Tropicana, Monarch Cats and Pond Plantings

The first of the Valentine roses, Tropicana, is blooming.  The roses have had some pests, small green caterpillars among them, so Joseph ended up spraying them with Pyganic, an organic, pyrethrum-based product, made from chrysanthemums.  This stuff is expensive, but it works.  There is a commercial strength, and a homeowner's strength, which is somewhat less expensive.

The garden is doing well.  The summer garden is basically planted, except for a few stragglers.  Several of the tomatoes and potatoes have buds, and one or two have open blooms.  I've been gathering green peas and asparagus, swiss chard and lamb's quarters, and strawberries.  There hasn't been a lot of any, but all of it has been enjoyed.

We've begun planting around the pond.  Along with grass, we've planted edibles and medicinals.  Peach, mulberry, tea camellia, elderberry, calendula and milkweed.  We've been finding Monarch caterpillars on a milkweed patch around the garden, which J has relocated to the new patch at the pond.  We're hoping they'll fare better there, away from the chickens.  Before I began this post, I took a walk and saw 3 of the caterpillars remaining.  McNibs thought it was a most opportune time to take a dip.