Mid July finds my garden a little bit rough around the edges. The need for more garden time is always present with gardens needing weeded, the lawn needing mowed and cleaned up, tomatoes that need re-staked, and many other garden chores. It’s not just the lack of garden time though, the weather has played a significant role. No rain for three weeks followed all of a sudden by several inches of rain is a challenge for a gardener to keep the garden looking ship-shape.
One spot that is looking a little rough is out by the garden shed. I cleaned up the garden the other day but the perennials present are a little worse for wear. The rains knocked the Russian sage around a bit while the Shasta daisy in front was suffering from the three week drought period. Brown petals are a sure sign of not enough water! This garden is way too far in the back to conveniently run hoses or haul buckets of water. I deadheaded and hopefully the Shasta daisy will soon be nice and happy. The rudbeckia never seems to have any trouble!
The weather isn’t the only thing that has caused the garden to appear worse for wear. Japanese beetles seem to have a found a fondness for our crape myrtles. I think next year I’ll companion plant our crape myrtles with 4 O’Clocks which are poisonous and irresistible to Japanese beetles.
The garden isn’t the only thing that appears rough around the edges. Just look at this bumblebee attempting to dry itself out on a Viburnum leaf.
The situation is much the same for this Carolina wren preening on our back deck. Although for some reason I think these creatures welcomed the rain, but maybe that was just me!
The Japanese Beetles do go after the younger crape myrtles. Once large, the damage is much less. My four o'clocks never bloom when the JBs are here. Larkspur is also poisonous to them, but mine finishes before the JBs are here. Makes me think that the JBs know about bloom times and dodge the bullet, so to speak!
Have you tried using neem against them? Of course, they'll still stuff themselves silly this time but if it works, you should see a drop in their population levels in the next generation.
Rough around the egdes is putting it nicely for my garden.
That wren sure does look 'rough'. Too cute!
I appreciate how rough gardens are looking in TN~first floods, then drought! Last night's rain fell so hard it broke several plants~yikes. Good news about Four O'clocks~I shall plant them near hollyhocks, roses and crape myrtles. Dr Dave, I forgot to ask! My heuchera looks like someone shot buckshot thru it…any idea what critter is snacking on it? I gaven't seen anything, but a small black beetle~It doesn't seem to hop. gail
Cameron,
I'm not sure the 4 O'Clocks have to bloom to work on the beetles. I think the foliage is good enough.
Sunita,
I haven't tried neem against them but it's worth a shot!
Darla,
The pictures I've seen of your garden don't look rough at all!
Tina,
I took quite a few shots of that little bird but chose the one where he's preening – it just fit the post!
Gail,
I've had some real issues with flea beetles this year, I wonder if they could be the culprits? A small black beetles sounds like it would fit the bill.