Plant Camp Monday's

Green Dragon Arisaema dracontium

This bright red berries are from the Green Dragon plant, growing wild along the banks of the creek and in the woods it bright berries show up easy.   The leaves are big and horse shoe shape.  When berries are green they almost look like corn growing.

Birds and critters like eating the berries which are said to be bitter and can irritate the mouth.

Heres a link for more info and pictures Green Dragon

Homestead update:
Weekend was cool and trees are turning.  Won't be long before we fire up the wood stove.  I really over did the turnip patches.  I sowed really thick.  I'll need to thin and use for greens which is a good thing.  I hope to have lots of turnips.  You either like them or not.  I like to boil the turnip chunks in a little sugar water.  Then eat with salt, pepper and butter when tender.  They taste like cauliflower that way.      

Tomatoes still coming on and peppers to.  Digging up potatoes all through the spring and summer and looks like plenty for fall to.  Theres still a lot of new potatoes.  I will dig some up for seed potatoes. 

Lots and lots of Marigolds from saved seeds.   There will be many to gather later along with Zinnias and other flower seeds.  Most these seeds I just direct sow and I do have a lot of volunteers as well. 

Soon there will be leaves to rake and compost will be filled with the leaves.  They take a long time to break down so running the mower over the pile helps chop them up a bit.  They go in the bag and that is then dumped in the compost.   The leaves are also great to put in the chicken Hen Den, let them break it down to a nice compost.  

Leaves changing colors, cooler weather, pumpkin patch, candy, orange, fall decoration, Thanksgiving, turkey and dressing.  I love Autumn and all the Blessings that come with this time of the year.

Have a great week, thanks for dropping by
linda 

Plant Camp Monday's

 

 

Blue lobelia  Lobelia siphilitica

Also know as Great lobelia.  The water is down in the creek so I took a look for rocks and arrowheads.  I found these growing along the banks, altho not many.  It can grow 3 ft and comes in colors of light or dark violet, light or dark blue or lavender, rarely white.

Plant contains a narcotic poison and was used in medicine.

Heres a link for more info Blue lobelia

Sometimes the little beauties of nature might be in the garden or along a creek bank, always keep looking.

Have a great week , Autumn is in the air : )
linda

Plant Camp Monday's

 

 

Zinnia  Zinnia elegans

One of the flowers that I save seeds each year and they never fail to make a nice summer and Autumn showing.  Zinnias work so well in the garden and having a butterfly garden with lots of hummingbirds and other little critters which like these beautiful flowers.    

Great for cut flowers and the more you cut the more they grow.  Also a nice dry flower as well for fall arrangements.  

So easy to grow, here's a good link for more info:  Zinnia 
Alto the Zinnia is a common flower it is nice to see all the different colors blooming.  Great garden addition. 

Homestead update:  Super nice weather, walnuts and hickory nuts falling each day along with acorns.  Squirrels are working for their winter stash.   Building up the wood stack and getting ready for cooler weather that could happen anytime from here on out. Hummers are still around and they will be off on their long journey.
Tomatoes, peppers, okra,  beans still going strong.  Planted a few beds in turnips and they were up in less then a week. 
Picked up a couple of pumpkins today for Autumn decoration. 

Need to get some garlic bulbs planted and different spring flower bulbs as well.  The walnut leaves are the first to start falling and its quite a show when they leave their summer home. 

Happy Autumn
linda

Plant Camp Monday's

White Snakeroot (Ageratina altissima)

 

These little wild flowers grow along the creek bank and very pretty altho not a very good shot.  But they are not pretty if eaten.  Seems they can poison cattle and can cause sickness and death if humans drink the milk of a cow that has ate this weed.  Called "milk-sickness" many an early settlers were killed by the poisoned milk including Lincoln's mother.  So beware of this weed, effects other animals as well.   Also has a medical purpose, so is interesting to check out.   

Heres a link to more info: White Snakeroot

Garden update:
Planted turnips, a little late but they are a cold crop so might get some greens out of the beds.  Turn over for green composts too.

Thanks for your visit and have a great week--- fall is almost here : )
linda

Plant Camp Monday's

Wildflower: Morning Glory (Ipomoea hederacea)

These Wild Morning Glories are growing in the bean patch.  Theres some darker ones growing on an old root stump in the garden. So very pretty.  They last only a day just like the Day Lily so I'm glad theres many coming on.  The bees and butterflies and birds seem to like these very well and they are such a surprise among all the green.  

Here's some more pictures on the this wildflower , also called Ivy-leaf Morning Glory Wild Morning Glory

Garden update:
Second planting of beans were picked yesterday with more to pick in a couple of days.  Green beans and new potatoes for tomorrows dinner.   Pumpkins did not do well.  Tomatoes doing well.  Corn did not. Hot peppers need picking.    

All have a great week and thanks so much for visiting the camp
linda
                             

Plant Camp Monday's

"Best I love September's yellow,
 Morns of dew strung gossamer,
 Thoughtful days without a stir,
 Rooky clamours, brazen leaves,
 Stubble dotted o'er with sheaves
 More than Spring's bright uncontrol
 Suit the Autumn of my soul."
                                      Alex Smith

Black-eyed Susan-  Rudbeckia hirta

These wildflower beauties are almost everywhere.  They take the summer heat and last awhile.  I like for cut flowers and dry them as well for fall decorations. 

Bees, birds and butterflies love this plant. 

The root is used in teas for worms, colds; external wash for sores, snakebites, swelling; root juice for earaches..  Here's the link for more info:Black-eyed Susan

I hope you have this flower in your area. 

Have a great Labor Day and a good week coming up.
Thank you for your visit : )
linda

Plant Camp Monday's

 

Crownbeard  Verbesina helianthoides 

 

 

 

This wildflower Crownbeard is new to my wildflower garden, It looks almost like the same set up I did a couple of week ago with the wildflower Partridge Pea.  I like black frames around yellow flowers and I have a lot yellow flowers. : )

 

Also called Wing-stem , Its in the Aster family--- Asteraceae

 

If you look at the bigger picture you will see a spider on the bottom flower.

 

Here's a link to more pictures, need to scroll down to get some really nice pictures.  The seed pod also called a Wing-stem will be a nice fall decoration.  Well be saving seeds on this one.  Crownbeard

 

Thank you all for stopping by, we still have hot weather this week and I can't wait tell fall.

Have a great week, I'll try and post more homestead happenings this week.  Take good care.

linda