Sunday Bits #42 (catmint, zucchini, gardening for your health)

You guys! I am so excited! I have hummingbirds coming to my flowers! It is all really happening. My goal this summer was to attract the bees, birds, and beneficials to my garden and I have done it.

A bee in the borage.

I have bees buzzing in the flowers, especially that borage. I have seen a few songbirds, chickadees, some magpies, of course (that is my dad looking out for me), starlings, and blue jays now and again, too. Other than the occasional dragonfly and ladybug, I have not seen many beneficial insects, but they are there, somewhere, taking care of business, as I have found very few pest problems. While I see dozens of those pesky white cabbage moths flitting around the garden daily, I have very few holes. I should have tons by now, but I don't. I turn over my brussels leaves and nothing. No caterpillars there. A couple weeks ago, I turned the leaves over and found a few... now when I do it, none to be seen. Super happy that the task force is here taking care of the bad bugs for me. All you have to do is squish and wait, organic pest control takes time.

I cannot say this often enough... if you plant it, they will come. If you plant flowers in your veggie patch, in your potager, you will have bigger harvests and healthy, pest-free plants without doing a thing. No need to buy ladybugs or other bio methods that disrupt nature, no spraying, nothing. Though you may not see them, the good guys are there. All you will notice is pest free plants and a bountiful harvest. Wondering which flowers to grow? See that post here.

To grow great zucchini, you need great soil, deep watering 2 times a week, sunshine, and flowers to attract the bees.

I have not seen the bees in my zucchini blossoms but they must be there as I am harvesting many zukes a week. Yesterday I picked 11 of them! All in one day. A couple got away from me and are huge. I did not see them hiding in the bottom of the plants as my zukes are very big, lush, and happy. Today is zucchini loaf making day. Going to try a couple of those recipes that I have posted over the past weeks.

I just read this super interesting article about gardening on difficult land. How to grow more food, better food, healthier gardens. I really enjoyed the bits of helpful information in this read, and I think you will, too, especially if you are one of my readers from the coast.

This read is great, too, about a Canadian gardener. While I can say with all honesty, gardening does not cure all that ails you, will not fix a broken body, I can say that it brings peace, joy, and a sense of well-being. Read all the tips in this article for growing a great healthy, organic garden. Totally worth the read.

Sharing this link in case you all are looking for more spring colour in your garden, more spring flowers to feed the early pollinators (plus those hungry hummers!). This is the Vesey's fall bulb order. Their deal special ends on the 16th so you gotta get your order in asap to take advantage of the sale. Depending on how much you buy, you can save as much as $100. I compared to the free shipping deal on Bontanica (they have the Menton tulips that I love so much) but their deals cannot compare, so no Menton for me this year. I am, however, ordering lots of Darwin tulips as they keep on blooming for the most years in a row, without lifting, some more muscari (you can never have too much, it naturalises, and the bees love it), plus a few scented lilies to plant along the pathways and around the patio for colour and fragrance.

Catmint and Salvia growing along the pathway.

I am hoping to get in at least a short pollinator strip this fall, will make it bigger next summer. I am hoping to have blooms from spring till frost in this strip, mostly bulbs in spring and perennials in summer, but may need some annuals to start to keep those bees happy.

I have fallen in love with catmint. It is hardy, the bees, butterflies, and hummers love it, and it is easy to grow. The pretty blue flowers are airy and pretty. Makes a great border plant along a pathway or garden bed. Here is a read about the different kinds of catmints. Yes, cats do like them, btw, but I find that mine only eats them when the plants are little. As soon as the plant gets bigger or starts to flower, the cats are no longer interested.

I have a basement cold room in this new house but have no idea how good it is going to be, how well it will store food. I do not quite understand all the measures we need to take to make this a really good cold room. It has shelves, Styrofoam insulation and a vent, as mentioned in the article. is this going to be good enough? I have no idea, lol, even after reading this article. Not sure if I need to add more to the ventilation? A fan? No idea. Time will tell. See what you think after you read the article. Are you good?

Décor Bits

Love, love, love this article about how to make your home feel better during difficult times. Small things to bring you peace and calm in turbulent times.

This read for transititioning your home to fall. Now, I am not ready for fall by any means but I found these ideas to be simple, organic, pretty. I will be bringing some of these items into my home this week.

Tangerine Gem tagetes in the greenhouse.

A short read this week, but a really good one. The links are super, I hope you check them out. Especially the two about growing/gardening for your health.

Have a great week ahead and happy Sunday ~ Tanja