Category: Home & Garden

In addition to alternative natural pesticide sprays, it is important to incorporate other natural pest control tactics, techniques, and products into your IPM plan. 

Here are 7 effective tips to help you keep your garden pest-free:

1. Maintaining a healthy garden is essential, as pests are naturally inclined to target weak or dying plants. When you give your plants the right fertilizer, trace elements, growing conditions, good soil, and proper watering, your strong, healthy plants are less likely to be attacked by insect pests.

2. It is important to grow crops at the right time. When you plant vegetables out of season or beyond their suitable range, you will likely get poor growth and increased pest problems.

3. Harvest early to help prevent pest damage. Many pests prefer ripe fruits. You can allow crops to ripen safely in a protected area when you pick crops before they fully ripen.

4. Over-planting can be a useful strategy. By following the law of averages and growing more, you can reduce the impact of pest damage. When you have an abundance of fruits and veggies, you’ll have plenty for yourself and visiting animals.

5. Along the same lines, cultivating sacrificial plants or crops can help divert pests away from your main crops. By intentionally allowing one plant or group of plants to become infested, you can redirect pests’ attention from the rest of the garden.

6. Manual pest removal is an effective method. Taking the time to remove pests by hand helps reduce their population growth in the garden. It’s a simple task that can make a significant difference.

7. Keep poultry! Ducks and chickens are valuable for pest control around the property or home garden. Chickens are effective at preparing garden beds for the next season but can be destructive, so limiting their access to the vegetable garden during growth is advisable. 

Chickens help break the life cycle of pests by digging up and consuming pupating insects, like fruit fly larvae. 

Ducks, on the other hand, target stink bugs and their nymphs, as well as slugs and snails. Their foraging behavior is less damaging to gardens compared to chickens.

Introduce Beneficial Insects

Embrace the assistance of beneficial garden fauna. Beneficial insects play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy backyard ecosystem. 

Of the numerous insects found in the average backyard, only about a tenth are destructive. The rest are either harmless or beneficial. 

Working in harmony with nature’s allies, you can collectively combat pests. If you don’t already have a healthy beneficial insect population, you can buy beneficial insects online. 

Examples include predatory mites that feed on harmful mites, ladybugs that consume aphids, or miniature wasps that prey on caterpillars. 

Releasing these good bugs into your garden can help restore nature’s balance without using indiscriminate and harmful chemicals.

Beneficial insects can be grouped into three main categories:

1. Pollinators

Bees, butterflies, flies, and moths are essential for pollinating the flowers in your garden, ensuring the production of fruits and seeds.

2. Predators

Insects like ladybugs, praying mantis, and green lacewing larvae act as predators, feeding on harmful pests and helping to control their population.

3. Parasitizers

Parasitic wasps are a key example of this category. They lay their eggs on or inside other insects, such as bad bugs, and when the eggs hatch, the larvae feed on the host insects, effectively controlling their numbers.

Various Beneficial Insects

Some of the best beneficial insects to purchase or attract include: 

• Ladybugs: Initially, as larvae, ladybugs consume up to 40 aphids per hour, making them ferocious predators. Ladybug larvae are odd looking. Take care not to mistake them for pests. 

Time Lapse of Ladybug Life Cycle

• Green Lacewings: The larvae of green lacewings prey on soft-bodied garden pests like caterpillars and aphids, while the adults feed on pollen and nectar.
• Praying Mantids: Praying mantises are fierce (and sometimes entertaining) predators that eliminate grasshoppers, moths, beetles, flies, and other insect pests. They may also prey upon other beneficial insects and even each other, but not to a tremendously detrimental extent.
• Spiders: They hunt or trap live insects. Jumping spiders and wolf spiders are excellent pest hunters, and various orb-weavers create artistic traps for flying insects. 

Spiders: Your Friend & Helper In The Garden!

• Ground Beetles: Both adult ground beetles and their larvae are predatory and consume a wide range of insects, including nematodes, caterpillars, thrips, weevils, slugs, and silverfish.
• Soldier Beetles: Soldier beetles are important predators of Mexican bean beetles, Colorado potato beetles, caterpillars, and aphids. They are attracted to plants with compound blossoms.
• Assassin Bugs: Resembling resembles a cross between a praying mantis and a squash bug. Assassin bugs use their sharp mouthparts to chomp down on a wide variety of garden pests.
• Robber Flies: Long-legged robber flies are very efficient bug-eating machines. Be aware that they don’t attack people but can bite when threatened.
• Hoverflies: Hoverflies look like stinger-less little yellow jackets. The adults eat pollen and nectar and are valuable pollinators. The larvae are voracious predators, killing aphids, caterpillars, beetles, and thrips.
• Parasitic Wasps: You can hardly see them, but parasitic wasps are effective pest controllers. Braconid wasps lay their eggs on the backs of tomato hornworms and other caterpillars. Trichogramma wasps lay their eggs inside the eggs of over 200 different insect pests. Tachinid flies parasitize various pests such as corn borers, gypsy moth caterpillars, grasshoppers, Japanese beetles, Mexican bean beetles, squash bugs, and green stink bugs.

Bad & Good Bugs in Your Garden

Encourage Natural Predators With Diversity Planting

Aside from (or instead of) purchasing beneficial insects, you can take steps to invite garden helpers into your yard. You must meet their basic water, food, and shelter needs to do this.

Begin by embracing diversity in your garden. Growing a variety of plants and produce instead of a monoculture helps deter pests. 

Nature tends to balance imbalances by countering them, and having a diverse habitat with different crops and plants reduces the risk of pests invading in overwhelming numbers.

Include native plants to attract beneficial insects and animals. By incorporating native flora and fauna into your garden, you encourage the presence of helpful bugs, predator insects, reptiles, and birds. 

Creating a natural habitat on your property promotes a balanced and harmonious environment.

A diverse range of plants attracts beneficial insects, including those before pests. These insects require alternative food sources like pollen and nectar to stay in your garden.

Early-blooming plants like alyssum or blooming biennials such as carrots or parsley attract beneficial insects in spring. 

Later on, plants with compound blossoms like yarrow, goldenrod, and Queen Anne’s lace, as well as flowering herbs such as lavender, mint, sage, dill, fennel, and lemon balm, are particularly enticing to them.

Discourage Bad Bugs With Companion Planting

Just as some plants attract good bugs, some plants repel bad bugs. 

When using companion planting, scattering strong-smelling herbs throughout your regular flower and vegetable patches and in the orchard is beneficial. This technique helps repel pests effectively. 

Here are some examples of herbs and the pests they repel:

• Thyme repels corn earworms, whitefly, tomato hornworms, cabbage loopers, and maggots.
• Dill repels squash bugs, spider mites, aphids, tomato hornworms, and cabbage loopers.
• Nasturtium repels whiteflies, squash bugs, aphids, beetles, and cabbage loopers.
• Oregano repels mosquitoes, cucumber beetles, and cabbage butterflies.
• Basil repels mosquitoes, carrot flies, whiteflies, and asparagus beetles.
• Garlic repels aphids, beetles, carrot flies, and rabbits.
• Chives repel aphids, beetles, and carrot flies.
• Parsley repels asparagus beetles.
• Chamomile repels flying insects.

It’s worth noting that catnip repels ants, weevils, squash bugs, aphids, beetles, and cockroaches; however, it attracts cats! If this would be a concern for you, refrain from planting it.

Create Physical Barriers

There are many ways you can simply keep pests from accessing your plants. 

Among them are: 

1. Apply a ring of Vaseline at the plant’s base to hinder ants from climbing up for farming aphids or scale insects. Without any protection, these pests will struggle to survive.

2. Use nets and bags to effectively protect against birds, small animals, and pests. Insect netting safeguards crops and prevents fruit flies from infesting stone fruits and apples.

3. Use natural powders, such as food-grade diatomaceous earth, baking soda, and crushed eggshells, to combat crawling insects like snails and slugs. Apply the powder to the ground surrounding plants or directly on affected leaves.

4. Sprinkle baking soda throughout your garden and flowerbeds for ant control.

Neem Oil Alternatives Are Smart Alternatives

When it comes to controlling garden pests, integrated pest management (IPM) that incorporates a wide variety of safe, non-toxic methods is always best. 

If you are concerned about neem oil spray, use it but need to take more drastic pest management measures. You can do so naturally without turning to harsh chemicals.

Keep the tips and advice presented here in mind. Try these effective alternatives to neem oil and pesticides to discourage and deter pests without negatively affecting our health or the environment.

Top Chard Companions

Swiss chard is a light feeder that is not particularly prone to pest or disease problems.

As such, it serves as a good companion for many types of plants – and there are many types of plants which could serve as good companions in return.

Though your available options may be numerous, why not start with seven of the top cited good neighbors for this leafy garden veggie?

This list is by no means exhaustive, but the companions described here all have either scientific evidence to support them, or their use has been valued and repeated by generations of gardeners and farmers.

1. Alliums

Alliums have at least two benefits as companion plants. With their strong odor, alliums such as garlic, shallots, onions, leeks, and chives can help to repel undesirable insects.

And when they bloom, they attract beneficial insects such as hoverflies, wasps, and bees.

Garlic chives are one of my favorite alliums. These have the beautiful globe-shaped flower heads of other alliums, are easy to harvest, and pack a strong punch of garlicky flavor.

And like other types of chives, they’re easy to grow from seed.

Another benefit of chives is that they bloom early and provide a source of food for beneficial predatory insects – the ones that can help to reduce pest populations.

Garlic Chives

Garlic chive seeds are available from Eden Brothers Nursery.

2. Annual Flowers

There are many types of annual flowers that would be excellent neighbors for Swiss chard.

Some varieties of chard are so colorful that they wouldn’t look at all out of place in a flower bed, and they can make an attractive border.

Marigolds make useful garden neighbors because of their ability to repel root-knot nematodes and other pests.

Nasturtiums also act as good garden friends, since their flowers attract beneficial insects and their strong-smelling leaves repel certain pests, such as aphids.

Sweet alyssum also makes a good companion, for multiple reasons.

It acts as a ground cover, helping to keep weeds at bay and shading the soil around your plants.

And sweet alyssum’s fragrant flowers attract beneficial insects such as hoverflies, which in turn keep aphid populations in check.

‘Carpet of Snow’ is a variety of sweet alyssum that makes a great ground cover. It grows to two to five inches tall, producing masses of small white flowers.

‘Carpet of Snow’ Sweet Alyssum

You can find ‘Carpet of Snow’ sweet alyssum seeds for purchase in a wide range of packet sizes at True Leaf Market.

3. Brassicas

Cabbage is widely cited in companion planting literature as a suitable buddy for chard.

Other members of the cabbage family – such as broccoli, kohlrabi, kale, turnips, and radishes – make good neighbors too.

One potential benefit of cabbage is that it has a shallow root system, while chard roots go moderately deep.

Just like you don’t want the above ground portions of your plants fighting for space, you don’t want their underground portions fighting for room either.

Grouping plants with complementary root depths is one strategy in the art of companion planting.

My favorite type of cabbage is savoy. It has frilly, crinkly leaves and a milder, nuttier taste than smooth-leaved varieties.

‘Savoy Perfection’ has that wonderful mild and delicate savoy flavor. It will be ready to harvest in 90 days.

‘Savoy Perfection’ Cabbage

You can find ‘Savoy Perfection’ seeds in a variety of packet sizes available at True Leaf Market.

Learn more about how to grow savoy cabbage here.

4. Celery

Celery is another traditional silver beet companion. Celery is a compact plant that doesn’t get in chard’s way, either above ground or below – it also has a shallow root system.

If you’re growing silver beet as a fall crop, you can grow celery right alongside it, and the cool weather of autumn will sweeten both of these plants.

Many gardeners buy celery as nursery starts to transplant into their gardens, but you can also grow celery from seed, opening up your options to a wider range of varieties.

‘Tall Utah’ is a cultivar with exceptionally long, crisp stalks. It takes about 120 days to reach maturity.

‘Tall Utah’ Celery

You can purchase ‘Tall Utah’ celery seeds in an assortment of package sizes at Eden Brothers.

Learn how to grow celery in this guide.

5. Herbs

According to companion planting lore, not all herbs make great neighbors for chard.

Personally, I haven’t noticed any problems growing this veggie with dill or cilantro – their benefits include being attractive to beneficial insects such as parasitic wasps and hoverflies.

Elaine Shallue at Sustainable Gardening Australia says that marjoram, lovage, and lavender are reported to be good neighbors for chard.

But among the herbs, mint has the best reputation of all.

If allowed to bloom, mint attracts beneficial insects with its masses of flowers. It also repels flea beetles, a common pest that can target your chard crop.

And the fragrant compounds in mint can mask the smells of other plants, making it harder for pests to locate their host plants.

However, if you decide to grow mint as a silver beet neighbor, keep it in a container so it doesn’t take over your whole vegetable patch.

While there are many different types of mint available, I prefer peppermint as my mint of choice because of its clean, fresh taste, and cooling properties.

It’s a wonderful herb to have around for making homemade iced herbal teas throughout the dog days of summer.

Peppermint

You can find peppermint seeds in a variety of packet sizes available at True Leaf Market.

Learn more about growing peppermint in your garden here.

6. Legumes

Legumes can help out your Swiss chard by fixing nitrogen in the soil. For this reason, bush beans and peas are typically considered good companions for this leafy green.

While bush beans and peas come with high recommendations, on the other hand, most companion planting literature advises against growing this veggie with pole beans.

Presumably, this is because of the towering nature of this crop when trellised. Peas are usually trellised too, but while peas die back in late spring or early summer, this is just when pole beans are taking off, and they may potentially shade out your silver beet crop.

However, if this is the sole reason to not include pole beans as a garden companion, there is certainly a workaround. If you plant your Swiss chard to the south of your pole bean trellis, it will still receive the full sun it prefers.

I think this is certainly a combo that needs more testing before we write it off.

Other legumes you might want to try out as garden buddies include fava beans and garbanzo beans.

In the meantime, feel free to stick with bush beans as your nitrogen fixing companion.

One of my favorite varieties of bush beans is ‘Cherokee Wax,’ a yellow snap bush bean.

And if you’re growing a colorful variety of silver beet, such as ‘Bright Lights,’ these two plants will provide your own personal off-Broadway show with their eye-catching colors. (Okay, maybe I don’t get out much these days…)

‘Cherokee Wax’ Bush Beans

You’ll find ‘Cherokee Wax’ bush bean seeds in a variety of packet sizes available from Isla’s Garden Seeds via Amazon.

Learn how to plant and grow bush beans in this guide.

7. Lettuce

Lettuce is another good pairing for chard, according to traditional companion planting literature referenced by George Kuepper et al in an article published by the National Center for Appropriate Technology.

Growing these leafy veggies side by side will help maximize space in a square foot garden or in raised beds. And it will make your cut-and-come-again salad harvests easy.

Lettuce also has a shallow root system, so it won’t compete with your chard for underground space.

Another benefit to using lettuce as a garden buddy is that it can act as a living mulch, covering the soil to prevent weeds from popping up, and slowing erosion and water evaporation.

There are many varieties of lettuce that are both delicious and gorgeous. Some are better than others at providing the benefits of a living mulch – pick a lettuce variety that has a more spreading growth habit, such as Batavian, rather than one with an upright growth habit, such as Romaine.

‘Broadleaf Batavian’ is a type of escarole that has wide leaves that will spread out to cover the soil.

‘Broadleaf Batavian’

You’ll find ‘Broadleaf Batavian’ seeds in a variety of packet sizes available at Eden Brothers.

Learn how to plant and grow lettuce in this guide.

Bad Plant Neighbors

In addition to pole beans, there are some other plants you may want to avoid growing next to your chard crop.

Just like the juglone from black walnut trees, sunflowers can also be allelopathic, exuding chemicals from their roots, leaves, and stems that may be harmful to nearby plants.

Canning squash is a simple process that allows you to enjoy your homegrown bounty all year round.

Learning how to can squash is a useful skill – no matter if you have extra from your garden, or just find a deal at the grocery store or farmers market.

Canned squash is great to use in any of your favorite recipes, like casseroles and soups, or it makes a quick heat-and-serve side dish to any meal.

In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to do it step by step, including helpful tips and the best safety practices.

Can Squash Be Safely Canned?

Many types of squash can be safely canned, as long as you follow modern standards and procedures.

Because it is a low-acid food, you must use a pressure canner, as a boiling water bath cannot not get hot enough to kill all of the harmful bacteria.

It’s also important to cube or slice the squash rather than mashing or pureeing it. Otherwise the consistency will be too thick to safely process at home, even with a pressure canner.

However, summer squash (like zucchini, yellow, crookneck, etc) is not safe for home canning. It is an outdated practice, and was deemed unsafe several years ago.

The reason it’s no longer recommended to can summer squash is that it could get mushy during processing. If this happens, the heat can’t evenly penetrate it to effectively kill botulism.

Related Post: How To Grow Winter Squash At Home

Best Types Of Squash For Canning

The best types of squash to use for canning are winter varieties, and the most popular options are butternut, pumpkin, or acorn.

The main exception is spaghetti squash, because it’s too dense to safely process in a home canner.

Preparing Squash For Canning

Preparing your squash for canning is easy. First wash them off, using a vegetable brush to remove any caked on dirt.

Then cut them in half, scoop out the seeds and guts, and remove the skins. Finally, cut the flesh into 1” or larger cubes or slices.

Related Post: How To Can Pumpkin Step By Step

Methods For Canning Squash

There are two methods you could use to can squash, either hot or raw packing. The one you choose comes down to time constraints and personal preference. Below are the pros and cons for each.

Hot Packing

Hot packing means that you blanch the squash pieces in boiling water for 2-3 minutes before canning them.

The benefit is that they tend to hold their color, texture, and flavor better, but the main con is that it requires an extra step, which takes a little more time.

Raw Packing

Raw packing is where you place the uncooked pieces into your jars, and then pour boiling water over them.

The benefit to this process is that it’s easier and quicker. The drawback is that sometimes raw packing causes a waterlogged effect, which can degrade the quality.

Pressure Canning Squash

Because squash is non-acidic, you must process your jars in a pressure canner, because a boiling water bath cannot get them hot enough to kill harmful bacteria.

Process the jars at 10 pounds of pressure for 55 minutes for pints and 90 minutes for quarts, adjusting for altitude if you need to.

Then let the jars cool in the canner for another 10 minutes before removing them.

Tools & Equipment Needed

Below is a list of items you’ll need. Gather everything before you start to make the process easier. You can see my full list of tools and supplies here.

How To Store Canned Squash

Before storing your canned squash, make sure to check that each lid has a tight seal. You’ll know because they shouldn’t move at all when you press on the center.

If any of your jars did not seal, put those into the fridge and use them up within 4-5 days.

Otherwise, store your canned squash in a cool, dry place away from direct light. A cupboard, pantry, or basement shelf are perfect options for this.

Don’t forget to write the date on each one using dissolvable labels or a permanent marker so you know when they expire.

How Long Does Canned Squash Last?

As long as you store them properly, your jars of canned squash will last for up to 12 months.

Always check the lid on each jar before using it to ensure it is still sealed. Leftovers will last in the fridge for 4-5 days.

Related Post: When & How To Harvest Squash

FAQs

Can squash be canned without a pressure canner?

No, squash cannot be canned without a pressure canner because it is a low-acid food. A boiling water bath will not get it hot enough to destroy any harmful pathogens.

What’s the best way to can squash?

The best way to can squash is to cut it up into 1” pieces or slices, then flash-cook it in boiling water to hot pack the jars, and process them using a pressure canner.

Can you can squash puree?

No, you cannot can squash puree because it’s too dense, which means the heat cannot penetrate it evenly to ensure it’s safe to eat.

Do you have to cook squash before canning?

No, you do not have to cook squash before canning it, you could raw pack it instead. The benefit of cooking it first is that the pieces tend to hold their texture, flavor, and color better than raw.

Can I can raw squash?

Yes, you can can raw squash. The drawback is that it tends to become more waterlogged, so it may not hold its texture, color, or flavor as well as the blanched pieces do.

Why is it not safe to can summer squash?

It’s not safe to can summer squash because it could become mushy during processing. If that happens, it will be too dense for the heat to evenly penetrate and kill any botulism that may be present.

If you’d like to learn how to make the most of your space and get as much homegrown food as possible, then my Vertical Vegetables book is perfect! It will teach you all you need to know, has tons of gorgeous photos, and includes 23 DIY projects you can build for your own garden. Order your copy today!

Learn more about my Vertical Vegetables book here.

More Squash Posts

More Food Canning Posts

Share your tips for canning squash in the comments section below.

Recipe & Instructions

Get ready to tickle your funny bone with this collection of family-friendly skull puns!

The best skull puns to tickle your funny bone

This bumper roundup of bone-tickling humour is perfect for family fun, halloween giggles, and spooky social media posts.

From puns that dance around the concept of craniums, to clever quips that embrace the silly side of skulls, these jokes are sure to keep you in stitches and give you a great time.

So, whether you’re a fan of wordplay or simply looking for some lighthearted fun, get ready to fill your skull with over 120 funnies 😀

Skull puns to entertain the kids

Have a giggle with these rib-tickling skull jokes.

1. What’s the best way to make a skull laugh? Tickle its funny bone.

2. Why was the skull lonely? It had no-body.

3. What’s a skull’s least favourite room in the house? The living room.

4. What do you call a skull that stayed in the freezer too long? A numbskull.

5. Why do skulls love Halloween? Because the treats are so crani-yum.

6. How did the skull win the talent show? It had an unbeatable “bone”-afide act.

7. What’s a skeleton’s favourite plant? A bone-zai tree.

8. How do you imprison a skull? Put him in a rib cage.

9. What do you call a skull who goes to school but doesn’t do any work? Lazy bones.

10. Why are skulls so calm? Because nothing gets under their skin.

11. Why did the skull go to the doctor? It had a splitting headache.

12. Where do young skulls go to study? Elementary skull.

13. What happened to the skull who sat by the fire too long? He became bone dry.

14. Why did the skull like their employer? Because the skull-ture was great.

15. How did the skeleton get into the top university? It won a skull-arship.

Dad jokes about skulls

Need a good dad joke? These skull puns are guaranteed to be met with a groan!

16. What happened when the skeleton ran into the duck? He got his skull quacked.

17. Where do skulls stay when they go on holiday? In bone-galows.

18. Who won the skull beauty contest? No body.

19. Why does a skull never win an argument? Because it doesn’t have a leg to stand on.

20. Why are skulls always successful?  Because they know how to get a-head.

21. How did the skull know it was going to rain? He could feel it in his bones.

22. Why did the skull want a friend? Because he was feeling bonely.

23. How do you release a skull from prison? Use a skeleton key.

24. What do you call it when you get two skulls for the price of one? A bone-dle deal.

25. How do you call a skull? On his cell bone.

26. What did the skull make out of origami? A crane-ium.

27. What do you call a skull who rings the doorbell? A dead ringer.

28. How much does a pile of skulls weigh? A skeleTON.

29. How do skulls greet each other in France? Bone Jour.

30. I own a real human skull. I’d take it out and show you, but I’m using it right now.

More silly skull jokes and skeleton puns

31. What’s a skull’s favourite song? “Bad to the bone”.

32. What’s a skull’s second favourite song? “Bone to be wild”.

33. What’s a skull’s third favourite song? “I ain’t got no body.”

34. Why didn’t the skull go to the dance? Because he had no body to dance with.

35. What did the skull say to the other skull when it was angry? You’re dead to me.

36. What kind of TV does a skull watch? A skelevision.

37. What’s a skeleton’s favourite thing to do with their cell phone? Take skelfies.

38. Why did the skull apply for a job at the computer company? It wanted to learn about “bite”-sized information.

39. What job on a construction site is best suited to a skull? Cranium operator.

40. Why does a skull make a good manager? Because it’s a natural bone leader.

41. What did the skulls say before eating their dinner? Bone appetit!

42. Why did the skull go to the library? To bone up on its reading skills.

43. What’s a skull’s favourite element? Car-bone.

44. How did the skull reprimand their kids? They skull-ded them.

45. What do you call a lie told by a skull? A fibula.

Even more skull jokes!

46. What dishes do skulls like eat from? Bone china.

47. What do you call a skull who’s always late? A bone-fide procrastinator.

48. What’s a skeleton’s favourite instrument? The trom-bone.

49. What’s a skeleton’s second favourite musical instrument? A sax-a-bone.

50. What’s a skeleton’s third favourite instrument? The xylobone.

51. What type of art do skeletons like? Skulltures.

52. Why can’t skulls fly over Area 51? It’s a no-fly-bone.

53. What kind of jokes do skulls tell? Humerus ones.

54. How do you make a skeleton laugh? Tell it a rib-tickling joke.

55. Why did the skull enrol in an art class? He was aiming for a gallery showing of his skull-ptures.

56. How do skulls stay calm? They keep their cool even when things get bony.

57. What did the skull say to the detective? “I’m just here to lend a helping head!”

58. What do you call a group of musical skulls? A deadication of musicians.

59. Why did the skull start a band? Because it had great head-banging potential.

60. Who won the race between the skeleton and the skull? The skull, it had a head start.

Rib-tickling skull puns

61. What did the skeleton say when he almost dropped his skull? “Phew, nearly lost my head there!”

62. How do skulls send messages? Through their jaw-dropping text messages.

63. What kind of birds do skulls like best? Sea skulls.

64. What do you call a skull with no friends? Bonely.

65. Why did the skull go to prison? Because he was bad to the bone.

66. Who is a skull’s favourite historical figure? Napoleon Bone-a-part.

67. What do you say to a skeleton who’s leaving on a trip? Bone voyage!

68. What’s a skull’s favourite rock band? The Grateful Dead.

69. What’s a skull’s second favourite rock band? Bone Jovi.

70. Why did the skull student stay late at medical school? He was boning up for his exam.

71. What’s a skull’s favourite type of dance? The head-banger.

72. Why didn’t the skull laugh at the joke? Because he didn’t have a funny bone.

73. What type of candy sent the skull to the hospital? Jawbreakers.

74. What’s a skeleton’s favourite shellfish? Mus-skulls.

75. What did the skull say when it won the race? “I guess I had a head start!”

76. What’s a skull’s favourite holiday? Hallowe’en.

Still hungry for more?

77. What do you call a skull that looks exactly the same as another skull? Dead ringer.

78. What do you call a skeleton who goes out in the snow? A numb-skull.

79. What did the skull say when it won the lottery? “I’m feeling bone-afide lucky!”

80. Why couldn’t the skull get out of bed? It was bone tired.

81. What did the skull say to the vampire? “You suck.”

82. How do skulls keep track of their appointments? With a skull-endar.

83. How do skulls express their love for each other? “I am head over heels for you.”

84. Who is the most famous skull detective? Sherlock Bones.

85. Why did the skull start a podcast? It had a lot of brainy ideas to share.

86. How did skulls send mail in the old days? They used the bony express. 

87. Why do skulls go to the gym? To develop their mu-skulls.

88. Who won the race between the skull and the skeleton? The skull, it was just ahead.

89. What’s a skull’s favourite yoga position? The headstand.

90. What do skulls use to get into their homes? A skeleton key.

91. There’s not much to this skull joke. It’s bare bones.

Funny skull puns

Enjoy some skull-themed wordplay with these silly skull puns.

92. Perfectly skull-pted

93. Just skull-king around

94. Bone to be wild

95. Social skulls

96. Ab-skull-lutely

97. A beautiful skull-pture

98. Getting a skull-ding

99. A person of many skulls

100. Looking rather mu-skull-ar

101. This skull candy is so crani-yum

102. An a-bone-dance of skulls

103. Skull’s out

104. Let’s skull-idify our plans

105. Don’t let the situation e-skull-ate

106. Luck of the jaw

107. Very skullful

108. Con-skull-idating everything into one

109. I’m skull-tivating my look

110. Stand skull

111. Life skulls

112. A bone-afide skull pun

113. Elementary skull

114. Very skull-tured

115. University skull-arship

116. Nearly lost my head

117. Working on my mus-skulls

118. Getting a head start

119. A-head of the game

120. Head over heels

121. These skull puns have gone to my head 🤣

And there you have it, a fantastic assortment of family-friendly skull puns to give your funny bone a good laugh workout! From cranium capers to bone-tickling punchlines, we hope these great jokes brought heaps of fun and giggles to your day.

More spooky puns and family fun

For more fun on a spooky theme, check out these articles:

Best Halloween puns

See the funny side of spooky season and get your Halloween party going with this selection of great Halloween jokes.  There are lots of funny skeleton jokes and hilarious bone puns, plus loads of kid-friendly gags about ghosts, bats, witches, vampires and pumpkins.

Halloween quotes

This roundup of inspiring, cute and sinister Halloween quotes will help you become a bone-afide Halloween professional. There’s even a few on a skeleton theme. They make great Halloween instagram captions too.

Pumpkin craft

This fairy house pumpkin tutorial is perfect for younger children and not at all scary!

Pumpkin bird feeder

Turn those Halloween pumpkins into a tasty treat for local wildlife with this pumpkin bird feeder tutorial.

More great family jokes

We’ve got loads more family-friendly puns and jokes for you to enjoy.  Here are a few of our favourite puns roundups.

On a seasonal theme:

spring puns, summer puns, autumn puns, Christmas puns, Easter puns

On a nature theme:

nature puns, flower puns, plant puns, tree puns, garden puns, sunflower puns, ice puns 

On a food theme:

fruit puns, vegetable puns, potato puns, pumpkin puns

On an animal theme:

cat puns, bird puns, bee puns

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Are rex begonias easy to care for? Not really. Are they worth the extra effort? Absolutely.

But don’t take my word for it, or at least not yet. Let’s get to know this hybrid begonia variety better before you decide whether it’s the houseplant for you.

I’ll try to keep my gushing to a minimum as I share tips for growing and caring for rex begonias, but I can’t promise. Here’s what I’ll cover:

What Are Rex Begonias?

Rex begonias are herbaceous hybrids most often grown indoors. They are hardy perennials suited to outdoor growth year-round only in USDA Hardiness Zones 10 to 12.

In this guide we’ll focus on growing this variety as a houseplant, whether you choose to move it indoors in the cool months or maintain it inside year round.

Rex begonias are renowned for their showy leaves. The blooms that they produce are tiny, and considered insignificant.

Most varieties spread via rhizomes. But rex begonias are classified separately from other rhizomatous begonias because they have showier leaves and demand a higher level of care.

Most of these subtropical plants have dense, rounded, or teardrop-shaped leaves that grow three to six inches long or wide, depending on the variety.

Many types have a metallic surface or are silver-colored, while others have what I would call a matte finish in green, gray, or pastel hues.

Crinkled, puckered, or veined leaves distinguish other varieties, which can also sport splotches, pronounced veins, or contrasting-color leaf margins, alone or in combination with other patterns.

To name all the possible leaf colors and combinations would make me sound like Bubba Blue reciting possible shrimp preparations to Forrest Gump, but a few of my favorites include lavender, cream, deep red, gray, and taupe.

It’s easy to see plant breeders have had a field day with rex begonia hybridization, and you should look forward to lots of beautiful, sometimes zany patterns and colors among the more than 500 named cultivars in this group.

Before you start a list of your favorite patterns, let’s delve into the history of this striking houseplant.

Cultivation and History

B. x rex-cultorum belongs to the Begonia genus first described by Franciscan monk and botanist Charles Plumier in 1700. At least 200 species had been identified as of 1850.

One type of begonia, B. rex, was native to the northeastern Indian state of Assam and brought to England in 1856.

A perhaps apocryphal story has Belgian horticulturist Jean Linden coming across the fabulous leaves of wild B. rex growing intertwined with an orchid brought to a London auction room.

Linden purchased the orchid and begonia together and offered B. rex for sale commercially in 1858.

The rex begonia we know today in cultivation is not this wild B. rex but one of many hybrids bred with B. rex as one of the parent plants.

The Rex Cultorum group was first described in 1920, but the number of varieties available has increased exponentially in the intervening century.

Varieties that resulted from a cross with B. evansiana were taller, and other crosses created cultivars that grew upright or had brilliant red leaves, spiral patterns, or leaves with velvety surfaces.

One handy way to categorize them is by size.

The leaves of the small types are about three inches in diameter, medium range from three to six inches, and the large rex begonias have leaves that are six inches across or larger.

Most cultivars are rhizomatous, but a few are not.

Breeders and commercial growers are still having a field day with rex begonias. Newer cultivars follow popular home design color trends and offer hundreds of different patterns and shapes. But don’t let this wide array make you dizzy!

You’ll only need one or two rex begonias for dazzling winter color indoors, or to enliven a patio container garden during the summer to return to a sunroom shelf in the winter.

Happily, with all the color, patterns, and shapes available, you’re bound to find a combination that suits you, and that’s available for sale.

Rex Begonia Propagation

Whether you’re new to this indoor plant or have discovered a variety you want for your own, there are instantaneous as well as more leisurely ways to propagate rex begonias.

From Seed

Unfortunately there are three strikes against attempting to grow rex begonias from seed.

First, the plants are hybrids, so those that germinate from saved seed will not grow true to the parent plant.

Second, the seeds are practically microscopic, so they’re nearly impossible to handle carefully for planting.

Third, seeds are generally unavailable commercially.

And if you manage to overcome those three obstacles by saving seeds independently, working with tweezers and a magnifying glass, it will take at least six months of TLC to generate a plant. (Oops, that makes four strikes.)

But maybe you’re up for a challenge? Sowing seed can also result in new and wondrous cultivars, the product of pollination and sexual reproduction.

If you’ve been able to find or save seeds and want to give it a go, find general instructions for starting seeds indoors in our guide.

But do keep in mind that rex begonia requires light to germinate, so the seeds should rest on the surface of the growing medium.

From Rhizomes

Instead of wasting time and energy on seed starting, I’d recommend buying small plants to grow to maturity or cutting parts of the rhizomes to root if you already have access to mature specimens.

If the rhizomes already have roots and foliage attached, you just need to pot them up and watch them grow!

Use a clean paring knife to slice a leafless piece from the end of the rhizome, then lay it on a clean surface out of sunlight to dry for a few hours or overnight.

Place the rhizome cutting on top of a pre-moistened, porous, peat-based potting mix in a small seed-starting cell or pot with drainage holes.

Press it so the root side of the rhizome is below the soil surface and the top part peeks above. 

Place the container in a humid spot with bright, indirect light and keep the growing mix moist but not damp with a spray bottle. The rhizome should start growing roots and leaves within a few weeks.

You can hasten the process by arranging a plastic bag or terrarium top over the container to hold in moisture.

The process is quicker still if a plant in your possession already has rhizomes with roots and perhaps a few leaves that you can divide and repot.

This is a task best done during the growing season in late spring or summer so the plants have a chance to regenerate before winter dormancy.

Gently tip the plant from its pot, brush some dirt from the roots, and sever sections of the rhizomes with leaves and roots attached.

Repot them immediately in the same growing mix and shallow pots you’d use for older plants.

They should adjust to their new situation and resume growth within a week.

From Leaf Cuttings

How to Grow Rex Begonia

You don’t need any special abilities to grow rex begonias indoors, but you do need to plan ahead.

When you meet their growing requirements, they’ll usually respond by producing beautiful foliage and thriving for at least three years.

And once you catch the hang of how caring for rex begonias differs from growing other subtropical houseplants – and other begonia species – it gets much easier to keep the plants happy and healthy.

They don’t mind if the pot is larger than the root ball, but once the rhizomes start pressing against the sides of the container or spilling over, it’s time to prune, divide, or repot.

You must provide a spot about a foot to five feet from a sunny window, or in a window that receives bright light but isn’t exposed to direct rays.

You may need supplemental grow lights indoors to deliver the right amount.

If you do place the plants near a sunny window that only casts light on one side, rotate the pots a quarter turn once a week so the plant doesn’t become lopsided as it grows toward the light.

If your rex begonias will spend the warmer months outdoors, they can handle a part or even full shade location.

Gradually get them used to the reduced light with a week or so of “hardening off” before sending them outside full time. They can’t tolerate direct sunlight any better outdoors than they can inside, so choose their location wisely.

Temperature

Temperatures around 70°F by day and 60°F overnight will encourage the best growth.

You can move the plants outdoors for the warm months, but only once the temperature is reliably above 60°F at night. Bring them back inside a few weeks ahead of predicted cool weather.

Gardeners with scorching hot summers also have to worry about high temperatures if bringing plants outdoors.

If temperatures exceed 80°F, the plants will be happier indoors in a controlled climate.

Humidity

Temperatures in the desirable range, an ideal potting mix, and perfect lighting will all mean little if you can’t provide ample humidity for rex begonias.

They like 50 percent or more, and the leaves will quickly develop brown edges or die off when the humidity isn’t ample.

Indoors, you can elevate humidity levels by placing plants in the kitchen or bathroom, where it’s usually more humid than the rest of the home.

Or consider placing a saucer of water and pebbles beneath the pots to evaporate and increase moisture in the air. Just make sure the bottom of the pot rests on the pebbles without making contact with the water so you don’t drench the roots.

While it may seem like a good idea, don’t mist the plants directly or they’ll risk contracting powdery mildew caused by wet leaves. Also, spraying only increases humidity effectively if you can do it several times a day.

If you are really committed to providing that 50 percent humidity and live where the weather or the winter air is dry, you might want to consider using an electric humidifier.

Water

The careful choice of container and potting mix pays off when it comes to providing optimal moisture levels.

Rex begonias need consistent moisture, but the leaves will turn yellow and the plants could develop root rot if you overwater.

Aim to provide soil that feels evenly moist, not overly dry or soggy. It’s a good idea to use a watering can to water at the soil level.

Fill the planter until excess runs out of the drainage holes at the bottom and then let it drain for another 15 minutes or so.

Be sure to discard water that accumulates in the saucer below. Rex begonias don’t like wet feet.

Between waterings, let the top inch or so of the soil become dry, using a moisture meter or your pinky to check.

If you have hard water like I do, ensure your potting mix is well-draining. Coping with salt deposits from hard water will weaken the plants. Consider using filtered water instead.

Pruning and Maintenance

A couple of maintenance chores are critical for healthy, colorful rex begonia foliage.

Always remove any dead leaves from the surface of the soil as soon as you notice them. This will keep diseases and certain insect pests at bay.

If you are growing the plants outdoors in the warm months, make sure to bring them indoors once temperatures below 60°F are predicted.

They aren’t remotely frost tolerant, and while they could probably live happily outdoors at somewhat lower temperatures, there’s no gain from pushing the limits – if they get too cold, they’ll die.

Be sure to check outdoor plants for bugs before you bring them inside.

When you’ve chosen a rhizomatous type, note when the rhizomes reach the sides of the pot. At that point, you’ll need to either repot into a container a few inches wider or snip some of the rooted rhizome sections to propagate new plants.

The other types of rex begonia will benefit from repotting once the stems are so close to the edges of the pot that the soil no longer captures moisture or drains properly. Be sure to choose a container just a size or two larger than the previous pot.

You won’t need to prune unless you’re growing an upright variety, in which case you should clip off the stems at the crown when leaves are showing brown tips.

Some folks also like to prune a few stems from the upright types to keep them from outgrowing their containers.

You don’t need to pinch tips when the plants are a few inches tall, but it will encourage branching.

Rex Begonia Cultivars to Select

Just thinking about all those colorful, pretty, no-two-varieties-alike types of B. x rex-cultorum makes me smile.

But don’t get too hung up on a specific cultivar – or at least try to limit yourself to only a couple of “must-haves.”

I mention this because there are scads of varieties out there, some with trademarks or catchy cultivar names, but a specific type isn’t always easy to find if you have your heart set.

Happily, there are usually other varieties that look quite similar or have the same color scheme, and these lookalikes may be waiting at your local nursery or an online venue.

Pests

Because of the potential adverse symptoms caused by soluble calcium oxalates in its leaves and rhizomes, rex begonias generally aren’t eaten by rabbits or deer, even if they’re growing on a patio accessible via nearby woodlands. But they do attract two common houseplant pests.

Mealybugs

Mealybug nymphs (Pseudococcidae) will pierce the leaves and stalks, and secrete honeydew that encourages ants and sooty mold.

It’s important to detect them before they’ve proliferated, so make sure to check the nooks and crannies, and especially the “twisted” leaves, to look for adults and egg masses.

A handheld magnifying glass or a young (but not squeamish) relative with sharp eyesight are good sources of assistance.

It’s pretty easy to remove just a few mealybugs with a cotton pad dampened with rubbing alcohol. Turn to our guide for more tips on detecting and coping with mealybugs.

Spider Mites

When it’s hot and dry out, beware of spider mites that feed on foliage and leave behind little yellow or off-white dots.

If your plant has a large infestation, they can cause so much damage the plant drops leaves or starts spiraling towards its death.

You can use insecticidal soap to get rid of the mites, but it’s simpler to ensure your rex begonias are growing in ample humidity, even throughout brief sojourns outside.

I’m also careful to examine any plants before moving them back indoors in the fall.

It’s easier to remove spider mites outside than allowing them indoors where they’ll also have access to your other plants.

Read more about winning the battle with spider mites in our guide.

Diseases

Rex begonias are a bit picky about needing at least 50 percent humidity, well-draining soil, and ample water but no “wet feet” from standing in accumulated water held in the saucers beneath their pots.

You probably won’t be surprised to learn that moisture management will also help you to prevent these three common diseases:

Bacterial Begonia Leaf Spot

Caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. begoniae, this type of leaf spot creates angular lesions that look water-soaked.

It will survive in dead foliage for up to a year – one of the reasons we rex begonia fans are careful to get rid of dead leaves that have fallen on the soil immediately.

This bacterium can also move inside plant tissue via root or leaf injuries. It’s most common when the temperature is between 80 and 90°F.

The best tactic is prevention, which includes avoiding splashing the leaves when you water and meeting all the plant’s humidity, water, and soil drainage requirements.

If you do spot leaf spot damage, immediately prune any diseased foliage and destroy it.

In advanced cases, destroy the entire plant and toss the potting mix it grew in. It sounds heartless, but it’s far better to trash one plant than risk leaf spot jumping to all the others.

Be sure to sanitize containers well before you reuse them.

To protect any minimally damaged plants from new begonia leaf spot outbreaks, you may want to treat them with a product designed for controlling bacterial diseases in houseplants, like the biofungicide Bacillus subtilis.

Read our guide to learn how this biofungicide works and determine whether it could help.

Powdery Mildew

Watch for a dusty white sprinkling on the leaves that indicates the aptly named powdery mildew.

Caused by Erysiphe fungi, it thrives in humid conditions and can show up even if you’ve avoided overly wet soil.

You may be able to simply wipe powdery mildew from the leaves with a clean, slightly damp microfiber towel.

When the floury particles are widespread you may need to use a fungicide or one of the other treatments outlined in our guide to home remedies for powdery mildew.

Root Rot

It may seem like I’m harping incessantly on planting in well-draining soil and never overwatering, but those are the best ways to avoid deadly root rot.

Caused by roots rotting in standing water, or overly-moist soil containing a soilborne pathogen, root rot essentially drowns roots. Once they decay, they can no longer help the plant make the food it needs to live.

Do you tend to water too much? Suspect root rot if you notice the soil is soggy and the foliage is wilting or turning pale, or both.

The death knell sounds when you lift the plant and sniff the drainage holes and catch a foul odor. That smell likely means an advanced case – you won’t be able to salvage the plant but must trash it and its potting mix.

You may be able to pare away isolated rhizomes and cull damaged roots but don’t be overly optimistic about your odds.

When even a little bit of infected soil or plant tissue remains, the root rot can spread to destroy the rest of the plant.

It’s more sensible to cut your losses and start anew with fresh potting mix, a sterilized container, new plants – and a vow to be more careful about how and when you water.

Best Uses of Rex Begonias

Giving rex begonias one more hurrah, their very best use is as an artful day brightener, particularly in winter.

More specifically, they work well on windowsills in the cold months, and arrayed in containers on a shaded deck or patio in warm weather. The same plant can do double duty.

The spreading varieties look great in a hanging basket, while the upright types form a focal point in a group of indoor plants.

Maybe I’m an oddball, but I accidentally discovered that rex begonias can enliven the main bath decor. Two of my unnamed varieties are doing very well on the edge of my bathtub.

I moved them there during a remodeling project in the living room for what was supposed to be a week-long stay.

Between the humidity from the shower and the grow lights I have in there, that week has extended to a year and a half – so far. I must step over them to get in the tub, but that’s okay.

The beautiful plants are good companions when taking a stress-relieving warm bath, too.

Regarding companions, I don’t want to leave you without mentioning that rex begonias look dramatic and beautiful, but you don’t want to place too many of them near each other.

Collaborative post

If you’ve explored this site even a little bit, you’ll know we’re big fans of gardening. But your garden and outdoor space is only one part of your home, which means ideally it needs to integrate well with the inside of your property.

Blurring the lines between the interior and exterior of a home is a priority for the pros. If done well, a seamless flow from indoors to outdoors can make the garden feel like a natural extension of your home, rather than a nice add-on. But how do you do it?

The good news is there are easy ways to bring your indoor and outdoor space together. Let’s take a look at three simple tips that will help you blur the lines between house and garden.

Weather-resistant furniture

Weather-resistant furniture is important to consider, because if you’re going to use your outdoor space as a living area, or want to open up a room into the garden, having a comfortable place to sit is key.

You can buy weather-resistant furniture that has comfortable, removable cushions, so that you can easily set them up when needed and put them away if the weather isn’t co-operating.

Cast iron or treated wood furniture is good if you’d like to avoid regular replacement, and it can also be easier to clean.

Conservatories, porches & overhangs

A construction and design that allows you to view the outside space, or spend time in it, can be a great way to link your house and garden.

You’ve got lots of options here. French doors that open fully, a roman blinds conservatory that allows the best light in and privacy when you need it, and a porch with overhang that offers protection from the weather while retaining the ability to sit outside in comfort are all ideal.

You can also install outdoor heaters to extend the amount of time you can use your garden and patio area. This is another wise choice for unpredictable weather!

Indoor gardening transitions

To make both sides of this “divide” become friendly with one another, you can use plants to help blur the boundaries.

We’ve already mentioned having outside comforts like furniture that would work just as well inside. You could also introduce potted plants near the exit of your interior, so that the greenery begins there and moves outward.

Another clever trick is to use similar flooring materials inside and outside, to create a sense of one large space rather than two separate areas. Co-ordinating the pots you use for your indoor and outdoor container plants will also help to create a cohesive look.

With these tips, you’re sure to blur the lines between your house and garden and create a sense of space and flow within your home.

We will have a plant sale this Saturday in the nearby town of ATMORE!

ADDRESS: Atmore Flea Market – 1815 Highway 21, 36502, Atmore, AL

TIME: Saturday, August 19th from 8AM to 1PM

We have some lovely useful and edible plants in stock, some of which include:

Cassava
Comfrey
Catawba
African Blue Basil
Giant Yellow Timber Bamboo
Elderberry
Pineapple Guava
Shell Ginger
Longevity Spinach
Mushroom Herb
Chaste Tree
Multiplex Bamboo
Mulberry
Cranberry Hibiscus
Jerusalem Artichoke
Goji Berry
Cat Whiskers
Okinawa Spinach

…and more rare edible plants!

Also, we give a $0.50 store credit per useable plant pot of one gallon size or larger, so recycle your pots for plants.

See you there!

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This morning I received an inspiring email from a couple who are raising their own meat and gardening in a small space. -DTG

Hi David,

I commented on a recent video (the one in Hannibal about how much food could be grown on a small lot.

I want to share with you what we have done in 3 years in our 34×100 ft backyard.

My hope is to inspire those who don’t have acreage and can’t move to look at their property and see how much you CAN do, not what you “can’t do” with limited space.

We started with a sloped (2 directions) grassy yard.

We leveled it out as much as we could, added the greenhouse, then the garden beds. I don’t till, but use deep mulch.

We had to add a retaining wall next to the driveway which added a 6 ft wide span of usable space to build the chicken coop.

The structure near the house houses chickens and colony-raised meat rabbits. There is a compost bin and a BSFL bin in that area and a storage area for feed and equipment.

Enjoy,

Bill and Julie

SW Pennsylvania, zone 5b

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Collaborative post

In a world where we’re constantly acquiring possessions, it’s no surprise that we often find ourselves running out of space. Our homes are filled with items we once cherished, but over time, our attachment to them can dwindle.

One area where this seems to be particularly true is our jewellery boxes. We hoard broken pieces, hang onto items we no longer wear, and keep things that are gathering dust.

If you’re in need of more space and want to declutter, it might be time to consider selling your old jewellery. Not only can this help you make room for the things you truly adore, but it can also be a rewarding experience in itself. If you’re wondering where to sell jewellery you no longer need or love, just head online. Read on to find out more.

Unearth hidden treasures

As you consider parting with your old jewellery, it’s important to recognise that these pieces can hold significant value. You might have heirlooms that have been passed down through generations, gifts that no longer align with your style, or even broken items that you haven’t had the heart to throw away. Many of us have pieces that have been pushed to the back of drawers, or forgotten in jewellery boxes. Taking a moment to revisit these items can lead to some surprising discoveries.

Gold and silver jewellery items are often worth something due to the intrinsic value of the metals. Precious stones like rubies and pearls can also fetch good prices depending on their quality and size.

Even lesser-known gems like Peridot can have a certain allure. Vintage pieces, like those from the 1920s, can carry historical significance and be highly sought after. Necklaces, bangles, rings – these are all potential candidates for a new life with a new owner.

Making room for what you love

It’s easy to accumulate possessions over time, and our jewellery boxes often bear the brunt of this process. But amidst the clutter and forgotten items lies an opportunity to clear space and make room for the things you truly cherish.

Selling old jewellery not only helps you declutter your physical space, but also allows you to declutter your mind and emotions. Letting go of items that no longer hold meaning for you can be liberating and refreshing.

The act of selling your jewellery online can also be a gratifying experience. Knowing that someone else will find joy and value in a piece that has been sitting idle for years can be incredibly satisfying. It’s a way of giving these items a new lease of life and passing on their beauty and significance to others.

Taking the first step

So, where do you begin when selling old jewellery?

Start by setting aside some time to go through your jewellery collection. Look for items that you no longer wear, ones that have lost their shine, or pieces that simply don’t resonate with you anymore. Examine each piece and consider its sentimental and monetary value.

As you evaluate your collection, remember that you don’t have to discard everything. It’s about curating your collection to reflect your current style.

Our lives are constantly evolving, and so are our tastes and preferences. It’s natural for us to accumulate belongings, but it’s equally important to periodically assess what we’re holding onto. Old jewellery, whether it’s gold and silver, pearls, rubies, or unique vintage pieces, can hold hidden treasures that are waiting to be discovered by new owners.

Selling these items online not only helps you clear physical space, but also allows you to pass on the beauty and value they hold to someone else. Making room for the things you love starts with taking a fresh look at what you own, and considering the potential of these forgotten or neglected pieces. Embrace the process of letting go and look forward to creating space for cherished items that truly bring you joy.

We’re visiting with Keith Irvine today, who gardens in chilly Zone 3 in Oxdrift, Ontario. We visited Keith’s garden before (Keith’s Zone 3 Garden).

I would have to say that the successes I am most proud of are the pond, the Japanese Garden, and our latest creation—a completely made-over vegetable garden. It is 32 feet by 40 feet and fully fenced for deer proofing. I strongly resisted fencing for many years simply because most fences I’ve seen are so unsightly! But the deer became such a problem that it was either scrap the vegetable garden or put up a fence. I am a staunch supporter of Bobbex for keeping deer out of the flower beds, but you can’t use that on your food crops. So in the winter of 2019-2020 I spent hundreds of hours on Pinterest gathering ideas for deer fences and waist-high raised beds that aesthetically I could put beside my house.

So today Keith is taking us on an in-depth tour of that vegetable garden.

Taken May 6, 2020, this photo shows the old vegetable garden that we replaced. The original raised beds were just two 2x6s high and were in dire need of replacing. The soil in them had been compost enriched for years, so we removed it by hand and stockpiled it on tarps during the construction phase. On the back far left, note the black horse water trough in which we grow sweet potatoes. Next to that across the back was a sparse row of raspberry canes that the deer browsed on all winter, and a low bed going perpendicular to the other raised beds that contained our asparagus.

The raised beds were filled using Hugelkultur principles. The bottom 2 feet were filled with very rotten logs collected from our property. Many ATV trailer loads were hauled, and my devoted wife got in there and compacted them. Since the overall footprint was identical to the original raised beds, the reserved soil filled the top 1 foot. Of course, there has been a lot of settling and topping up with things like composted sheep manure, peat moss, and emptied flower pots from the massive number of containers that we grow annually. The rotten logs in the bottom greatly reduce water consumption. I read an article that said you could garden in a desert using Hugelkultur without having to water. That is a bit of an exaggeration; however, it is amazing how little watering we have to do.

Each fall once the vegetables are removed, we dig holes to bury all of our compostables until freeze up. By planting time the next spring everything is broken down.

This is an overall view of the garden taken from the roof of the house on July 30 this year. A bit of a guided tour starting from the far right: The 6-inch-high by 4-foot-wide bed contains raspberries at the back, then asparagus in the middle section, and a clump of rhubarb at the front. Then there are the five 3-foot-high by 3-foot-wide raised beds. In the space just inside the gate is the sweet potato bin, a tiny row of green beans, two zucchini, and self-seeding dill. Next are four rows of corn and then a double row of staked peas on the end.

We use a seeding square to get immaculate spacing with very little thinning. Most vegetables we grow are at the “red circle” spacing, which is 16 plants per square foot. The fresh, perfectly spaced new seedlings in the bottom right are lettuce. The more advanced seedlings on the left are this year’s lettuce, kale, and chard.

From June 23 this year: Here’s a more expansive view of the lettuce, kale, and chard.

Yours truly with a pair of canteloupe in August 2021

Watermelons from August 28, 2021. The largest of these weighed in at 18.6 pounds. The drawback of the raised beds is the need to support the melons with either a sling or a log.

The sweet potato bin and subsequent harvest in September 2021

Our raspberries are producing phenomenally. If you look close in the left photo you can see the fencing material. We used hogwire panels ordered from a local farm-supply business. They come in 4-foot by 8-foot sheets. The mesh is 6 inches by 6 inches. No saggy fence here!

From July 31 of this year: Here’s a closer glimpse of the sweet potato bin, zucchini, dill, and corn. Peas are behind the corn against the fence.

 

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Summer is winding down, but a gardener’s work is never done. Fall is approaching and there are a few things you need to do to prepare your garden for its arrival. Here are five things to do in August.

Featured photograph (above) by John Merkl, from Gardening 101: How to Prune Roses.

1. Clean up the dead and diseased.

Are your tomatoes petering out? Did blight got the better of them? Has your basil flowered? Do your roses have black spot? Time to remove either the whole plant, as in tomatoes and spent annuals, or just the diseased parts, as in roses. It is very important to remove all diseased plant material and throw it out in the trash. Composting is not recommended unless you are sure that the pathogen can be killed by a properly maintained compost pile. Removing plants also opens up space for fall crops and flowers.

2. Plan for next year’s garden.

Now is the time to order tulips, daffodils, and other spring-flowering bulbs. Spend time looking at those catalogs and pick out some fun blooms for next year. You could wait another month or two to order, but why risk your first choices selling out?

3. Plant a cover crop.

Even though asparagus is dioecious – with plants that are either male or female gendered – both the males and females produce foliage and flowers. But only female plants produce seed.

To keep your plants healthy and to prepare them for their next growing season, it’s recommended to cut back foliage in the fall after the second or third year following planting.

But what does cutting back do for your plants? Let’s take a closer look.

The young, new shoots that sprout in early spring are the part of the plant that we eat, but after the harvest period has ended, the plants produce foliage.

Harvesting the stalks triggers the production of new growth to replace the harvested shoots, which uses a lot of energy.

From summer through fall, before winter weather strikes, the springtime sprouts that weren’t harvested will continue to grow into a tall, bushy, fern-like plant.

The green vegetation is dense and can grow up to seven feet tall.

While some consider bolting to be a negative thing, it’s actually a natural part of the growth cycle that allows the plant to photosynthesize and propagate.

The plants will produce tiny blooms that await pollinators to spread pollen from male to female, and by late fall, female plants will produce small, round, red seed pods that hang from the branches like Christmas ornaments.

Check our guide to learn more about the differences between male and female plants.

While gardeners who want to collect seed may let the pods ripen, it’s typically recommended not to allow seeds to grow, because the process consumes a lot of energy.

As a part of the life cycle of the plant, foliage begins to die back, turning yellow or brown as crowns go dormant. At this time, you’ll want to cut them back for winter.

Cutting dead foliage back serves a few purposes:

First, allowing plants to complete their seasonal life cycle will produce healthier roots. The foliage will continue to photosynthesize and store energy in the root system throughout the growing season.

Second, roots that form to support the growth of the new foliage are stronger and deeper. Healthy roots produce healthier plants, and a more bountiful crop in the next growing season.

Additionally, nuisance pests called asparagus beetles are known to inhabit the ferns, where they lay eggs in the fall.

When plants have gone dormant, use pruning shears to cut ferns back to ground level.

If the cuttings are healthy and not diseased or infested, they can be composted or used to mulch the growing bed for the winter.

Always use caution when composting pruned ferns, however, as pests may lay eggs there that can be spread to your compost pile, leading to potential reinfestation when they hatch.

First found in the United States in 1879, Zimmerman pine moth (Dioryctria zimmermani) is a small gray insect with zigzag lines of red and gray and a wingspan of 1 to 1½ inches. The adult moths are rarely seen, as they are active only at night. Females lay 20 to 30 eggs that are cream colored at first and then turn brown as they develop. These are laid under the bark near the wounds created by their boring into the tree. When hatched, the larvae grow into brown-headed ¾-inch-long caterpillars with bodies that vary from pink to green and are covered with black spots. Wintering over at the end of tunnels bored under the bark, they emerge in late spring to continue their life cycle.

Which Midwest conifer species are susceptible to Zimmerman pine moth?

Zimmerman pine moth (ZPM) has become one of the most economically destructive pests of conifers in the Midwest. It causes severe damage to most pine species (Pinus spp., Zones 2–11) in the north central part of our country and also is known to infest spruce (Picea spp., Zones 2–9). Conifer species that are commonly grown in our area and susceptible to ZPM include the following:

1. Norway spruce (Picea abies, Zones 3–8)
2. Black hills spruce (Picea glauca var. densata, Zones 3–6)
3. Colorado spruce (Picea pungens, Zones 2–8)
4. Jack pine (Pinus banksiana, Zones 3–8)
5. Swiss stone pine (Pinus cembra, Zones 3–7)
6. Lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta, Zones 6–8)
7. Mugo pine (Pinus mugo, Zones 3–7)
8. Austrian pine (Pinus nigra, Zones 5–8)
9. Western yellow pine (Pinus ponderosa, Zones 5–8)
10. Red pine (Pinus resinosa, Zones 3–7)
11. Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus, Zones 4–9)
12. Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga taxifolia, Zones 5–7)

What does a Zimmerman pine moth infestation look like?

Early evidence of a ZPM outbreak is usually the wilting and browning of new growth. Terminal branches that are infested turn downward into a shepherd’s-crook shape. If untreated, the branch will ultimately die and break off. Depending upon the size of the tree, this may be the top of the tree or a side branch. Typically, ZPM attacks trees above eye level, which makes detecting them difficult before damage is visible.

What should I do if Zimmerman pine moth is in my area?

If you are aware of active ZPMs in the area, you can identify their presence before significant damage is done by looking for evidence of their bore holes. They prefer to attack either at or below the spot where whorls of branches extend from the trunk, and masses of soft resin, white with sawdust or caterpillar waste, indicate an active infestation site. These moths appear to have a preference for trees with wounds, that are unhealthy or stressed, or that have been infested before.

Controlling ZPM starts by providing your trees with the best growing environment possible. In the landscape, supply adequate amounts of water and apply mulch to maintain soil moisture. If in spite of your best efforts to keep your conifers healthy ZPM shows up, there are no natural or organic methods to control it. Three insecticides have been shown to be effective in managing them. Of the three, only one is available in retail stores–Permethrin—which is the active ingredient in Hi-Yield Turf and Termite as well as Ornamental 38 Plus. Before applying any chemical controls, be sure to read the label and follow the instructions. The other products, Chlorantraniliprole and Bifenthrin, should only be applied by a certified professional.

With the life cycle of ZPM there are only two periods of time when the caterpillars are outside of their tunnels, making these the most effective times to spray with insecticides. Sprays will not be able to reach the caterpillars once they have returned to the tunnels. The first time to spray is when caterpillars that have wintered over begin to emerge in the spring. Depending upon the weather, this is typically sometime in April. The second time when spraying is effective is late summer when eggs are being laid and hatching. This should occur in late July through August.

ZPM has been proven to be highly destructive in both residential and commercial landscapes. Due to its aggressive nature, commercial tree farms need to be more ruthless in their controls by removing infected trees as quickly as possible to stop the spread. Early detection and action can reduce the need for removing trees in the home garden. Make it a habit to observe your plant material for anomalies and discolorations that could indicate a pest has taken up residence. When necessary, consult your local horticultural professionals or online resources for help to identify the problem and the appropriate course of action, and report your finding to your local cooperative extension service for confirmation and to help prevent the spread. With vigilance and treatment, most problems can be overcome, but not all.

 

—Marti Neely, FAPLD, owns and operates Marti Neely Design and Associates in Omaha, Nebraska.

I’ve been asked many times, “What’s a great plant for a small space?” As land becomes more expensive and first-time home buyers are starting out, there are lots of properties that consist mainly of small outdoor spaces that need to be filled with size-appropriate plants. People are often discouraged and think they can’t have a beautiful garden because of limited space. But a small space is often the perfect place to start gardening. For those of us with larger overall landscapes, there is often an undersized hole in a bed that needs to be filled but we can’t think of something that will work. The following are a few great choices for those who are looking to start a garden on a limited footprint or to fill a tight spot within a larger framework.

Sun rose (Helianthemum nummularium and cvs., Zones 5–7)

This is an example of a perfect plant for a small space. Growing to 8 to 10 inches tall and wide in full sun, sun rose produces flowers in many colors. The lovely gray foliage is even evergreen. This plant doesn’t need a lot of water; in fact, it can go without supplemental water most of the year. Beginning gardeners will appreciate its habit, which is similar to that of a spreading “mini-shrub.” Sun roses can also be pruned back occasionally to fit into a particularly tight space. Use them at the front of the border or along a path where the early summer blooms can be appreciated close-up. You may even get a second flush of flowers after trimming the plant back after the first show. You can also just leave it alone and it will hold its place nicely. There are several cultivars of sun rose I like, but my favorite is ‘Chevoit’ for its peachy orange flowers. ‘St. Mary’s’ is another noteworthy cultivar with stunning white blooms and deep green foliage.

Taiwan mondo grass (Ophiopogon formosanum, Zones 7–9)

Low-growing evergreen grasses can also fill a small space nicely. Taiwan mondo grass is a shade-loving, fine-textured perennial. It is well-behaved—spreading gently over time—and is evergreen with tiny white flowers appearing in summer. It looks great in winter when many other grasses are dormant. This mondo grass prefers moist soil and reaches only 4 to 6 inches tall. It can take abuse from romping dogs (believe me I know) and grows well under conifers and other large trees. Deer and slugs leave it alone, and it blends in beautifully with other shade perennials and ferns.

Bobo^® panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata ‘ILVOBO’, Zones 3–9)

We all love hydrangeas, but many hydrangea varieties can be overwhelming in a small garden. One of the best options for a small space is ‘Bobo’ panicle hydrangea. Sometimes plants don’t read their tags and quickly outgrow their expected size. This can be a problem for small spaces. ‘Bobo’, however, knows its place and stays only 3 feet tall and 4 feet wide. It also blooms profusely. This is a panicle hydrangea, so most deer will leave it alone. The pure white flowers shine in full shade, but the shrub can also take full sun. It will appreciate some extra water in summer when it is exceptionally dry. A deciduous shrub, ‘Bobo’ gets wonderful fall color to its blooms, ranging from a light dusty pink before transitioning to a darker pink with time. You can expect this extremely hardy shrub to be reliably covered in blooms from spring until frost because it flowers off new wood yearly.

With some good, well-behaved plants to fill them, small spaces don’t need to be a challenge. Give these deserving plants a place in your garden and you won’t be disappointed.

—Susan Calhoun is the owner of Plantswoman Design in Bainbridge Island, Washington.

Photos: Susan Calhoun

For more on plants for small spaces

Southern California has many flowering plants that are often used for landscaping. But if you have young children or pets that are likely to put things in their mouths, be aware that some of our colorful garden favorites can be dangerous. Here are some commonly grown beautiful plants that are toxic if ingested. Use caution if you put them in your garden.

Think twice about planting the lovely oleander

Oleander (Nerium oleander and cvs., Zones 8–10) is a common sight in Southern California gardens. It is hard to resist, with varieties from 3 feet to 20 feet high smothered with long-blooming red, pink, white, or salmon fragrant flowers. What’s more, it grows easily in our conditions: hungry soil, dry air, low water, and hot sun. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most poisonous garden plants around; when ingested, it’s highly toxic to people, pets, and even most livestock. Cardiac glycosides are present in all parts of the plant. Eating even a tiny amount can be lethal. Avoid this showy plant where children or pets could possibly chew on any leaf, flower, or stick.

 

Grapes are safe for everyone in the family—except your canine friends

Although there is still some debate about why grapes, sultanas, and raisins (Vitis spp. and cvs., Zones 5–9) are so toxic to dogs, it appears that the high concentrations of tartaric acid in the fruits may be the culprit. Perfectly safe for people (as long as you cut them small to avoid choking with small children), grapes can cause kidney damage or failure to dogs and cats (although cats are less likely to be attracted). Pets that have eaten grapes should be brought immediately to a veterinarian for attention, since symptoms of vomiting, diarrhea, and/or excessive thirst may not actually show up for up to 72 hours. Some dogs remain unaffected; for others, eating even a few grapes can be lethal. There is no cure, and since it is still not clear if varieties of grapes make a difference and why some pets are at risk and others seem unaffected, it’s best to keep all Vitis fruits off-limits to pets.

Use caution when planting desert bird of paradise

A great shrub for the dry, sun-drenched garden is the desert bird of paradise (Caesalpinia gilliesii, Zones 8-11). This colorful plant decorates itself with bright yellow flowers accented with scarlet anthers throughout much of spring. It grows as a medium shrub to a small tree up to 10 feet tall. Seeds and pods are not life threatening but have high concentrations of tropane alkaloids causing nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting.

 

Angels’ trumpet is a stunning but dangerous plant

Angels’ trumpet (Brugmansia suaveolens and cvs., Zones 11) is a dramatic small tree with big, tropical leaves that dangles huge bell-shaped blooms in pastel shades of yellow, red, and white. Containing the alkaloids atropine, scopolamine, and hyoscyamine, all parts of this showy plant are considered poisonous. Ingestion of the plant can cause disturbing hallucinations, paralysis, tachycardia, and memory loss. A strong reaction can be fatal.

 

Beware of including foxglove in gardens where children and pets wonder

A decorative flowering perennial, foxglove (Digitalis purpurea and cvs., Zones 4–10) can be lethal if swallowed by humans, cats, dogs, and horses. While cardio glycosides are used in a medication for treating heart attacks, those found in the flowers, seeds, and leaves of foxglove can cause a heart attack when overdosed. Dangerous side effects and fatalities are more likely in children and the elderly, but the nervous and digestive systems and hearts of humans and animals are vulnerable to this plant.

 

Try these nontoxic substitutes instead

Fortunately, there are many possible substitutes for these lovely but potentially toxic plants. Here are some.

• Dwarf flowering fruit trees, roses (Rosa spp. and cvs., Zones 2–11), or a small desert willow (Chilopsis linearis and cvs., Zones 7–11) will safely fill in for oleander.
• For decorative yet safe, nourishing coverage in vertical spaces, try pumpkin vines or easy rambling vines of raspberries or boysenberries rather than grapes.
• Desert bird of paradise alternatives might be bottlebrush (Callistemon spp. and cvs., Zones 8–11), tall, colorful sages (Salvia spp. and cvs., Zones 3–11), or Jerusalem sage (Phlomis fruticose, Zones 7–10).
• Replace the tropical angels’ trumpet with flowering, thornless quince (Chaenomeles japonica and speciosa cvs., Zones 5–9), edible mulberries (Morus spp. and cvs., Zones 4–9), or camellias (Camellia spp. and cvs., Zones 6–9).
• Color your garden with safer, drought-tolerant perennials like black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia spp. and cvs., Zones 3–11), catmints (Nepeta spp. and cvs., Zones 3–9), or bluebeards (Caryopteris spp. and cvs., Zones 6–9) instead of foxglove.

Most decorative garden plants are chosen for their beauty, but many can cause skin irritation or stomach upset. Eating landscape plants should always be avoided. But if you have two- or four-legged family members who might curiously taste your plants in our warm Southern California climate, always opt for avoiding the most toxic plants in your garden.

 

—Jane Gates has more than 35 years of professional experience designing and gardening in Los Angeles and is the author of All the Garden’s a Stage: Choosing the Best Performing Plants for a Sustainable Garden.

There is no perfect garden plant, unless one is talking about plastic. All chlorophyll-loaded garden accents have both good and bad visual and cultural attributes. Understanding the weaknesses of your garden’s plant material presents an opportunity for you to use one plant to complement another while hiding visual weak points.

In my home meadow, for example, I know that while ‘Blue Hill’ meadow sage (Salvia × sylvestris ‘Blue Hill’, Zones 4–9) may bloom for months, my favorite orange oriental poppies (Papaver orientale, Zones 3–7) will rapture themselves into a crispy mess of ragged brown leaves by mid-July. So I plant the poppies between a grouping of the sage and a cluster of warm-season grasses (photo above). This way the grass will complement the still-blooming meadow sage as the poppy bloom slows down but will also, as it rises skyward with aspirations of its own, help to hide the poppies’ spent foliage. Read on to find a few other winning plant combinations suitable for gardeners in the Rocky Mountain region.

Winter hardy iris and rose play well

I’ve grown quite fond of the visual interplay between a band of yellow-variegated iris (Iris pallida ‘Aureovariegata’, Zones 4–9) and a dark and moody red-leaf rose (Rosa glauca, Zones 2–8) in my home garden. Exceedingly low input, I water this pairing during dry spells, remove spent iris bloom stalks in June, and cut the rose back periodically to keep its size manageable. (In a rich clay like mine red-leaf rose can grow to the size of a large shrub.) Not only does this allow the rose to act as a focal point and dark accent to the otherwise green corner of my yard, but the vertical, two-toned iris makes for a striking contrast that actually serves to hide the twiggy legs this shrubby rose is prone to. And both plants are fairly winter hardy.

Artemisia and penstemon sparkle with a pop of yellow

Just as drought tolerant, though much more petite in size (2 feet or less), fringed sage (Artemisia frigida, Zones 3–10) makes a great skirt for our native Rocky Mountain penstemon (Penstemon strictus, Zones 4–9). Both appreciate dry, lean soil and bloom in synchronization. The fine-textured silver sage hides the penstemon’s underwhelming leaves and is a great foil in color. I’ve included these two plants in several of my meadow designs, interspersing Missouri evening primrose (Oenothera macrocarpa, Zones 3–7) between them, where its large, electric yellow blooms shine through the silver haze and really make the penstemon’s purple spikes pop.

Liatris and rattlesnake master work well in windy areas

For lower elevations with longer growing seasons, consider Rocky Mountain liatris (Liatris ligulistylis, Zones 3–8) as a band or cluster behind a group of rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium, Zones 3–8). These tall (3 to 5 feet high) and narrow meadow denizens not only will help to hold each other up but will complement one another in floral form and color; the liatris features magenta spikes, while rattlesnake master produces white spheres. Add a tall warm-season grass to this combination, such as golden prairie grass (Sorghastrum nutans, Zones 4–9), to blend it into another design and to add even more support for windy areas.

Camas adds early season color

In fine-textured parts of the garden, such as grass-dominated portions (including buffalograss lawns) or sunny areas with seasonal doldrums, consider the inclusion of bulbs, corms, and tubers. (A catchall term for these is geophytes.) In moderate moisture and wetter areas needing spring color, I’ve had good success with camas (Camassia spp. and cvs., Zones 3–8). A large stand of camas remains among the only plants with early-season interest in one of my native-centric designs, bridging the garden from green-up to the first early-season perennials.

Foxtail lily brings pizzazz to drier areas of the garden

Foxtail lily (Eremurus spp. and cvs., Zones 5–8) is appropriate for drier spaces in the garden. Just remember that when working with geophytes, more is more. If you think 15 bulbs will do the job, consider 150 instead. They are cheap in bulk if purchased online and only read well in numbers much larger than what one may first expect. If planted into warm-season grasses, the slower-moving grasses will serve to help cover up the fading geophyte foliage as the season moves forward.

Focus on contrast and build on strengths

In my opinion, the best plant pairings not only share cultural preferences but feature very different plant or floral forms. It’s no mistake that I’ve planted a spikelike penstemon with a round-flowered evening primrose; it’s because the contrast in flower shape works just like the contrast in flower color to help each plant in the pairing look its best. Managing to include both contrast in flower color and shape heightens the impact of the design with no added management on behalf of the gardener. Adding a contrasting foliar texture can do the same. Since just a few effective plant combinations can heighten an entire garden design by providing thoughtful accents and bridging slow periods, managing to nail the concepts of visual contrast and cultural compatibility will quickly elevate your home designs without the need to overhaul the whole yard.

 

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Bryan Fischer lives and gardens at the intersection of the Great Plains and the Rockies. He is a horticulturist and the curator of plant collections for a local botanic garden.

 

 

Several times a year someone sends me a photo of a tree they believe to be an American chestnut (Castanea dentata, Zones 4–8). Frequently what they actually have sent is a photo of an Asian chestnut species or Allegheny chinquapin (Castanea pumila, Zones 5–9), another species native to the eastern United States. From time to time, I have seen the sprouts of a true American chestnut tree in the wild. American chestnuts have three nuts per bur and canoe-shaped leaves with deeply toothed margins. Their buds are smooth, brown, pointed, and usually askew on the twig. However, the sprouts I’ve seen pale in comparison to what once dominated our eastern forests. The American chestnut once thrived throughout the forests of the eastern United States, leaving its mark on both the landscape and lives of the people who inhabited the region. This tree played a crucial role in the cultural, economic, and ecological tapestry of the South and southeastern United States, making it an integral part of our region’s history. Trees were huge, straight pillars like our native tulip trees (Liriodendron tulipifera, Zones 4–9)—and on a massive scale (from 50 to 100 feet tall). Learn more about the history of this magnificent species and the current state of American chestnut tree conservation efforts here.

 

The cultural importance of American chestnut trees

Long before Europeans arrived on the continent, Native American tribes cherished the American chestnut for its bountiful harvest. The chestnut trees provided a valuable source of food in the form of their nuts, which were consumed fresh, roasted, or ground into flour.

With the arrival of European colonists, the importance of American chestnuts grew even more. The settlers quickly recognized the potential of American chestnut trees. They utilized the wood for a variety of purposes, from building fence posts to furniture. The nuts became a valuable food source for settlers and their farm animals, particularly during the winter months when other crops were scarce.

The introduction of chestnut blight

In the early 1900s, a fungal pathogen known as chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica) was accidentally introduced to the United States. The blight spread rapidly throughout the eastern North America, decimating the American chestnut population.

The loss of American chestnut trees had a profound impact on the culture and ecology of the eastern United States. The tree was not just a utilitarian resource but a symbol of strength, resilience, and abundance.

Additionally, the chestnut tree played a crucial role in the region’s ecology as a dominant species, providing food and habitat for countless species. The loss of the chestnut disrupted our forests, leading to lasting changes in species composition and overall biodiversity.

Conservation efforts are still ongoing

Efforts to conserve and restore the American chestnut are continuing today. Organizations such as the American Chestnut Foundation and several universities have dedicated resources to breeding blight-resistant chestnut trees. These efforts offer hope for the eventual restoration of American chestnuts throughout its native range, including the southern and southeastern United States.

In addition to breeding blight-resistant American chestnut trees, some organizations have tried crossing American chestnuts with various Asian chestnut species in an effort to create blight resistance. Additionally, there are reportedly some hybrid American chestnuts crossed with Allegheny chinquapin.

While the scars left by the chestnut blight are still visible across our region, the story of the American chestnut is not one of finality but rather of resilience and the enduring spirit of restoration. The potential return of American chestnut trees to their former glory would not only revive a vital part of the region’s history but also contribute to ecological conservation. The road ahead is long. For all intents and purposes, the American chestnut is currently functionally extinct, meaning there are not enough remaining individuals to perform ecological roles and/or to sustain a long-term, viable population.

Should I plant an American chestnut?

There are many gardeners who would love to grow an American chestnut. Supposedly blight-resistant hybrids of American chestnut are hard to obtain. Be very cautious when trying to buy these plants online. Often online retailers are making claims that are far ahead of the science. Ask lots of questions, and know what you are buying.

One thing I suggest to gardeners who are interested in the conservation of chestnuts is to buy seedlings of the straight species of American chestnut and hope for the best. Many seedlings will survive to nut-bearing age before succumbing to blight. This could be an important step in the preservation of the American chestnut until scientists figure out how best to conserve the species. Gardeners should expect their trees to get about 4 inches in diameter before succumbing to blight. Again, be cautious when purchasing plants to ensure you know what you are getting. Accepting that the tree will eventually succumb to blight is important. Perhaps the idea that you grew an American chestnut for a short time and enjoyed it will be good enough. Not all plants last forever in our gardens, and growing a chestnut could lead to greater awareness and education for those who visit your garden.

There are still some American chestnut trees lurking in the forests of the eastern United States; several of the largest are in Maine. Hopefully with time and improved breeding, this important native tree can be reestablished in the wild.

For more Southeast regional reports, click here.

 

—Andy Pulte is a faculty member in the plant sciences department at the University of Tennessee.

Enjoying the beauty of plants and flowers is the number one reason most of us love to garden, so it’s always fun to find new ways to help our plants look better and bloom longer. Over the years, I’ve picked up some tricks that can be used to help perennials bloom longer into summer. Here’s what I’ve learned.

Some plants respond well to a heavy cutback

While it may seem severe, there are many plants that benefit from a hard cutback after their initial flowering period finishes. A few plants that respond beautifully to this harsh treatment include perennial sages (Salvia nemorosa and cvs., Zones 5–9), catmints (Nepeta spp. and cvs., Zones 3–10), and spike speedwells (Veronica spicata spp. and and cvs., Zones 3–8). As the flowers fade, harden your heart and cut those lovely plants as far back or as close to the ground as possible to stimulate the formation of new foliage and flower buds. Often, as flowers are fading, these perennials will already be producing new growth from the roots, and a few weeks after the cutback you will be rewarded with a second flower display. Although the second show may be more subtle and less robust than the first, it is certainly worth the effort, and your compost pile will be thankful for the new addition of green material.

A more measured approach is sometimes better

In a previous article I discussed the Chelsea chop. This type of pruning involves cutting back the new foliage and stems of certain perennials before flowers emerge, encouraging the plants to form side shoots and produce more flower buds. While the Chelsea chop is usually done from late spring to early summer, this same method can be applied to perennials like tickseed (Coreopsis spp. and cvs., Zones 3–9) and lavender (Lavandula spp. and cvs., Zones 4–10) after they finish flowering. When you cut their foliage back by one-half to one-third, the plants will respond by pushing out a second round of flowers after the normal blooming period.

When it comes to daylilies (Hemerocallis spp. and cvs., Zones 3–10), there are two options. The first approach is to remove spent flower scapes and any unsightly foliage as close to the ground as possible. The second is to cut all of the flower scapes and foliage back to the ground. Both methods are viable solutions to create a tidier appearance, and both will result in the growth of new foliage and often a modest second bloom.

Many early season bloomers look nicer after a light haircut

Some harbingers of spring or early summer benefit from a trim to remove past-peak flowers. Although this group of perennials may not rebloom, their maturing blooms or seed heads may distract from their otherwise lovely foliage. This group includes dianthus (Dianthus spp. and cvs., Zones 4–9), heuchera (Heuchera spp. and cvs., Zones 3–8), hostas (Hosta spp. and cvs., Zones 3–8), and penstemons (Penstemon spp. and cvs., Zones 3–8). A quick tidy-up will refocus the viewer’s attention upon the plant’s other worthy attributes for the remainder of the growing season. Removing the spent flowers of rampant self-seeders like columbine (Aquilegia spp. and cvs., Zones 3–8) or Jerusalem sage (Phlomis tuberosa, Zones 6–9) will minimize unwanted seedings. With this group, only the flower stalks are removed.

Some plants, like peonies (Paeonia spp. and cvs., Zones 3–7), flower only once during the growing season and rely on robust root systems to increase their size and vigor. The removal of senescing blooms will minimize the energy that is directed toward seed production and divert that energy toward overall plant health, production of new foliage, and root formation. This in turn translates into more flowers for the next growing season. Other examples in this group include bearded irises (Iris germanica, Zones 4–9) and kniphofias (Kniphofia spp. and cvs., Zones 6–9).

If you appreciate the architectural and textural qualities of spent flowers and seed heads or the benefits of leaving seed heads in place as a food source for birds and other creatures, it is perfectly acceptable to forgo deadheading or cutbacks. But if your main goal is to keep a flowering perennial looking good longer, a little deadheading can go a long way.

 

—Adam Glas is a garden supervisor and rosarian at the Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania.

Even the most well-planned border can look a bit shabby or even colorless by mid to late summer. Gaps can occur for many reasons, such as long summer heat waves, extended periods of drought, or—as is my case this year—an unexplained overpopulation of rabbits. There is one more common reason: It’s easy for us gardeners to fall into the trap of buying perennials that bloom earlier in the summer, as that is when most of us visit garden centers, and we are more tempted into buying plants already in bloom rather than something that doesn’t bloom until later.

Visit the garden center in late summer for more options

The fix, however, is an easy one; just go shopping for plants throughout the growing season but especially in late summer, looking for plants already in full bud or bloom. Nurseries have become quite good at offering spectacular late summer perennials and even larger pots of annuals that are perfect for filling in those late summer gaps (and bare spots where the rabbits decided to devour a large group of flowers that were just about to bloom).

If you’re new to gardening, shopping for border fillers in late summer is a great way to learn what looks good at that time of year, plus it’s an opportunity to actually see the colors rather than trust the image on the plant label or online. Adding nursery plants in full bloom can also refresh a border, much like buying new throw pillows to give a seasonal boost to a boring room. Here are three of my favorites that will help spice up your borders at this time of year.

Galaxy series agapanthus

Hardy agapanthus (Agapanthus spp. and cvs., Zones 6–11) has often been a mythical promise for the Northeast. Usually these supposedly hardy plants have just produced leaves without a single bloom in our climate—that is, until now. The Galaxy series from Walters Gardens claims to bring the beauty of South African agapanthus, with its tall wands of blue and white flowers, to Zone 6. I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical. Thankfully, I’ve been proven wrong; even without a layer of mulch I’ve had these plants survive two winters in my central Massachusetts garden.

Always the skeptic, I planted my first ‘Galaxy Blue’ agapanthus (Agapanthus ‘Galaxy Blue’, Zones 6–10) near the foundation of my house to provide a warm microclimate, but it surprised me with loads of bloom for two summers now, so I’ve invested in a few more and even planted a ‘Galaxy White’ agapanthus (Agapanthus ‘Galaxy White’, Zones 6–10) out in my perennial border. I’ve spotted both of these cultivars at plenty of garden centers this summer, all loaded with flower buds. They will each add a big burst of color to any border through late summer.

‘Punto Rosso’ smooth ox-eye

Heliopsis helianthoides ‘Punto Rosso’, Zones 4–8

Smooth ox-eye is a North American native species that is typically too tall and floppy (at 5 feet tall or even taller) to plant in a tidy border. ‘Punto Rosso’ is a new selection that not only blooms like crazy with orange-yellow daisies, but stays compact at 18 to 24 inches tall. Factor in deer resistance, a long blooming period, excellent cold hardiness, and the ability to attract many different pollinators, and this plant delivers on a long checklist of good traits we all can appreciate. Best of all, garden centers often carry this plant when it’s just coming into bloom in August.

False anemone

Anemonopsis macrophylla, Zones 4–8

Even the shady border can use a lift in late summer, and “lift” is just what these dangling lavender flowers on tall, wiry stems will do to your spirits. You are forgiven if you are unfamiliar with this Japanese woodland plant, but I promise you that it’s worth seeking out. Distantly related to ranunculus (Ranunculus spp. and cvs., Zones 8–10), false anemone doesn’t really look like any other plant—that is, unless an anemone (Anemone spp. and cvs., Zones 3–11) and a columbine (Aquilegia spp. and cvs., Zones 3–8) had a baby. I think this singularity is a good thing, as it looks rare and interesting, which is always a plus for serious gardeners.

False anemone is easy to please in woodland conditions, where there is dappled shade, or in any areas where your hostas (Hosta spp. and cvs., Zones 3–9) are thriving—like under a deciduous tree or on the shady side of your house. This plant looks a bit uninteresting until August, when thin stems that can reach up to 3 feet tall emerge out of astilbe-like foliage. Small, round flower buds eventually burst open into stunning, waxy lavender blooms that hang gracefully downward like chandeliers. The show lasts until autumn and just gets better and better—that is, until you get sick of garden visitors asking about this unusual late-summer gem and where you got it. Luckily, it spreads slowly and is easy to divide in spring, so you’ll have enough to share.

 

Any plain-Jane fading border can be spiced up with one or more of these stunning late-blooming plants. For more ideas for late summer, check out Late-Summer Combinations.

And for more Northeast regional reports, click here.

 

—Matt Mattus is the author of two books: Mastering the Art of Flower Gardening and Mastering the Art of Vegetable Gardening. He gardens in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Photos: Matt Mattus

As anyone who’s been the guilty party in a failed romance will tell you, it’s sometimes all too easy to mess up something beautiful.

But whereas relationship advice is subjective and oftentimes complicated, tiger flower teachings are much more straightforward… not to mention way less drama-filled.

In this guide, we discuss all aspects of T. pavonia care, from propagation to cultivation. By its end, you’ll be well-equipped to grow these stunning blooms with ease.

Here’s the gist of what we’ll be getting into:

What Are Tiger Flowers?

A member of the Iridaceae family alongside irises, gladiolus, and crocuses, Tigridia pavonia is a bulbous herbaceous perennial flower that hails from Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and El Salvador, and it has also naturalized in Ecuador and Peru.

This plant is hardy in USDA Zones 7 to 10.

Reaching heights of 18 to 24 inches and spreads of 12 to 18 inches, tiger flowers are easily identified by their colorful, three- to six-inch blooms, which consist of three larger petals and three smaller ones.

Regardless of their specific color, the inner petals are speckled with rather striking dots, while the outer petals feature solid, patternless color.

Each bloom lasts for a single day, but multiple buds ensure that flowers are blooming all throughout the two- to four-week bloom period, which usually begins around midsummer.

The blooms are also very attractive to insect pollinators, who make the production of seed pods possible in fall.

Emerging from the plant’s base are three to six narrow, sword-shaped leaves. These are green and visibly ribbed with parallel, longitudinal ridges.

Growing close to the central stem, this foliage provides a verdant backdrop that highlights the flowers quite nicely.

All of this aboveground growth emerges from the plant’s corms, which are different from true bulbs.

While true bulbs have layered scales, corms have a center which is composed of solid tissue.

If eaten raw, these small corms taste rather unpleasant. But they’re edible and quite delicious when cooked!

The taste is sweet with a floury texture, akin perhaps to a sweet potato or a sweet chestnut.

It is said that Aztecs cultivated these plants for their edible corms. I’m sure the appearance of these plants was a nice aesthetic treat, too!

Propagation

If you’re not familiar with the Iridaceae family, then caring for tiger flowers is the perfect way to become acquainted.

But first, you’ll need to propagate some, whether it’s by sowing seeds, planting corms, or separating offsets from the mother plant.

From Seed

Sowing T. pavonia seeds is definitely the most time-consuming route, since it can take a couple years for a seed to develop into a bloom-producing specimen.

You also risk your specimens not growing true to type, thanks to the inherent variability of sexual reproduction. But if you love seed sowing, then more power to ya.

First things first: you’ll need seeds. You can either purchase them – ideally from a reputable vendor – or gather them from established T. pavonia plants.

Preferably ones that you have access to… don’t go stealing seed pods from anyone’s tiger flowers, now!

Once you see the seed pods in fall, wait until they dry before removing them from the parent plant with a sharp and sterile blade.

When they’re dry, break them open and clean the seeds by running water over them in a sieve.

Set them out at room temperature to dry, then store the dried seeds in a cool, dry place until you’re ready to sow them.

Once the seedlings grow three inches tall, they can be moved into their own individual four-inch containers. If you have a limited number of containers, pick the strongest-looking seedlings and cull the rest.

Continue to grow them indoors through their first winter, making sure to repot as necessary and to keep the media around the seedlings moist all the while.

The following spring – after the last frost, if frost occurs in your Zone – they’ll be ready for hardening off outdoors.

To do so, leave the seedlings outside in full sun for thirty to sixty minutes before bringing them back inside. Add an additional half to full hour each day until your plants can last a full day outside.

At this point, your container plantings are free to lounge outside, or you can put them in the ground. To do the latter, prepare fertile, well-draining sites with a pH of 5.5 to 7.5 and a sandy to loamy texture. Make sure they’ll receive full, bloom-fueling sun exposure!

Plants purchased from a nursery can be transplanted the same way.

Dig holes so that the corm part of the root system will be at least three to four inches deep when planted.

Space the holes four to six inches apart, transplant your specimens, then backfill with adjacent soil.

Water in your plantings, and presto! They should produce blooms a year or two after sowing from seed.

From Corms

Propagating corms is a lot quicker than starting from seed, because the carbohydrates required to fuel growth are right there in the corms.

Corm-wise, you’ll want to either purchase new ones, or reuse ones that you’ve lifted the season prior.

This is a necessity if you live in a region with cold winters and you wish to see the return of these beautiful blooms from one year to the next.

Since primo planting time is in spring after the final frost, you’ll want to save any acquired corms in a cool, frost-free location until that point.

Come spring, plant the corms in a similar medium to what you would use for seeds: well-draining and fertile, with a pH somewhere between 5.5 and 7.5.

Plant the corms three to four inches deep, and space them four to six inches apart. Containerized corms should be planted in their own individual containers.

Keep the media surrounding the corms moist from here on out, and provide full sun.

From Offsets

A cool thing about T. pavonia corms is that they’ll grow little offsets, i.e. baby cormels that develop off of the main corm.

Come early autumn, these can be removed from the mother plant and transplanted individually.

To do this, dig up a large, mature specimen once it has finished flowering and take a look at its root system.

With your hands, gently separate any sizable offsets from the main corm. Replant the main corm, then immediately plant and care for the offsets just as you would full-size corms.

How to Grow Tiger Flowers

Well, you’ve got some tiger flowers in the ground now! Let’s learn how to make these cool cats purr, on a physiological level.

Climate and Exposure Needs

T. pavonia is hardy in USDA Zones 7 to 10, which means it’ll come back for multiple seasons when planted in these climates.

Flowering will be more prolific towards the warmer end of this range, less so in the cooler parts. Either way, the plant is remarkably tolerant of heat and humidity.

You can still plant these in Zones 6 and below, but they’ll behave like annuals and perish by their first winter unless you lift the corms for storage and replant the following spring.

Full sun is imperative to maximize blooming, but don’t worry – the plants will do alright in partial shade, especially in warmer climates.

Soil Needs

We’ve touched on the ideal soil for tiger flowers, but it’s worth restating: fertile, well-draining, and with a pH of 5.5. to 7.5.

Texture-wise, a sandy and/or loamy soil is optimal, and can provide many of the aforementioned qualities as a bonus.

Prior to planting, working an inch or two of organic matter into the soil will provide increased fertility, water-holding capacity, and workability, i.e. friability.

Annually amending your soil with the stuff will keep these benefits coming year after year.

Maintenance

Tiger flowers are prone to self-seeding, so be sure to pull up any unwanted volunteer seedlings as they pop up.

Deadheading spent blooms as they become apparent will redirect the plant’s energies into producing new flowers rather than seed pods. Plus, it’ll clean up the plant’s appearance.

Once flowering is finished and the foliage dies down in fall, the dead leaves can be removed. The corms should be lifted in USDA Zones 6 and below.

In Zones 7 to 10, you can actually leave them in the ground for the winter, provided that you insulate them with a couple inches of mulch.

If you’re lifting corms, you can store them indoors for replanting next year. Any damaged or unhealthy-looking ones should be disposed of.

Clean the lifted corms, cut the stems an inch above the crown, trim off roots, and pick off any cormels.

Set the corms in a shady, well-ventilated area to dry, keeping the ambient temperature at 60 to 70°F. Allow them to dry for one to three weeks – you’ll know that they’re cured once they exhibit a crispy, yet firm feel.

Place the processed corms in mesh baggies – like those you’d find small onions in at the grocery store – and keep them in a dark, dry place that’s consistently kept at 40 to 50°F.

Cultivars to Select

T. pavonia blooms can be found in many different combos of bright, stunning hues.

But these three varieties are especially breathtaking:

Alba

With white outer petals and inner ones speckled with yellow and reddish dots, ‘Alba’ strikes me as particularly glorious.

The stark whiteness of the flowers truly stand out in a sea of green.

Aurea

‘Aurea’ has similarly-colored inner petals as ‘Alba,’ but its outer floral segments are a striking golden yellow, rather than pure white.

Ain’t it a beaut?

Lilacea

The ‘Lilacea’ variety of tiger flower has a reddish-pink theme going on with both its outer and inner petals.

The former’s color is a solid hue, while the latter is speckled. You can also find traces of white throughout each bloom as an aesthetic accent.

Managing Pests and Disease

Thankfully, T. pavonia doesn’t have many health issues to deal with, as pests and diseases aren’t much of a concern for tiger flowers.

In fact, they have a particular resistance to deer and rabbits!

However, there’s one thing you should be wary of: bulb rot.

Overly wet conditions, whether from too much irrigation or not enough drainage, can make it so that corms in oversaturated soils fail to receive enough oxygen.

As a result, the corms become necrotic, which spells disaster for their attached roots and aboveground shoots.

Providing proper drainage and watering – think “moist,” not “wet” – from the get-go is the most effective way to protect a tiger flower from bulb rot.

Once a corm becomes rotted-out, all you can do unfortunately is throw it away and learn for next time.

Best Uses for Tiger Flowers

The tiger flower holds its stunning blooms atop long and slender stalks surrounded by narrow leaves… which is definitely pretty, don’t get me wrong.

But T. pavonia will really look its best when it’s planted alongside ground covers, stout and leafy plants, or some other type of plant that can fill in the adjacent bits of empty space.