For many years I have had only the native Purple Coneflowers in my garden. I started those from seed and over the years they have reseeded themselves here and there
A few years ago I decided to start collecting some different varieties of Coneflowers since the deer don't seem to like them.
I don't remember their names but I put markers near each of them so I could keep track of which ones I have.
Last year I lost quite a few of my Purple Coneflowers in a native wildflower area to a disease called Aster Yellows that is spread by leafhoppers.
Prairie Moon Nursery, where I buy most of my native wildflower seeds, has several different varieties of Purple Coneflower. I purchased a package of Purple Coneflower and Pale Purple Coneflower. The Pale Purple needs cold stratification so I will wait until January to winter sow it in a pot out on my deck. The Purple (Echnicea Purpurea) can be sown now so that's what I'm going to do - sow it outside in a prepared bed for native wildflowers. The other Coneflower seeds from Johnny's - Paradiso Tall Mix- can also be sown now. I am going to start it out in a pot on the deck now for later transplanting to the cottage or cutting garden in the Autumn.
Along with the Purple Coneflower I will be throwing in a couple of other Natives - Showy Tick Trefoil and Spotted Bee Balm.
I extended one of my native wildflower areas. I had to clear out a few small trees and weeds - mostly wild black raspberries. I mentioned I now have a bad case of poison ivy on my arms and this is where I got it.
It looks like a junky spot right now but when you are a gardener you can see into the future and know it will look spectacular in a year or two or three.
I put down cardboard from boxes that John's G-tube formula comes in on the pathways to smother weeds. I don't eat many canned goods but the few cans I do have or are given to me I put over small tree stumps so they don't magically regenerate.
I put a part of an old chicken feeder (I used to raise chickens for eggs and meat) over a bigger tree stump. Sometimes I use old buckets.
When I run out of cans I use the old bags that hold the water and food that pumps into John's G-tube. Whatever works! Make do!
The seeds have been sown...
And sow on...
10 comments:
What a lovely collection of cone flowers you are growing this year--they are just so pretty--good to know the deer don't like them--perhaps I will try some...hugs, Julierose
I can't imagine having so many different varieties of Coneflowers. They are so pretty. I got my original native Purple Coneflowers from a friend who had a grandma that had all native plants. They have muliplied here and there all over the back garden and I have shared them with many friends and relatives. I also got the Ox-eye False Sunflower from her.
Your coneflowers are wonderful, Cathy! I tried growing some from seed this spring and nothing came up. Maybe I need to start them in pots like you mentioned. I might try that. I sure love the peek at your gardens!
What a smart idea to use the cans to smother the unwanted trees. I wonder if it would work for pawpaws? I am developing a grove of them which I like but it's wildly unpopular with the other humans here.
Ceci
I never know what cool tips I will learn from your blog. I was wondering why you didn't pick up that can before you took the pic. Never heard of covering up the little tree stumps! I'm going to try that. Also good to know that I need to plant different coneflower seeds at different times. I don't have much luck with them for some reason, yet I can grow lots of weird things. I'll start my next batch in pots and see how that works.
I find myself googling "will deer eat _______" before I plant things out in the open. I'm thinking the deer are going to eat showy tick trefoil. I LOVE bee balm.
After a few years of garden neglect, I am back outside this year, trying to reclaim some overgrown spaces and hoping to create a wild flower garden. Off to see if I can find that YouTube channel. I have plenty of cardboard.
I have lots of the native purple coneflowers, but unfortunately my deer do eat them early in the season. They survive at slightly lower heights. My version of the Chelsea Chop, I guess. I saved some seed from the butterfly weed plants last fall and never planted them Do you think I could start them now in a pot and transplant in the fall? The deer do leave those alone. I also transplanted a few monada plants from out In the backyard where I couldn't see them. They are doing well in their new location and are twice as tall as they were before. Hurray for small successes.
Pat
Thanks for the tip about the deer not liking the coneflowers.I have a bunch that seeded into our yard that I have let multiply. We have a little "tribe" of deer that frequent the neighborhood and this year they have found my hostas and day/tiger lilies to be especially tasty. But the coneflowers are untouched. I will definitely have to get more of those!
I love all the varieties of coneflower. Except for the native purple the ones I tried didn't survive winter here. But that's okay cause now my garden is strictly natives. Unfortunately for me the deer love it.
Beautiful variety of coneflowers. I had no idea there were so many colors. Sorry about the poison ivy; that can be nasty. I had relatives who were allergic and reacted quite badly.
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