Between raindrops yesterday I took the opportunity to sow some bluebonnet seeds that I had collected in the spring. I really have to control re seeding inside my gardens so I pull many of the bluebonnets out before they throw their seeds and keep them in a brown bag until they are dry. This bag has been in the house all summer( last year I left a bag of seeds in the potting shed and critters came and removed every seed. I know it was the hispid cotton rats).
Before we bought the lot on which we built this house I used to walk over here and admire the bluebonnets which grew on the upper part of the lot in the spring. I sometimes think we bought the lot because I wanted that field of bluebonnets. Since then I have collected seeds to extend the range of these spring bloomers. Sometimes they have overrun my inside gardens. So yesterday I was out there scratching the ground here and on my neighbors lot across the road. Already, after the rains this week, bluebonnet are sprouting up all over the place.
These ones get to stay because they are in the decomposed granite near the driveway. As I walked around scratching I noticed a few other seedlings. Good ones.
This Texas sage,
Leucophyllum frutescens, will have to be moved because the space in the spot it has seeded is restricted.
Anyone need any retama seedlings,
Parkinsonia aculeata? They are popping up all over the place.
Several milkweed plants, this one
Asclepias oenotheroides, were covered with milkweed aphids.
And guess who was feeding on them? The milkweed assassin bug,
Zelus longipes, was having a feast. This beneficial insect will also eat stink bugs which is an added bonus. I'm glad they are showing up in the garden because I notice aphids on lots of the tender green growth brought on by the rains.
Between raindrops yesterday I took the opportunity to sow some bluebonnet seeds that I had collected in the spring. I really have to control re seeding inside my gardens so I pull many of the bluebonnets out before they throw their seeds and keep them in a brown bag until they are dry. This bag has been in the house all summer( last year I left a bag of seeds in the potting shed and critters came and removed every seed. I know it was the hispid cotton rats). 
Before we bought the lot on which we built this house I used to walk over here and admire the bluebonnets which grew on the upper part of the lot in the spring. I sometimes think we bought the lot because I wanted that field of bluebonnets. Since then I have collected seeds to extend the range of these spring bloomers. Sometimes they have overrun my inside gardens. So yesterday I was out there scratching the ground here and on my neighbors lot across the road. Already, after the rains this week, bluebonnet are sprouting up all over the place.
These ones get to stay because they are in the decomposed granite near the driveway. As I walked around scratching I noticed a few other seedlings. Good ones.
This Texas sage, Leucophyllum frutescens, will have to be moved because the space in the spot it has seeded is restricted.
Anyone need any retama seedlings, Parkinsonia aculeata? They are popping up all over the place.
Several milkweed plants, this one Asclepias oenotheroides, were covered with milkweed aphids.
And guess who was feeding on them? The milkweed assassin bug, Zelus longipes, was having a feast. This beneficial insect will also eat stink bugs which is an added bonus. I'm glad they are showing up in the garden because I notice aphids on lots of the tender green growth brought on by the rains.
Your stand of Mexican Bush Sage is beautiful! I've seen a lot of both aphids and Milkweed Assassin bugs on my milkweeds too.
ReplyDeleteThe rain has refreshed and renewed everything, it seems. I noticed my Hollyhocks had reseeded themselves. Love the first photo. Is that Indigo Spires Salvia? It looks great with the Lantana.
ReplyDeleteAck, aphids! They are everywhere. I worked in a park today doing habitat restoration, and I found tons of aphids there, too. I think my eye is just trained to zero in on them now. Thanks for reminding me about bluebonnets.
ReplyDeleteI had a bunch of Daturas seeds eaten up by rats. I could only hope they had a delerious good death. They also ate my cantaloupe and watermelon seeds.
ReplyDeleteSweet bay-It must be the year for this milkweed. It is everywhere.
ReplyDeleteMorning Glories- You have hollyhocks. I can never grow those without rust!
Meredith- I'm letting the aphids go for it this year. Bring on the lacewings and ladybirds!
Bob- I think the rats got the plague this year. No evidence of any.