Butterfly Gardening and Fall Planting

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We grow butterflies. We plant plants the adults enjoy for nectar and we grow plants for the babies to eat when they hatch. There have been 4 hatches of Monarchs this summer in our yard.
The swallowtails are going crazy on the fennel. Each plant is taller than I am and several of them are tucked between tomato plants. Others are near shrubs so they are all reasonably well protected from the birds.
I put this one in my hand so you could enjoy seeing how big they are growing.
In this photo you can see the tomato plants protecting the caterpillars.

Several great companies are having sales right now on fall planted bulbs - don't miss out.
Home Garden Seed Association sent out a reminder that it is time to plant our fall gardens with calendula, beets, salad makings, peas, radishes, cilantro, etc.
On that topic, Pinetree is having a summer clearance on garden stuff, including an interesting item used to root woody shrubs - right on the plant. It's called a Rooter Pot. The other item of interest is 75 press-fit pots for $15. The pots are 4 inches deep. Here's a link to the sale page.
It still seems pretty hot to start lettuce seeds - they come up so fast I'm afraid the leaves would be bitter by the time it cools down. Are you starting seeds for greens yet?

Comments

Autumn Belle said…
The caterpillars are very beautiful. I love them!
July 25, 2009 at 12:58 AM
Molly said…
I get a thrill from the butterfly caterpillars.

Watching them grow is part of a daily walk through the yard, checking all the spots they were the last time I saw them.

We've planted several plants to attract specific butterflies but no eggs or caterpillars yet. Maybe later in the season.
July 25, 2009 at 6:28 PM
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