Companion Flowers

     I've been reading a bunch this winter about how bees work. Did you know that pollinating bees communicate to each other when they return to the hive. By both sound and vibrtions these bees communicate to each other where the stashes of good pollen are. Other that humans, bees appear to be the only once capable of relaying directions to one another.
      So with that, I been looking into what flowers are attractants to the pollinating bees. My buddy Jeff in NH works as an Estate Gardner for someone, and his job is to plant and care for flowers all summer in case the peoiple who own the property decide to leave Manhattan for a weekend getaway. So I've been brainstorming with him and also got some hand-me-down seeds to try. 

 Spring Flowers

 

 

Nasturtium

I got those flower bags that you fill with dirt and hand for these. Besides being totally edible this plant wards off the Squash Bug. Those lil suckers burow into the vine and drink all the nutrients intended for the vine. So I am hanging about 3 flower bags around my Squash trellis to fill with these nasturtium. Hopefully with great sucess.

 

 

Borage - "Star Flower" - repels Tomato Hornworms

 

Yellow Tansy - "Golden Buttons"

 

Nigella-Damascena "Love in a Mist"

 

Purple Tansy - "Scorpionweed"

 

and the beautiful Scabiosa - "Black Night"

   

 

The Spring Line-up

Been a busy week with work and all....but I finally got the last ( haha ) of my seeds in for the year. Last year I overplanted in a big way so of course I said I was gonna keep the squash outta the raised bed and make 'em climb vertically. But when I found these Red Kuri Squash I also stumbled upon the Moon and Satrs Watermelon and the Sweet Meat Squash.

Think sometimes if I won the lottery I would just have a massive garden n chill all day ... well here's what seeds I got dor this year....

 

Red Kuri Squash ( Japanese )

 

 

Sweet Meat Squash

 

 

Sweet Potato Squash

 

 

Moon and Stars Watermelons

 

 

 

     Also growing ( but not pictured ) Acorn Squash, Pickiling Cucumbers ( Boston's ), and Red Bell Peppers. Now the tomatoes are gonna be fun this year. I'm growing at least 4 of each ot these so I will have plenty for sauce, and salsa's. Also gonna learn to make Kansas City Barbecue this season. And here are the toms...

 

Tim's Black Ruffles Tomatoes

 

 

Speckled Romans Tomatoes

 

 

Purple Russian Tomatoes

 

 

Hazel Mae Tomatoes

 

 

Blue Fruit Tomatoes

 

 

Azoychka Tomatoes

 

 

Amish Gold Paste Tomatoes