🌸Dirty Girl Pt.2🌼

_{Obligatory Jeff pic for @simplymike}

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I can’t believe it’s already July 16?! The summer is flying by so fast. Montana has such a short growing season, we must enjoy every second of it. Before I know it, September will bring it’s cooler temps, and October will bring some snow.

This is my second Garden Journal post, hosted by the lovely @simplymike. You can view my first one HERE to see the progress & growth in my yard.

I did not plant my veggie garden this year, but it’s growing some great weeds, Poplar trees and a bonus Sweet Pea or two from last years plants. A frost killed the 2 tomato plants I had. I did manage to at least plant some Black Eyed Susans under the bird bath. Can’t have birds bathing with no beauty around them ya know.

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Without veggies, my focus is on my perennials & annual flower baskets. I can't explain how happy it makes me to look at them! My fellow gardeners understand it. Every morning, out watering and plucking the dead flowers off to keep them looking perfect... bliss.

This Rooftop Sedum mix is one of my favorite plants in my yard! Such neat variety of texture and colors. Here it is blooming!

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Last time I showed my raspberries & apple tree they were mere flowers... here they are full of fruit. Thank you pollinators!

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Pretty sure this is Purslane? I did not plant it, it’s a weed! But I’ve seen it mentioned in multiple health blogs as a super food? I don’t eat it, but now I don’t try to kill it! It is quite pretty, and hard to kill! I wonder if any of you have ever harvested it and eaten it? How was it?

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_Purslane?

_{Puppy in Purslane}

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Here are my annual planters... bursting! The Jacob’s Ladder (under Petunia’s with purple flowers) is done blooming mostly. But everything else is amazing!

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_{tiny pollinator all loaded up}

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We also just hatched 5 Painted Lady butterflies! 🦋 It was hard to get a pic, but I did my best. They are all resting now. Gaining strength to be released on Wednesday!

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The only pests I have this year are Aphids & Ants. They are loving my Hosta blooms. If you don’t know about Aphids & Ants... it’s straight outta The Matrix.

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_{Ants farming Aphids}

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The Ants “farm” the Aphids for a secretion called Honeydew. The Ants “milk” the Aphids by rubbing their belly’s and telling them stories. The Aphids get so happy during their belly rub that they secrete Honeydew to feed the Ant. Isn’t that sweet? Haha! (Ok, I made up the story part.) It’s a pretty neat symbiotic relationship. The Ants protect the Aphids from predators, the Aphids feed the Ants.

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_{Aphids after one soap treatment}

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Then a giant human comes along and sprays soapy water on the Ants crop & wreaks havoc on their little ecosystem to save her flowers.

The End.