Posted 4 years ago
Watchsearc…
(88 items)
A quick trip to the garden just to gather something for dinner led to the joy of seeing other creatures also gathering dinner!
Sunflowers were being visited by several kinds of bees....none of them paying me any attention as they loaded up on pollen. From a distance of only a few feet, they were hardly noticeable. I was glad to get up close to watch them “work”.
I was trying to catch a picture of the birds who are plucking seeds out of the sunflower heads but they are too fast for me.
I was going to feed the seeds to the birds anyway so they are just saving me the trouble by helping themselves now.
I did have the pleasure of spotting this 12 Spotted Lady Beetle though. She (or he) makes meals of aphids so they are very welcome to visit the garden. I never use chemical insecticides in the garden because they indiscriminately kill the beneficial insects along with the destructive ones....and I’ve learned a lesson or two....such as, Brussels Sprouts get absolutely devoured by some sneaky insects who will riddle a beautiful plant overnight with holes. So the lesson was: don’t bother planting Brussels Sprouts again.
Raccoons did knock over some cornstalks and ruin some corn but I fed the remains of those ears to my neighbors’ pig.... So, no big problem there....there’s enough for everybody.
Thanks for taking a look at some of Mother Nature’s tiny creatures in my garden....a kind of “living Yard Art”.
Gorgeous sunflowers, they always make me smile. How great to grow your own veggies & kudos for only using natural sprays
MALKEY, I’m always happy to see your visits to my posts...thank you for the love!
Newfld, thank you for the love also! I’m glad you liked the post. My thought about the insect/garden situation is that it will usually take care of itself....you know, the “bug-eat- bug “ world.
At one time I had a problem with mealy bugs on some potted orchids in the house but I “patrolled” with a flashlight and q-tips dipped in alcohol until I finally got rid of 2 or 3 generations of them.
Alcohol and dish soap worked as a effective spray when some tiny speck-size bugs infested some Hen and Chick plants over-wintering indoors.
Thank you so much!
glassie girl, I appreciate the love and your sweet comment also. I’m very glad you enjoyed it!
In my book, there is absolutely no collectible more valuable than what nature has to offer....nice post :)
That's a big lady lol
Thank you, valentino97, for the lovely comment! I’m very happy to share! Thanks for the love!
Hoot60, thanks for the love and comment! I totally agree!
McCoyNelson, I appreciate the love and the comment! Many thanks!
fortapache
racer4four
Brunswick
kwqd
aura
I appreciate the loves you all gave my post!
I'm ready for a salad.. '- ))...yum , yum...... nice post..
PhilDMorris, thank you for the love!
Theonlyone, thank you for the love and for taking a moment to comment! You could have had a salad while I sneaked out and loaded your car up with tomatoes while you weren’t looking.
ok I'll be over tomorrow ...'-))..lol have a great day..
nice photos....and garden ...
Couldbe, Thank you! I’m really missing it now with this cold bleak weather.
Seeing this again, it is such a happy flower & they grow so tall toward the sun (hence the name I suppose). Nice to see the bees where they belong gathering pollen, and not chasing around my head while I'm out watering my plants lol!
Newfld, it makes me happy to see that others get enjoyment from my flowers and the creatures the flowers support.
I try to plant something the insects will love….so many growers are intent on destroying them.
I’ve noticed a definite and drastic reduction of insects and birds at my place……a few years ago, I would enjoy flocks of cardinals filling up on dogwood tree seeds and cherry tree fruits….now, I’m luck to see just 3-4 looking for food.
Thanks for bringing this back up…..maybe others will be inspired to support Nature’s small creatures.
Sunflowers will never, in any circumstance where I spot 'em, fail to bring a smile to my face. For starters my Mom and Dad always had a little patch of 'em at each corner of our (mostly vegetable) garden when I was growing up, and now it turns out we've all learned that they're the National Flower of Ukraine...then, a couple blocks around the corner from me (on the daily dogwalk route) neighbors I don't know currently have a spectacular specimen(s) at the end of their driveway, though I generally pass by it after dark when it has otherwise reclined its face for the evening...ain't it just sorta amazing how they can move themselves and follow the sun (or not) like that...? Makes me want to get some seeds and find out if they're hearty/sturdy enough plants for *me* to actually attempt to grow one of my own... ;-) :-)
AO, it’s hard to go wrong with seeds if you give them what they need- just follow package directions.
Not sunflowers, but I have several varieties of lovely flowers who self-sow and come up every year with no help from me. Money Plant, Rose Campion and Love-in- a -Mist are my favorite no-fuss self seeding lovely looking, but tough as nails, flowers.
Of course, sunflowers are special beauties. Every little creature gets fed…..pollen and seeds….yummy!
If you decide to grow some, I suggest the varieties that only reach 5-6 feet tall…..that puts the flowers closer to eye level. The “giant” varieties are all stalk with a disappointingly smallish flower way up there, too high to garner much appreciation.