Phytolacca americana] and Goldenrod [Solidago sp.].

Gardening Diary – August 28, 2019

New England Asters

[Aster novae-angliae].

Picture taken on August 28, 2019.

Recent heavy rains pushed down many of the branches of the New England Asters [Aster novae-angliae]. Using nylon cord, 2 green poles and the fence, provided support for the New England Asters bush.

While in the Sedum – Iris bed, removed the Morning Glories, Nutsedges and Violets that have grown up since the last weeding.

Completing this, went to the original bed and removed the many Morning Glories that have also grown up since the last weeding.

Since we had sprinkled Preen Extended Control Weed Preventer on the original bed on May 4, need to find out why this did not prevent the growth of the Morning Glories. Looking for the latter reference, noticed that we had also spread Preen on the Sedum – Iris bed on May 17-18. The number of Morning Glory plants in the Sedum – Iris bed was a lot smaller.

Tobacco Hornworm

 [Manduca sexta]

 

Tobacco Hornworm

[Manduca sexta].

Picture taken on August 12, 2019.

From Wikipedia [1]:

Manduca sexta is a moth of the family Sphingidae present through much of the American continent. The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1763 Centuria Insectorum.

Commonly known as the Carolina sphinx moth and the tobacco hawk moth (as adults) and the tobacco hornworm and the goliath worm (as larvae), it is closely related to and often confused with the very similar tomato hornworm (Manduca quinquemaculata); the larvae of both feed on the foliage of various plants of the family Solanaceae. The tobacco hornworm is sometimes kept as a pet by children throughout its range. The larvae of these species can be distinguished by their lateral markings: Tomato hornworms have eight V-shaped white markings with no borders; tobacco hornworms have seven white diagonal lines with a black border. Additionally, tobacco hornworms have red horns, while tomato hornworms have dark blue or black horns. A mnemonic to remember the markings is tobacco hornworms have straight white lines like cigarettes, while tomato hornworms have V-shaped markings (as in “vine-ripened” tomatoes). M. sexta has mechanisms for selectively sequestering and secreting the neurotoxin nicotine present in tobacco. …

During the larval stage, M. sexta caterpillars feed on plants of the family Solanaceae, principally tobacco, tomatoes and members of the genus Datura. M. sexta has five larval instars, which are separated by ecdysis (molting), but may add larval instars when nutrient conditions are poor. Near the end of this stage, the caterpillar seeks a location for pupation, burrows underground, and pupates. The searching behaviour is known as “wandering”. The imminence of pupation suggested behaviorally by the wandering can be anatomically confirmed by spotting the heart (aorta), which is a long, pulsating vessel running along the length of the caterpillar’s dorsal side. The heart appears just as the caterpillar is reaching the end of the final instar. …

Tobacco hornworm caterpillars emit short clicking sounds from their mandibles when they are being attacked. This sound production is believed to be a type of acoustic aposematism, or warning sounds that let predators know that trying to eat them will be troublesome; tobacco hornworms have been observed to thrash and bite predators after producing those clicking sounds. These clicks can be heard at a close distance with a frequency range of 5 to 50 kHz. The intensity of clicks increases with the number of attacks.

References:

1. Manduca sexta, Wikipedia. (n.d.). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manduca_sexta (Accessed 15 August 2019)

Gardening Diary – August 12, 2019

 Reconnected the dripper that was separated from the hose and found on Saturday. Watered the front yard.

Weeded the original spice bed and the original Chocolate Mint bed.

Chinese Fringe-Flower

[Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum].

Picture taken on August 12, 2019.

Planted a Chinese Fringe-Flower [Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum] in the latter bed. This plant was obtained from Lowe’s distressed plant section.

After watering this plant, also watered the Strawberry tower.

Started to weed part of the Sedum / Iris bed.

Gardening Diary – August 10, 2019

 

Luna Red Hibiscus

[Hibiscus moscheutos ‘Luna Red’ Luna Series].

Picture taken August 10, 2019.

In the front bulb bed, planted a [Hibiscus moscheutos ‘Luna Red’ Luna Series] which was obtained from Home Depot and

Luna White Hibiscus

[Hibiscus moscheutos ‘Luna White’ ].

Picture taken August 10, 2019.

two Luna White Hibiscus [Hibiscus moscheutos ‘Luna White’] from the distressed plants section of Lowe’s.

Daffodil bulbs

[Narcissus sp.].

Picture taken August 10, 2019.

In digging the holes for the plants, came up with some Daffodil bulbs [Narcissus sp.] which were replanted in various spots of the front bulb bed.

Checked the irrigation system in the front yard. Removed the 3 drippers which were used to water LoriAnne’s pots. Finding two close-by holes in the hose in the Daffodil bed, cut out the section and replaced the section with a connector.

After watering the front beds for a while, found that there was a dripper which was separated from the hose.

Dahlias

[Dahlia sp.].

Picture taken August 10, 2019.

Dead-headed the Dahlias in the Daffodil bed.

Removed some very fast-growing weeds from a couple of beds.

Gardening Diary – August 7, 2019

Original bulb bed and Rose bed.

Picture taken on August 7, 2019.

Finished weeding the original bulb bed and started weeding the Rose bed. Plants removed included Violets, Green–headed Coneflowers [Rudbeckia laciniata], Matt‘s Wild Cherry Heirloom Tomatoes [Lycopersicon lycopersicum ‘Matt’s Wild Cherry’] and Morning Glory vines.

Gardening Diary – August 6, 2019

 

Original bulb bed

Picture taken on August 6, 2019.

Started weeding the original bulb bed.

Gardening Diary – August 3, 2019

 

Part of Sedum / Iris bed.

Picture taken on August 3, 2019.

Continued weeding the Sedum / Iris bed. A lot of time was spent on getting rid of the Morning Glory vines which covered several plants including the New England Asters [Aster novae-angliae], Amsonia [Amsonia sp.] and Deutzia Magician [Deutzia x hybrida ‘MAGICIEN’].

Sharon pruned the Tomatoes in straw bale bed #4.

Sharon and I harvested a lot of vegetables including Tomatoes, Peppers, Cucumbers and Summer Squash.

Gardening Diary – August 1, 2019

 

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Original bed.

Picture taken on August 1, 2019.

Weeded in the original bed up to the Deutzia Magician [Deutzia x hybrida ‘MAGICIEN’].

Part of Sedum / Iris bed.

Picture taken on August 1, 2019.

Started weeding the Sedum / Iris bed.

Canna Lily

[Canna sp.].

Pictures taken on August 1, 2019.

“Dead-headed” the Canna Lilies [Canna sp.] in the Sedum / Iris bed.