Favorite Flowers: Moss Rose

Allergy Index Scale: 2
Annual
Full sun, 4 - 6 inches 

Multi-colored moss rose

Portulaca, generally called moss rose, is a great low-growing plant for hot, sunny areas.  It blooms for much of the summer, with colorful flowers that may be red, orange, pink, yellow, or white, or occasionally variegated.   A single plant may spread up to two feet, so they can make a great ground cover. I like to use them in areas that are hard to reach with the garden hose, as they tolerate hot Kansas sun better than most flowers, and with less watering. They do well along that hot drive, in rock gardens, containers or tumbling over the edges of a hanging basket.

Planting Fall Crops

Earlier this evening, I was out planting some lettuce and radishes.  In the place of a withering cucumber vine, I put in a row of lettuce that I (and my bunnies) will enjoy later this fall. A couple of weeks ago I'd planted beets and bush beans to replace the sweet corn. Succession planting is where as one crop ends, you plant another, and enjoy fresh vegetables up until winter.

Easy Houseplants: Coleus

Allergy Index Scale: 1
Tender perennial
Shade, 6 inches - 3 feet

Coleus is grown for its foliage rather than flowers, and comes with a variety of colors, patterns and shapes of leaves. It is a good foliage plant for shady areas or an easy houseplant for sunny windows.

Coleus is easy to propagate, by rooting a cutting in water. Cut a piece of stem just below the leaves, and pinch off any leaves that would be underwater. Once roots are well formed, it's ready to plant. in a light, well-drained soil.  Do not plant outside until the temperature stays over 50 degrees.

Feeding Birds: Goldfinches

One colorful and delightful bird commonly seen at birdfeeders is the goldfinch. They are sociable little birds and spend much of the year in lively flocks, and are known for their acrobatics.  They prefer black oil sunflower seeds,  thistle, or niger.

Goldfinches will use about any kind of feeder: hopper, platform or hanging feeders, and are happy to eat the seed spilled below feeders. Some people have reported great success attracting them by offering thistle in sock-type mesh feeders. If you have trouble with other birds chasing goldfinches away to eat the seed, you can try an upside-down feeder, where the goldfinches will happily cling to get the seed.

Favorite Flowers: Purple Coneflower

Allergy Index Scale:  5
Perennial, zone 3
Full sun, 2-3 feet tall

One of the perennial flowers that most reliably handles the hot Kansas summers without pampering is the purple coneflower, or echinacea.  This native plant can handle the extremes of both winter and summer and keep going.

Originally their flowers were a rosy pink color, but they are also available now in white, yellow, orange, and red. They bloom in the summer and early fall. If you deadhead them during the summer, they will keep blooming for many weeks.  Leaving the seedheads at the end of season provides seeds that are attractive to native birds such as goldfinches.

Compost Weekend, part 2

Yesterday I told about emptying my tumbling composters, and spreading the compost.  Today I want to tell about refilling the composters to begin another batch.

Compost Weekend

This week my current batch of compost looked ready to go, so today I emptied out my tumbling composters, and spread the finished compost in my garden.  How do you know the composting process is complete?  When you can no longer recognize the original materials, and it just looks like nice dark, loose garden soil.

I put an inch or two thick layer of compost over the surface of selected flower and veggie beds.  Next time, I'll choose other beds, until hopefully every garden area will be so blessed over the course of the summer.