Camera-Critters #62

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Brilliant~

SAN FRANCISCO WASTED FOOD FINES:WASTE NOT,WANT NOT

SAN FRANCISCO — Trash collectors in San Francisco will soon be doing more than just gathering garbage: They'll be keeping an eye out for people who toss food scraps out with their rubbish.

San Francisco this week passed a mandatory composting law that is believed to be the strictest such ordinance in the nation. Residents will be required to have three color-coded trash bins, including one for recycling, one for trash and a new one for compost _ everything from banana peels to coffee grounds. (read more)

What do you think about this?

Y

Deer Resistant Garden Plants

I just got my Martha Stewart Newsletter and she has a huge list of deer resistant plants listed.
I am always so skeptical because I have had so much trouble with the deer- they seem to eat those things on the list when they are planted in myyard! Now why do you think they do that?
I would really like to know...
Anyway...
Here is Marthas List:

Hope you have better luck than I do!

The need to ward off unwelcome wildlife is a common problem for gardeners. For many that means deer, and if they live in your area, chances are they will find their way into your garden sooner or later. By planting wisely with deer-resistant plants, you can decrease the chances of deer stopping by.

Deer-resistant plants have pungent aromatic oils in their leaves that deter deer from munching on their leaves. Also, if leaves are hairy, such as lamb's ears, deer are likely to leave them alone. Plants such as hellebores are poisonous to deer. Plants with thorns on their leaves or stems are also likely to be left alone by deer, though they are not resistant against squirrels and other small animals. These plants should be used as fillers throughout your garden to spread the scent of aromatic leaves to deter deer. With proper planning, there is hope for planting in deer country.

Deer-Resistant Hardy Perennials
Agastache 'Golden Jubilee' ('Golden Jubilee' anise hyssop)
Ajuga reptans 'Black Scallop' ('Black Scallop' ajuga)
Conavllaria majalis (lily-of-the-valley)
Corydalis 'Berry Exciting' ('Berry Exciting' corydalis)
Corydalis cheilanthifolia (ferny corydalis)
Crambe cordifolia (giant seakale)
Euphorbia amygdaloides 'Craigieburn' ('Craigieburn' wood spurge)
Euphorbia cyparissias 'Fen's Ruby' ('Fen's Ruby' euphorbia)
Geranium wlassovianum (Wlassov's geranium)
Geum coccineum 'Borrisii' ('Borrissii' geum)
Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola' (variegated Japanese wind grass)
Hedera helix (variegated English ivy)
Helleborus foetidus (bearsfoot hellebore)
Helleborus x hybridus (Lenten rose)
Iris 'Gerald Darby' ('Gerald Darby' iris)
Lithodora diffusa 'Grace Ward' ('Grace Ward' lithodora)
Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea' (golden creeping Jenny)
Milium effusum 'Flashlights' ('Flashlights' wood millet)
Muscari botyrioides (grape hyacinth)
Narcissus 'Cheerfulness' ('Cheerfulness' daffodil)
Narcissus 'Tete a Tete' ('Tete a Tete' daffodil)
Origanum vulgare 'Aureum' (golden oregano)
Peucedanum officinale (giant fennel)
Polemonium 'Bressingham Purple' ('Bressingham Purple' Jacob's ladder)
Polygonatum falcatum 'Variegatum' (variegated Solomon's seal)
Rheum palmatum var. tanguticum (Chinese rhubarb)
Sagina subulata 'Aurea' (Scotch moss)
Symphytum x uplandicum 'Axminster Gold' ('Axminster Gold' comfrey)
Thymus praecox 'Highland Cream' ('Highland Cream' thyme)
Veronica peduncularis 'Georgia Blue' ('Georgia Blue' veronica)

Deer-Resistant Tender Perennials
Alternanthera "variegated" (variegated alternanthera)
Angelonia (angelonia)
Calibrachoa 'MiniFamous Blue' ('MiniFamous Blue' trailing petunia)
Clerodendron ugandense (blue butterfly flower)
Coprosma repens 'Taupata Gold' ('Taupata Gold' coprosma)
Coprosma 'Tequila Sunrise' ('Tequila Sunrise' coprosma)
Euphorbia 'Helena's Blush' ('Helena's Blush' euporbia)
Euphorbia martinii (wood spurge)
Helichrysum 'Icicles' ('Icicles' helichrysum)
Helichrysum petiolare 'Limelight' ('Limelight' licorice plant)
Heliotropium arborescens (heliotrope)
Ipomoea batatas 'Sidekick Lime' ('Sidekick Lime' sweet potato vine)
Nephrolepis exaltata 'Rita's Gold' (golden Boston fern)
Pelargonium 'Crystal Palace Gem' ('Crystal Palace Gem' geranium)
Pelargonium 'Vancouver Centennial' ('Vancouver Centennial' geranium)
Pelargonium 'Variegated Lemon' (variegated lemon geranium)
Salvia chamaedryoides (germander sage)
Salvia elegans 'Golden Delicious' ('Golden Delicious' pineapple sage)
Salvia greggii 'Purple' (purple Gregg's sage)
Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue' ('Black and Blue' blue anise sage)
Salvia officinalis 'Icterina' (variegated culinary sage)
Salvia patens (gentian sage)
Sedum 'Lemon Ball' ('Lemon Ball' sedum)
Soleirolia soleirolii 'Aurea' (golden baby's tears)
Solenostemon cvs. (coleus)
Strobilanthes dyerianus (Persian shield)
Tradescantia pallida (purple heart)
Verbena 'Homestead Purple' ('Homestead Purple' verbena)

Deer-Resistant Shrubs
Acanthopanax sieboldianus 'Variegatus' (variegated fiveleaf aralia)
Buxus sempervirens (boxwood)
Buxus Sinica insularis (Justin Brouwers)
Buxus X (Green Mountain)
Corylopsis pauciflora (buttercup winterhazel)
Corylopsis spicata (spike winterhazel)
Cryptomeria japonica 'Sekkan Sugi' ('Sekkan Sugi' Japanese cryptomeria)
Deutzia gracilis 'Nikko' ('Nikko' slender deutzia)
Lonicera nitida 'Baggesen's Gold' ('Baggesen's Gold' boxleaf honeysuckle)
Physocarpus opulifolius 'Dart's Gold' ('Dart's Gold' ninebark)
Poncirus trifoliata 'Flying Dragon' ('Flying Dragon' hardy orange)
Spiraea 'Golden Elf' ('Golden Elf' spirea)
Spiraea thunbergii 'Ogon' (Mellow Yellow spirea)

Resources
Special thanks to Jerry Fritz of Pennsylvania's Linden Hill Gardens for sharing this information and giving pansy plants to our studio audience. Planters used on the show were handmade by Pennoyer Newman; for more information, visit pennoyernewman.com.

Making a Repellent Spray

Ok - I have been searching...
I pulled out an old Ortho book that belonged to my Dad years ago.
"Controlling Vegetable Pests"

Found this and I'm going to make it.

Put the following ingredients in a blender.
1clove of garlic
1 small onion cut up
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper(or several small chili pods)
Add a little water and blend.
Strain through cheesecloth then dilute in 1 quart of water.
Add 1 teaspoon of liquid soap to help it stick to the plants.

This spray may be effective in repelling the bean leaf beetle,the cowpea curculio, the Colorado potato beetle,fleas beetles,Japanese beetle,leaf miners and the Mexican bean beetle.

Its worth a try!

Clavate Tortoise Beetles.

I did some research and found the alien
that has been hanging out on my tomato plants!

May I introduce you to:

Clavate Tortoise Beetles

"clavate" (meaning, essentially, "thickened at one end")

Here are a few more photos of this little alien...

Now they do seem to favor tomato plants...just my luck!

Now if you are interested in seeing all the different types of beetles we have in North America...take a look at this.

Do you have any of these creatures in your garden?

What bugs are you finding?

ID Help Please

I could use a little help please...

I have had this weird plant growing in my yard since I moved to this house-
which is about 9 years.
Every year I pull it out and it just keeps coming back.

Well this year I decided to let it grow so I could see what it looks like all grown up.

Now the thing is I have no clue what it is and I cant seem to find it anywhere.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS?

TODAYS HARVEST

Ok ~I know its not much .but I'm really very impatient!
Now it is still raining ...BUT

I had to pick something...
and this will be perfect to add to our salad tonight.

It will make everything taste better!

Rain,Rain ..Go Away

Let it be known that this is a formal complaint!

we have had more than enough rain and I am requesting the sun make an appearance!



My plants are begging for sun!

I got sunflower sprouts!

Look at all those little buds on the pepper plant...
I hope they dont fall off!

The Beans are going nutz and we better get the trellis up so they can start climbing!

The other little sprouts in the photo are Swiss Chard.

Look at the Zucchini and Yellow Summer Squash.

They are adorable....




"PLEASE SEND SUN"

Happy Gardening...

Snap a Photo, Get a Prize

The National Home Gardening Club has announced its sixth annual photo contest!

They are looking for plant portraits, borders and beds, garden structures and ornaments, and other favorite scenes from your garden.

Photos will be judged on composition, sharpness and focus, unusual and creative perspective, interesting subject matter, and appealing color and texture.

Here's what you could win:

First Prize: Padded sling double glider from Mallin. Value: $550
Second Prize: $200 gift card from Lee Valley Tools. Value: $200
Third Prize: Grow Green Soil Solutions kit from John and Bob’s. Value: $100
Honorable Mention: Tote bag, seed starters, art pots, bird feeder, and deer repellent from TerraCycle. Value: $65

Come on gardeners....start snapping those pictures!

A few new garden shots~

This is very exciting- for some reason I have always had trouble with Morning Glories...
I don't really understand why but I just do!
This time my neighbor came over to oversee the project...mainly because no matter where she sticks Morning Glory seeds they grow!
I needed the Good Carma!

Well it worked...take a look at my little glorious sprouts!

Now for step 3...they need to crab the trellis and grow ,grow, grow!
I'll keep you posted!

Garden Bloggers Death Day

Well it's Monday again and as I walked through my garden I found several things that deserved to be in this post...





.
These poor little sprouts have barely begun their lives and they are already doomed.




And what the heck are these nasty alien looking flying creatures?
Can someone please tell me...

They were on my tomatoes and the first predator flew away when I went to get him!





Happy Gardening everyone!