Research after Herbal Harvest
Waning Balsamic Moon in Cancer
I harvested the Peppermint, Spearmint, Oregano, Germander and de-seeded the Feverfew.
I trimmed back roughly 1/10 of the iris, enough to fill the cart. Also added trimmings from Walker's Low Catmint that needed trimming. The lavender looks great after it's haircut last week. It is producing more blooms. Now that I've got most of the stuff cleaned up, I can fertilize and see more blooms on the catmint and lavender before fall. Same goes for the Shasta Daisies, Echinacea, and the Goldstrum Rudebekia. The Russian Sage put out one spike of blooms. I need to find it a better home. The landscape cultivar of the St. John's wort did not bloom after being transplanted. It looks like it will live though. The butterfly bushes are also in bloom and the crape myrtles (Three Graces) out front have buds. The Magnolia bloomed spectacularly, however mostly up top, those on the lower branches were rained out and brown.
I have planted foxglove, White Swan echinacea, several sets of apple mint and coreopsis and the annual verbena in red and purple. I also have a flat of Lantana that don't seem to want to do anything. I think once I"ve fed everything it will pick up some. We've had awesome weather the last few days. I can breathe outside and work at the same time! Low humidity...everybody's hair looks great too!
The one disturbing thing in this is that we keep finding massive amounts of dead flies. After doing some research and wading past the Crop Circle information, I found this article, about a fungus that is apparently killing off flies and other insects. I think it may be similar to the fungus that is killing off the honey bees.
http://www.cicap.org/crops/en/006.htm
I'm wondering if this fungus is harmful to the plant life or if ingested on the fruits, vegetables and herbs. I have seen a few beetles, a few cabbage whites and several types of swallowtails and a monarch or two, but no honeybees. We still get those wood borer, or carpenter bees and we have a helluva a lot of ants. The fungus bears looking into. Right now, I'm afraid to use the spearmint and peppermint and apple mints in my tea. What if the fungus becomes harmful to humans. Things like that DO occasionally morph into things that become harmful to humans...witness the 'bird' flu and the 'swine' flu. They morph and then hop to another species host.
I dunno...I guess since I've been using it all summer, the damage, if indeed there is any, has already been done. I'm going to look into this fungus a little more. Don't worry, I'll post here when I know more.
I harvested the Peppermint, Spearmint, Oregano, Germander and de-seeded the Feverfew.
I trimmed back roughly 1/10 of the iris, enough to fill the cart. Also added trimmings from Walker's Low Catmint that needed trimming. The lavender looks great after it's haircut last week. It is producing more blooms. Now that I've got most of the stuff cleaned up, I can fertilize and see more blooms on the catmint and lavender before fall. Same goes for the Shasta Daisies, Echinacea, and the Goldstrum Rudebekia. The Russian Sage put out one spike of blooms. I need to find it a better home. The landscape cultivar of the St. John's wort did not bloom after being transplanted. It looks like it will live though. The butterfly bushes are also in bloom and the crape myrtles (Three Graces) out front have buds. The Magnolia bloomed spectacularly, however mostly up top, those on the lower branches were rained out and brown.
I have planted foxglove, White Swan echinacea, several sets of apple mint and coreopsis and the annual verbena in red and purple. I also have a flat of Lantana that don't seem to want to do anything. I think once I"ve fed everything it will pick up some. We've had awesome weather the last few days. I can breathe outside and work at the same time! Low humidity...everybody's hair looks great too!
The one disturbing thing in this is that we keep finding massive amounts of dead flies. After doing some research and wading past the Crop Circle information, I found this article, about a fungus that is apparently killing off flies and other insects. I think it may be similar to the fungus that is killing off the honey bees.
http://www.cicap.org/crops/en/006.htm
I'm wondering if this fungus is harmful to the plant life or if ingested on the fruits, vegetables and herbs. I have seen a few beetles, a few cabbage whites and several types of swallowtails and a monarch or two, but no honeybees. We still get those wood borer, or carpenter bees and we have a helluva a lot of ants. The fungus bears looking into. Right now, I'm afraid to use the spearmint and peppermint and apple mints in my tea. What if the fungus becomes harmful to humans. Things like that DO occasionally morph into things that become harmful to humans...witness the 'bird' flu and the 'swine' flu. They morph and then hop to another species host.
I dunno...I guess since I've been using it all summer, the damage, if indeed there is any, has already been done. I'm going to look into this fungus a little more. Don't worry, I'll post here when I know more.