All the Dirt on Gardening

Small invasive native trees got the chop today: Bradford pears, mulberry and their kin. If we don't get them while their trunks are only a couple of inches in diameter, it becomes a significant task to get them out. Here is a useful information source: The Ga rdening Launch Pad is a site that is loaded with links of interest to surfers around the country. Their link for native plants is here . At the link, you'll find native plant societies, wildlife gardening, and plant information of all stripes. In the garden today: This is a milkweed tiger moth caterpillar that was on a sweet smelling flowering vine. The Monarch butterfly caterpillars were also on the vine and subsequently made chrysalis on the fence near the vine. The vine might be Sand Vine which is growing and blooming all over our area right now. If you drive with the windows open, the sweet, honeysuckle-like scent floats into the car. The moth itself in rather ordinary looking. But the caterpillar - what a sight!

Photo: In the foreground is the lantana that keeps the butterflies happy. Center is one of the Castor Bean plants - seeds from a Missouri seed company, Baker Seed. Then there is the stunning red maple in all its Nov 2nd glory. It is time to think about sowing seeds that will succeed because they need a winter freeze in order to sprout in the spring. Wintersown is a website with everything you need to know. At the site, there is a cool link to the National Agricultural Library. Click on Plants and Crops and then Gardening Resources for an education in gardening. Here are some of the interesting links: North American Native Plant Society American Public Garden Association Gardening Launch Pad with over 5,000 links to gardening topics Master Gardeners links Garden Web - gardening community on the Internet Cyndi's Catalog of Garden Catalogs - 2,000 of them Gardening is the kind of hobby that becomes a part of your life and a part of your family. Enjoy these wonderful pre-winter ...