Welcome to Chrysoprase's "Gourd"geous Raised Beds

the pitcher plant you had was probably sarracenia purpurea (variety venosa), a popular and easy american pitcher plant species!! these plants are native to california, and die back during the winter (or at least slow down their growth significantly)!  (x)

a super easy carni species that i always recommend is Nepenthes × ventrata, a popular and easy asian pitcher plant species that’s most popular for it’s hybrid vigor which allows it to be sold in garden centers to be grown as a houseplant. this is an asian pitcher plant, which is tropical and grows year round. it’s also VERY hardy and will take 90% of your rookie mistakes (believe me mine is like, 3 years old now and has taken soooo much i feel so bad). (x)

I buy my pitcher plants from the following websites:

https://nativeexoticsonline.com/

https://www.redleafexotics.com

http://www.predatoryplants.com/Default.asp

I state where I get each plant on my list page, but I haven’t updated it as often lately.

I don’t have a greenhouse or enough tanks to support so many pitcher plants, so I was trying to copy an idea Borneo Exotics had where you grow the plants inside plastic domes until they’re able to acclimate to your home environment once they slowly grow out of the dome hole. There’s a drainage layer of porous rock material (they say it’s made of recycled glass) at the bottom to hold excess water, a mesh to separate the layers, and soil like ABG or similar or the soil the plant already comes in on top where the plant resides. This method is how vivariums are usually made, so that the soil isn’t sopping wet and chokes the plant out, but the excess water can evaporate into the soil keeping it humid. 

Some general butterfly garden tips that I’ve learned from all of the websites I’ve scoured over for the past four days. I haven’t tested them personally, but with so many sources saying the same thing, there must be some truth.

Start small. It’s always okay to start off with a few potted plants, or a window box, as your butterfly garden until you are comfortable with and are able to go bigger. 

Buy native plants. Native plants will be better adjusted and longer lasting in your state’s weather and soil conditions, and also its pests. It will also attract local butterflies and other pollinators, who are more accustomed to those species.

Butterfly houses don’t actually work. A number of studies have shown no evidence that butterflies actually inhabit butterfly houses. However, spiders and roaches and mice will.

Host plants are important. Lots of host plants aren’t very pretty, some don’t even have blooms. But nevertheless, they are important to any butterfly garden if you want to have butterflies stay for longer. If a butterfly can go through it’s full life cycle in an area, they are far more likely to stay.

Group your plants. You don’t want to have only one of each species of plant–try to get at least two or three of the same kind of each plant. Also group plants by color. It is far easier for a butterfly to see a cluster of purple flowers than to spot just one purple flowers among a myriad of other colors.

Don’t use pesticides. If you’re planting a butterfly garden, using pesticides will only kill off the butterflies. If you absolutely positively have to use pesticides, treat it locally. Whenever possible, use other methods such as trapping, picking them off, or using other insects that eat those insects (ladybugs eat aphids). 

Cater to needs. Different insects have different needs. Some butterflies only like certain flowers, while others like another. Bees cannot see the color red apparently. Single flowers (flowers with only one layer of petals) are far easier for bees and other pollinates to access, and therefore are more appealing to them. Butterflies need to drink water through puddling, so you could leave an area of mud for them to do so. Also, butterflies like to sun on rocks, so perhaps implement those in your garden. 

Variety. While you want to group plants and colors, you also want to have a variety of options. Butterflies like gardens with different plants with different heights. 

Provide shelter. Although butterfly houses are a no-go, butterflies do need shelter to hide from predators or for protection from rain. Some low-hanging shrubs or trees should work fine. 

Follow planting instructions. Different plants need different planting conditions, whether they be soil types,  water needs, sun requirements, etc. Read the labels before you plant, or even buy them. 

Be patient. You aren’t going to immediately get a ton of butterflies in your garden, and you aren’t going to immediately have blooming plants the day after you grow seeds either. Patience is a given with gardening, it takes lots of care to manage them. 

I would love to establish more bird seed producing plants in my garden this spring! I’ve been brushing up on my bird IDs, and having bird feeders around the farm has certainly helped. But lugging giant bags of bird food got me thinking: I could grow that. So, if you’re like me and are trying to get all your spring garden seed orders in before planting time, here’s a few more plants to consider for your feathered garden friends. 

Sunflower Seeds

Of course! But black oil sunflower seeds in particular, are a big bird favorite. All types of sunflower seed can be used bird seed, though. You might not even get any off the head to make a mix before the birds eat it all. I have a pair of goldfinches that usually strip my sunflowers clean as soon as they go to seed.

Millet

A common cover crop in small farm rotations, millet seed is easy to come by in bulk. And chickens love it, so birds should too! Great for large areas that you don’t know what to plant, or places that could use a season of lying fallow to accumulate nutrients. 

Safflower

Commonly used for it’s seed’s oil, safflower is an awesome thistle-like plant to grow in arid climates. It has a long taproot to help it in these dry conditions. Cardinals love it and it is used in most common bird feeds. 

Niger Seed

This inauspicious little plant comes with a colorful backstory. Originally cultivated in Ethiopia, the seeds are commonly labelled as “thistle seed” and are a favorite of goldfinches. They are just now being cultivated and sold in America! If you’re an American gardener, check out The American Niger Seed Company

Black-Eyed Susan

A common staple in most gardens. This easy to grow cut flower also makes great bird seed. It’s a favorite of finches. 

Wheat, Corn, Grass and Grains

Birds love cracked corn, as well as most types of grass seed, that probably grow like weeds in our gardens. Wheat, rye and other grains are also part of most wild bird’s diet. If your trying your hand at cultivating these grains or grasses you may have to fight off your bird friends. Or just plant enough for the both of you. 

Fruits and Berries

Every other year or so, when the mulberry tree goes to fruit, we have to fight off squirrels and birds to get any berries for ourselves. Birds love most fruits and the leftovers can be dried to add to a bird seed mix. Most commercial feed brands include dried cherries, cranberries and raisins. 

This is only the most common seeds that are featured in commercial bird feed. The best thing to do is plant things and see what interests the birds. Then you can save the leftover seed to add to a mix or just remember to grow that plant next year. Here’s a helpful website with more plant ideas as well as links to buy seed. 

Hello all! Thanks so much for all the support and enjoying the world of plants with me.

There will be randomly selected winners for this giveaway. The prize is a Pinguicula ‘florian’ aka Butterwort

These carnivorous plants have specific care requirements that I will give more details about to the winners. There is also plenty of info online for their care. The plants are smaller than the photo above because they are babies off of my own.

RULES:

Must be following me

Reblogs and likes count

Reblog as many times as you like

Deadline is the 10th of September 2017 at 10 a.m. PT

Randomly selected winners will be sent a message at the end of the giveaway

Unfortunately due to regulations on plants, I can only send plants within the U.S., therefore winners must live the United States.

Hello all! Thanks so much for all the support and enjoying the world of plants with me.

There will be randomly selected winners for this giveaway. The prize is a Pinguicula ‘florian’ aka Butterwort

These carnivorous plants have specific care requirements that I will give more details about to the winners. There is also plenty of info online for their care. The plants are smaller than the photo above because they are babies off of my own.

RULES:

Must be following me

Reblogs and likes count

Reblog as many times as you like

Deadline is the 10th of September 2017 at 10 a.m. PT

Randomly selected winners will be sent a message at the end of the giveaway

Unfortunately due to regulations on plants, I can only send plants within the U.S., therefore winners must live the United States.

This humble aquatic plant may have been the world’s oldest flower.