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ORCHARD 

 

Organic Gardening with Sue Robishaw


Herbs & Flowers
in Garden & Orchard

herbs and flowers in garden


Four decades of Growing Good Food in Michigan's Upper Peninsula
~ ~ ~
Down to Earth Information, Experiences, Thoughts


Flowers and herbs have often been afterthoughts in my garden, being stuck here and there wherever there was a little space. Not that I didn't appreciate them but when I'd think of gardening it was usually the practical food that came to mind first, and got the most attention. But when I started expanding the orchard and thinking of the whole area as one I became more up-front aware and purposeful in my planning and planting of those often humble but so essential flowering plants. And I'm thoroughly enjoying the process.

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July 9, 2020 -- Hot, Hot, and More Hot  --  And an Anti-Itch Solution

Used to be, just one year ago, 80 degrees was hot, something we'd get occasionally for a few weeks in July, with cool nights to keep the corn from growing too fast. But this year 90 with lows in the 60's has become "normal", and the corn is growing crazy. And it's just a week into July. South winds, sunny, calm, humid, with sporadic thunderstorms. I know, this is common for much of the country, so what are we complaining about? Well, you see, Yoopers can melt at those temperatures! Though we seem to be holding together just fine in spite of it; even (almost) getting used to it. I admit it's a nice change from worrying about frosts. And what most needs to get done is getting done, and what is better to wait for cooler weather is waiting. We search the forecasts and radar pictures for thunderstorm-clear weather to hook up the boat trailer and head to the water, and hope for a gentle rain at night for the garden and orchard. Life is pretty good here in the northwoods. No matter what, there's a solution to be had.

yellow dock in flowerAnd speaking of solutions, I just got a new batch of one of our most appreciated "solutions" going -- an herbal homemade anti-itch tincture. It's easy and it works well. This year has come with a bumper crop of mosquitoes (and black flies which have thankfully calmed down) so we've been using a lot of it. The main ingredient is Yellow Dock root. I used to have to head out north and south of our property to find some but I finally harvested some seed in the fall, tossed it in an area by the woodshed, and I now have my own patch. It's a hardy weed so I expect it'll be around now. Being biennial some plants are flowering now (the ones you can see in the photo) and others first year low growing but fairly large leafed plants. This is what I dig up to get the long root, clean it, chop into pieces into a jar and cover with vodka. Then a week or two later I gather the green herbs, chop and add to the mix. Let set for a number of weeks, stirring or shaking now and then, until I get around to straining and bottling the new brew for next year's itchy bites season (or anything else that causes itchy reaction). Just dab or rub in on the spot, several times and as needed, and it usually calms things down after a short time.

lemon balm and chickweed in basketThe one problem with this tincture is that yellow dock root is also a good strong dye plant, which means one has to take care since it can stain clothing. But the alcohol dries pretty fast and we're usually in work clothes anyway so it's not much of a problem. I've been making it for a long time and I don't recall when or just how I came up with the recipe but these are the herbs I've been including, all readily available in garden or field:

yellow dock root  //  lemon balm  //   chickweed   //   burdock or Witch Hazel leaf

This year I couldn't find the normally easy to see burdock. I think the very vigorous and aggressive wild blackberries crowded it out. But a few years back I'd planted a Witch Hazel bush which has grown well and perfect for this use. So this year's batch has Witch Hazel leaves instead of burdock. And I threw in a few plantain leaves, too. Basically it is a combination of anti-inflammatory and astringent herbs of kinds that I have available. It's a yearly tradition that we make good use of.


August 1, 2019 - For Thee and the Bee

I spend a fair amount of time searching and reading, planning and planting specifically for the pollinators, thinking that as I add more and more fruit that I'm counting on them to pollinate I should be adding special extras for their enjoyment and use. This is fine, and they do make use of these gifts, but they also often remind me by their actions that they are quite capable of taking care of themselves with what is already there. I do know this, it's quite obvious as our homestead is blessed with a wide and generous variety of wildflowers, and many a blossoming tree is loud with buzzing during peak time. But our pollinator population has definitely dropped. Only bumble bees seem to be in good supply, or maybe they are just the most obvious. But flowers are being pollinated, fruit and seed is being produced, nature is doing the job that nature does. There are ups and downs in all things.

wild bergamot and beeAnd it is the plants that I didn't plant for the pollinators that remind me that all is well in spite of my fussing and mild worry. The Wild Bergamot I didn't have much hand in. Early on, maybe the late 80's, I noticed this pretty lavender flower up by the gate at the end of our road. I transplanted a little clump into the edge of the front yard wild area. They have grown there ever since, expanding some though not much, losing themselves in the surrounding vegetation until they flower and they get their well deserved attention, from the bees and us.

Some years ago more Wild Bergamots showed up by the garden gate, to our delight. We marked those few beginners so we wouldn't mow them and they responded by spreading into a really nice patch, along with a growing population of Black Eyed Susans, apparently enjoying each others company. They are a pleasing welcome to the garden, loved by the bees and other pollinators (and us), and with no assistance from me.


August 2, 2018 - Abundance and Absence

bees in dill flowersBut the other big absence has been pollinators -- the many kinds of bees, wasps, hornets, others. And butterflies, too. Since their numbers are so down it's a special joy to see them busily supping at the variety of flowers this time of year. I'm happy that what I'm growing in the garden and orchard is popular, from dill flowers to catnip, each with their own admirers. And with much sharing between species, like the fritillary and bee on the echinacea. Now, personally, I think the Campfire Rose (above) is much more attractive and catches my eye every time I walk in the garden, but I don't often see insects on those flowers. While the very understated small hardly noticably flowered (but prolific and quickly overgrown!) catnip is always humming with many busy bumbles the moment the first flowers appear and is never without attendance. So I allow too many to grow in the garden, brush by carefully as it grows with abandon into the paths, and weed out the many progeny.bees in catnip

But there are also many flowers that both the pollinators and us enjoy and I'm having a good time adding to the mix. Most are wildflowers such as the Purple Coneflower, and some are imports that wouldn't survive without the gardener's help. We all enjoy them each in our own way and every time I see a "bee" working diligently on flowers tiny or large I marvel at their ways. It makes the flowering time of year so very special.  fritillary and bee on coneflower

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Bees in the Hellenium - September 22, 2017

Growing fruit seems to naturally make one more aware of the many pollinators we depend on to get that fruit. Although I often lump them all together for convenience under the label "bees" I know there are many different insects that fill out the pollinator category. And we're blessed with a wide population here. It's an amazing experience to stand and watch and listen to a popular blossoming plant full of so many different sizes, shapes, types of pollinators. And it just seems fitting that as I add fruit trees that I want them to visit and pollinate I should also add other blossoming plants for their pleasure, especially those that bloom early and late when nectar is sparse. So that's what I've been doing, for their enjoyment and mine, too. This year I planted some Hellenium seed early in the greenhouse, transplanting the little plants out to the border bed of the garden and a few to the nursery bed since they seemed rather small and in need to grow a year or two in a gentler spot than out in the orchard grounds.

Hellenium flowers and beesThey grew without much attention from me until one day I realized the plants were large and bushy, healthy and getting ready to bloom. Mmm, not as delicate as I had thought! Then in mid September suddenly (it seemed) there was this beautiful plant simply loaded with yellow flowers and BEES - lots of bees. I hadn't expected such a display of bright blooms from this simple hardy perennial. And every time I went by there were bees. When the frosts came the flowers kept on. In October when there were few flowers left elsewhere, the Helleniums were still there for the bees (and me). The 23 degree freeze did touch them, though they are simply looking rather tired not dead. But there is still the lone bee now and then getting a last minute nectar treat. What a nice and much appreciated surprise for us all.  


Copyright ©  Susan Robishaw
 


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Have you read  "Frost Dancing - Tips from a Northern Gardener" ? A fun short read.

or "Homesteading Adventures"    Creating our backwoods homestead--the first 20 years.

and "Growing Berries for Food and Fun"   A journey you can use in your own garden.