Wildflowers of Pardon My Garden

Wildflower Daisy, Aster and Fleabane: Asteraceae and Erigeron

This is a broad classification and could include Chrysanthemum and Black-eyed Susan and coneflower and all the sunflowers.. These are all flowers with centers and ray like flowers. Fleabanes bloom spring and early summer. The thin multiple petal rays distinguish the fleabane and the nodding weakened bud and stem. They add color to the spring garden but don’t make good cut flowers. Asters on the other hand that bloom in the summer and fall make excellent cut flowers. The Oxeye daisy, easily propagated by seed is considered a weed by some farmers. Here in Washington it is a non-native plant but is a form of English daisy. The Oxeye daisy blooms earlier than the aster and is white while often the aster is blue, pink or purple.

Oxeyed Daisy, Greenfield, New Hampshire




Aster, Fleabane, Greenfield , New Hampshire

References

As I develop these writings I will periodically try to give notes to books that I use as additional references to my own experiences. The notes on wildflowers are being referenced from " The Big Book of Northwest Perennials" by Marty Wingate. This is a beautiful factual guide with lovely photographs highlighted by a focus on " choosing, growing and tending perennials". All the photographs used my postings are ones I have taken. The photos, unless otherwise noted, will be of plants grown in my own garden in Cle Elum, Washington or in my son and daughter-inlaw's garden in Greenfield, New Hampshire.

Wild Flower Rudbeckia

Wild Flowers; Rudbeckia, Asteraceae Black -eyed Susan; Cone flower

Like yarrow, Rudbeckia comes from the Asteraceae, aster daisy family. Deer and elk rarely eat it while butterflies and bees are attracted to the abundant pollen. This picture was taken in the west corner of your drain field and was standing alone 18 inches high. Here in Washington at Osprey these bright flowers start blooming in hot weather July or August. At your home in New Hampshire late June seemed to be hot enough for the Black-eyed Susan in your garden. Rudbeckia make great cut flowers and cutting will prolong their bloom, but don’t pick them all because they can be propagated by their dry seeds in the fall. Leave some of the strongest blossoms for seeding next years plants. Either allow the seed to fall in place or collect seed in late fall after the flower head has become dry. Collect seeds before the autumn rains start by rubbing with gloved fingers on the dark center of the flower. This can be hard. The flower heads are hard and the seed is small. I like to sprinkle the seeds immediately. I scratch bare earth and sprinkle the seeds and cover lightly with loose soil. I have had great luck with this method provided I choose a good location where the new Rudbeckia will get full sun and some moisture as it is not as drought tolerate as other asteraceae family members. These flowers add lots of bright yellow color all throughout a wild flower or cut flower garden. Enjoy!

Yarrow for Wild Flower Garden

Wild Flowers; Yarrow Achillea Asteraceae

I took this picture while we were working in your garden. We have grown Yarrow at Osprey with great success. Here are my tips for growing it in your garden:
Yarrow – Achillea Asteraceae – Grows best in full sun, well drained soil, even in rocky drive ways and sandy soil. Yarrow attracts butterflies, ladybugs and other beneficial insects into the garden. Can use as cut flower but does not smell great. Propagation can be by seeds spread in the fall from the dried flower heads or by digging and dividing the roots either in the spring or fall. Warning Yarrow can be invasive and spread by thick underground roots preventing other wild flowers from taking root, so cut back flower heads, and thin and divide in areas where you would like other flowers to grow. Take heart this wild flower is rarely eaten by deer and elk and does make a good cut flower.

July Growth and Fertilizers

Best news of summer is the heat and rain creates vegetable and flower growth. To ensure that wild flowers flowers bloom and lettuce has healthy leaves add fertilizers. The nutrients will help ensure that squash plants bloom, so bees and insects can pollinate and zuchinni and raspberries and asters will be beautiful, bountiful and flavorful. The caution is not all fertilizers are good for all plants and mulch made up of good compost can be as good as some fertilizers.

So what to do: Plants like lettuce, where heathly leaf growth is wanted, use fish emulsion fertilizers that have more nitrogen for leave growth. Nitrogen concentrated fertilizers would be used for leafy greens, squash and as a starter firetilizer when plants are young. Phosphorus and Potassium (bloom food) for all flowering and fruiting stages. As squash, cucumbers, peas, beans and wild flowers bloom this fertilizer will encourage more bloom and enhence more vegetable production rather than leaves. Good comercial brands are Age Old Organics and Alaska (fish emulsions and bloom food I have used for years.) If you do use compost only, remember that the compost must be fully composted looking like new dirt or the plants will not get the needed nutrients. Experiment with what works best with which plants and make notes of what works best. Have a great weekend. !