Echinaceas---A Butterflies Dream

If you are looking for a plant that is resistant to pests and disease--Echinacea is your answer..
I was attracted to them because they attract butterflies, and who doesn't like butterflies twittering around your flower garden? They adore the brown cone in the center.

They are an easy to grow perennial that blooms in the summer through fall or when the temperature drops in winter. They flourish in most conditions--cold and hot weather, poor soil and drought. They do not do well in the shade.

There are many types of Echinaceas, also known as coneflowers.
The Echinacea purpurea is one of the most common (known as the purple coneflower) and has a fragrant scent which is more noticeable in a vase. .
My favorite is the "Coconut Lime"--a double flower with bicolored blooms. The pompom itself is pale lime green with the russet brown of the cone showing as a central ring. The long slender outer petals are white and hang below the pompom like a skirt.
They grow about 22" tall and make wonderful cutting flowers.
Echinaceas are more adapted to the Eastern States but with a little TLC will survive out West.
The conical seed heads will provide food for the birds in the winter so be sure to leave the final cones on the plant even after the petals have fallen.

The history of the Echinacea plant goes back 400 years when the Native American Indians used the herb as an application for insect bites and stings and an infusion of the plant was used to treat snakebites.
They made it into a tea by infusing the leaves, stems, flowers and roots of the plant in hot water.
The Natives harvested in the autumn and dried it for later use.

The Echinacea purpurea is best known for its ability to kick-start the immune system, stimulating the production of white blood cells and sold in tablet form for colds and influenza.

Have you ever planted an Amaryllis bulb?

I bought several Amaryllis kits to give to my grandchildren for Christmas. As they are in this gardening mode, it was the perfect gift and would last for years if they looked after it right.
We had a lot of fun planting the bulbs the day after Christmas

Scarlet Baby” is a beautiful bright red trumpet shaped flower, usually four on a stem—one pointing each direction..Mature bulbs will produce two to three flowerings per season .

Bulbs and foliage are more compact than standard Amaryllis, with beautiful dark green sword-like foliage. These plants do not need a rest period and can be grown year-round to bloom in spring.
It is important to moisten the mix thoroughly before planting your bulb. These are usually peat--based mixes that are difficult to get wet. I suggest you empty the mix into a small bucket. Then add water slowly, a little at a time, while stirring the mix continuously with a stick. This will help moisten the mix thoroughly.

Important: Make sure the mix is moist and not too wet. Once the water has been absorbed (leaving the mix overnight helps) it will be easier to pot your plant.

. Plant the bulb so that the neck is pointing upwards. The neck and about 1/3 to 1/2 of the bulb should be exposed. At this stage, the mix should be kept just moist, as the bulb does not yet have any roots and will rot with excessive moisture. In a few weeks, as the flowering stem emerges, you can increase the amount of water.

Be careful not to get water into the neck of the bulb when watering. The soil should be tamped down firmly so that the bulb is steady.

The flowering period is between late December and June
After the Amaryllis hs stopped flowering and when the stem starts to sag, cut it back to the top of the bulb.

Have fun planting your amaryllis. They also make a good Mother’s day gift

Gardening with the" New Generation"

Now that the Obama girls are into gardening, I feel the younger generation will take more
interest in gardening. Especially in this down economy we are experiencing.
As my family lives in Southern California where we don't worry about temperatures going much below 50 degrees F. we can get a jump start on early gardening.
We spent one Sunday in the beginning of February putting together the Topsy Turvy tomato plants with the help of our three grandchildren "our newest generation". We bought the Miracle Gro Soil for Tomatoes to give them a good start.We chose a very sunny place as tomatoes require sun at least 80% of their growing season.
I stood on a ladder to hang them from the roof of my patio and unfortunately misplaced my foot coming down and sprained my ankle. The kids were able to help me and take over the job.
We set up a schedule for watering every 2 days, fertilizing every 2 weeks with Miracle Gro and pruning the leaves. The tomatoes need to be exposed to the air and sun so the less leaves, the better.
The kids really enjoy watching the plants grow and are eager to make their own garden without my help. They have great plans for different vegetables.
They feel they are in competition with the White House. I will post photo's of their progress and maybe send one to Malia and Sasha Obama.

Topsy Turvy tomato plants are ideal for apartments with small balconies and mobile homes with no garden space.

If there is a forecast for frost just wrap a sheet around the container.