Beneficial Insects in a Georgia Garden

When many people see an insect, the first impulse is to kill it. But not all insects are pests, and many are beneficial insects, meaning they do good things like eat harmful insects and pollinate flowers. When we use pesticides to control insect pests, we also kill the good bugs. You probably already know Ladybugs are beneficial insects, feeding on aphids, scales, and mealybugs. But did you know that the larvae of ladybugs look like tiny little alligators and eat even more pests than their parents? Lacewings are fragile-looking insects with delicate, lacy green or brown wings, large eyes, and long antennae. Their larvae feed on aphids, scales, mealybugs, whiteflies, and young caterpillars. The Praying Mantis will eat almost any insect (yes, they will eat the good bugs too and will even eat each other!) Parasitic Wasps are usually too small for you to see, but you might spot signs of their presence. If you find a crispy-looking brown, inflated aphid attached to a leaf, it was probably the victim of a parasitic wasp that laid its eggs in the aphid so its offspring would have something to eat when they hatched. You might also see caterpillars, cabbage loopers or hornworms carrying around cocoons of developing wasps. Parasitic Wasps lay their eggs on the back of soft caterpillars so their young will have a convenient food source upon hatching. (Yuck!) It’s almost time to see the Tomato Hornworm eating up the leaves and even the green tomatoes on our tomato plants. The best control is to pick them off and destroy them, but if you see one with loads of small white things that look like clusters of rice, just leave it alone—the white things are eggs of the wasp. Granddaddy Spiders, or you might call them Daddy Longlegs, eat aphids, mites, and other garden pests. These are just a few of the many beneficial insects in our gardens. Beneficial insects can be purchased from mail-order sources, but you can attract them into your garden without purchasing them. The best way to attract these beneficial insects to your garden is to just plant more flowers and herbs!

Oakleaf Hydrangea - My Favorite Native Plant at Callaway Gardens!

Oakleaf Hydrangea is my favorite hydrangea, because it’s beautiful in every season! In winter, the branches exhibit lovely cinnamon colored exfoliating bark, and the large flower buds already forming are attractive. In spring, the new leaves are a reddish purple. In summer, there are the very large panicles of white blooms that turn purplish by summer’s end, hanging on into fall. In fall, the leaves turn a rich mahogany red, contrasting beautifully with the then dried rosy brown flower stalks used by many in floral arrangements. Oakleaf hydrangea is one of our most beautiful American native shrubs, and should be in every garden, especially native plant gardens! Hydrangea quercifolia is much easier to grow than other hydrangeas. The fact that it is native to the southeastern United States is probably the reason for that. It’s accustomed to our summer droughts, making it more drought-tolerant than other hydrangeas. It isn’t picky about soil. And oakleaf hydrangea can take more sun than most other hydrangeas. And I believe it really is true that you learn something every day, because, although you might already know this, I didn't realize until this year as I passed our largest shrub that the Oakleaf Hydrangea is fragrant!

A Beautiful Garden In Georgia With Native Plants!

Getting the garden ready for a hot Georgia summer can be easier than you think!

Plant selection is most important—choose plants you know will thrive in your area. Planting trees, shrubs, and perennials native to your climate zone means less work for you, because native plants are accustomed to the difficult conditions our Georgia summers offer. They are better able to withstand our drought, and some native plants even prefer our muggy, humid temperatures!

Always amend the soil with compost or composted manure. Plants are better able to tolerate harsh conditions when they have good soil in which to live.

Don’t overlook the importance of mulch. Apply a thick layer of organic mulch such as straw, bark chips, or shredded leaves to conserve moisture, keep the plant roots cool, and prevent weed growth. Gravel mulch is not suitable for our climate, except in a cactus garden, because it heats up too much in the summer.

Finally, if your budget allows, install a soaker hose or drip irrigation watering system. This will get the water down to the roots where it’s needed with less water waste.

Rhododendron arborescens - Sweet Native Azalea

Rhododendron arborescens is definitely one of my favorite native azaleas. Usually called the Sweet Azalea, because of the very sweet fragrance, Rhododendron arborescens can bloom anytime between May and August. The blossoms are usually white and can be flushed with pink.

Arborescens is a large growing plant, reaching heights of up to 12 feet tall at maturity, when conditions are right.

Give this plant regular water, especially during periods of drought. The Sweet Azalea prefers a semi-shaded spot with well-drained slightly acidic soil. One plant can perfume the whole garden when in bloom. R. arborescens is hardy in USDA Zones 4 - 7, so plant one for yourself if you'd like to enjoy a wonderful fragrance while relaxing in your garden!

For information on purchasing this plant, visit http://shadygardens.biz/.

Itea Virginica Belongs In Every Garden!

One native plant sure to attract attention in your garden is Itea Virginica, most often known as Virginia Sweetspire.
Many gardeners are completely unaware of its beauty, because Virginia Sweetspire is seldom sold in garden centers. Other than its love for moist soil, Itea is very easy to grow. If you have a way of watering your garden or have a soggy spot, you can enjoy the many attributes of Itea Virginica year-round. Yes, year-round! Itea Virginica begins the spring season with red new growth, blooms in May with very fragrant 3-inch long white bloom spikes that really attract pollinators into the garden and maintains lush green foliage throughout the summer. Leaves, which are on burgundy stems, by the way, then turn a vibrant burgundy red in fall. As if all that weren’t enough, Itea often keeps that spectacular fall foliage all winter (at least it does here in central Georgia.) I know it’s hard to believe that such a glorious plant could be a native, but Itea virginica is native to the Eastern United States. If you have a large garden, Itea is beautiful when massed, especially along the edge of a pond if you’re lucky enough to have one. If your garden is small, Itea makes a great specimen or border planting. Hardy in USDA Zones 5-9, Itea can be grown in almost any area of the country. Whether you choose the large growing Itea virginica ‘Henry’s Garnet’ or the compact dwarf ‘Merlot’, you should plant one in your garden to enjoy all season long! To purchase Itea, you're welcome to visit http://shadygardens.biz/.