My Army of Gastropods!

Disclaimer: You'll have to forgive my lack of great pictures for this post. 

Growing up in the country meant finding snail shells all the time. In the woods, by the creek, in the creek, everywhere. I've seen snails. I've seen slugs. I've marveled at both with childlike curiosity. But it wasn't until I moved into my house in the suburbs of the south side of Indy that I saw armies of snails (live ones, not simply shells). 

The first gastropod I saw at my house was a particularly large leopard slug (Limax maximus), also known as great gray garden slug and tiger slug. These guys grow up to about 4 inches (sometimes more) and, as their common names suggest, are gray (sometimes yellowish) and spotted. 

Then I started to witness my massive army of snails coming out after the long, brutal winter. When I say "army," I mean anywhere from 10 to 20 in sight (I tend to exaggerate a bit). On humid or damp nights, I'll see my snails. Two nights ago I counted 16 within a 1' by 3' area just outside my sliding door. Being the curious girl that I am, I began to study them to see where they were hiding during the day. 

There is a huge crack between my patio and house. Many of my snails use this crack as their barracks. Others are fond of the area underneath my deck. Still others were hiding under a cooler and cardboard we had by the house. 

So, the girl that some have claimed may have an army of spiders at her command now has an army of snails. Spiders and snails: unlikely allies in the fight against whatever.

Control

Yes, snails and slugs can be quite problematic for home gardeners. If you've got them in your yard, forget about hostas or strawberries! However, opening up the area they're in to allow air circulation and reduce the moist, damp habitat they require can greatly discourage slugs away from a particular area. Beer or fermented foods make efficient, homemade slug traps (although I'm not a fan of killing anything!).

Discovering Nightshade

While waiting patiently to see everything that was going to emerge in our yard, my roommate and I made a startling discovery around our fence. Beautiful, 4-foot tall stems with gorgeous blue-violet and yellow flowers. Bittersweet nightshade (Solanum dulcamara).

Bittersweet nightshade along my fence.

There's a lot of talk about nightshade and almost everyone has heard the term before. While this isn't belladonna (Atropa belladonna), the plant most commonly referred to as "deadly nightshade," it is still something I don't particularly want in my yard.

If you want to read a little about the differences between the two species, check out this link!

Bittersweet nightshade can reach heights of up to 6' 6" and is often a vining plant. The flowers are more than gorgeous; it's no wonder why the plant is introduced in the U.S. While it's not considered invasive in Indiana, it is in several other states. It's also poisonous to people and animals, although the toxicity of this particular species is often debated.

I haven't gotten around to ripping it out yet -- unfortunately it's not going to be an easy task. Fortunately, however, there isn't too much of it around my yard. A few scraggly vines growing here and there around my fence.

New House, New Fish

In the past two(ish) years I have moved three times. I hate moving, but I love the fact that every move is a new beginning. Instead of being in the Fort Wayne area, I am now a resident of Indianapolis. New home, new fish, that's for sure!

While I grew up in the country, I have spent most of my adult life in a city environment. I hate it, but it's what I can do at the moment. I live with a great couple and am now only 25 minutes from my boyfriend's house (as opposed to a 2 1/2 to 3 hour drive). That part's great! I have tons of neighbors, however, which isn't so great.

While I would love to turn the yard of this house into my dream landscape, I can't. You see, it's a rental. It's not a great rental, but it is in a decent part of town and it is a cute house. However, the yard leaves much to be desired.

Yes, I could spend all of my hard-earned money on landscaping plants; I could go to native swaps and dress up the yard to my liking; I could, I could, I could ... But I'm not. That's too much money and time to spend on a house that someone else owns.

Don't get me wrong, I've planted a few things. Some woodland phlox (Phlox divaricata), some liriope and a pretty yellow carnation plant that I just couldn't resist. I also have plans of transplanting a large peony growing on the east side of my house where nobody can appreciate its gorgeous, deep pink blooms.

I was also pleased to find out that the massive shrub that was growing in our backyard is an overgrown lilac that sends off pale, pinkish-purple flowers. They didn't last long, it seemed the flowers stuck around shorter than even standard lilacs. However, it is a 15' (or so) shrub with beautiful blooming potential and one that will look even more spectacular if I truly decide to give her a haircut (yes, I know, I should have pruned her a couple weeks ago if I was going to do it at all).

Huge wild strawberry patches grow along my fence and the massive pit where an above-ground pool once sat. Unfortunately, I have some nightshade growing along my fence as well. Pics and a post about that to come.

What else have I discovered? Oh, the usual. Little jumping spiders making their ways to my window sills, a few house spiders, one sac spider inside, and a huge army of snails waiting for my command. OK, I doubt they're waiting for my command, but there sure are a lot of them that live between my foundation and the patio.

Back at It!

It's been quite a while since I've posted anything on this blog. For the past two years (OK, quite a bit longer than that, really), my life has been a whirlwind of emotion, change and figuring myself out. I've gone through quite a lot, but I'm anxious to get back at my baby (this blog!). 

Expect some new posts in the near future. I'm excited to share some of my experiences and how this urban fish out of water is (still) adjusting to city life! New bugs, new plants, new problems and new everythings! I temporarily gave up this blog because I had so much on my plate, but I miss it. It was still in its infancy when I left it, so it's time for a new start (I'm all about new starts these days). 

Great Backyard Bird Count 2012

I'm really excited about this event. Are you? What is it? Well, it's pretty self-explanatory. The Great Backyard Bird Count is a 4-day event in which everyone is encouraged to tally up the species of birds they see in their backyard -- or anywhere! The event goes on this year from February 17 - February 20.

Although I'm not really a bird watcher like some, I do enjoy looking at the different species and take notice when I see a new one or one I haven't seen in a while. The Great Backyard Bird Count relies on bird watchers of all ages and skill levels to help determine some pretty important aspects of bird life and the ecosystem.

This is a great family event and wonderful way to get your kids involved in nature, even during the colder months like now!

Here are some things the Great Backyard Bird Count helps determine:

• Did this winter's snow and temperatures affect any populations?
• Were there any irruptive species this year (irruptive species are those which appear in large numbers some years, but not others)?
• Do the migrations of this year compare with years past?
• Are bird diseases affecting various species in different regions?
• What's the diversity differences in rural, urban, suburban and natural areas?
• Are any species in decline?

Pretty cool when you think about it. Science is relying on regular, every-day citizens to help keep track of really important data. 

How Can You Participate?

Participation is easy. Simply set up shop in your yard, or from the comfort of a warm house in front of the window and tally the different species you have in your yard. You should plan for at least 15 minutes of bird watching per day. Once you're done with your bird count, enter your results on the GBBC Submission page here. 

Need Some Resources?

The GBBC site gives you regional bird checklists and tally pages you can print out for easy viewing -- especially if you don't have a field guide or other handy resource. 

Local parks and natural areas across the nation are getting in on the fun, too! See if one of your favorite parks is having an event dedicated to the GBBC! The GBBC website also has a "Local Events Page" here.

Getting to Know: The Coneflower (Echinacea)

Coneflowers are a favorite perennial of many. You often see them in giant clumps of flowers throughout landscapes and even while enjoying a nature hike.

The purple coneflower, Echinacea purpurea, is among the most common and has several different varieties to choose from. The 'Magnus' variety is very common and won the coveted Perennial Plant of the Year Award in 1998. Aside from the purple magnus, the purple coneflower also comes in varieties showing off white, cream-colored, rosy or yellow petals, among many other newer, brighter, more vivid hues.

Most have the tell-tale "coneflower" shape: a cone in the middle surrounded by downward-pointing petals. Some, however, have petals that lay horizontal, almost perpendicular to the cone.

Upcycling What?

Kind of a confusing word. It's almost the opposite of recycling, which takes items and turns them into still usable, yet not as-high-quality products as they were before. Of course, not all recycling turns items into lower-quality items, but a lot of the time, that's what happens.

Upcycling, on the other hand, takes trash and turns it into treasure -- almost quite literally. When you upcycle an item, you turn it into something new that has equal to or greater value than it did before.

Here's an example of an item that is commonly both recycled and upcycled: The plastic bottle.

By now, most everyone recycles their plastic bottles. If you're not, I highly suggest you start doing so. But this product is so common that it has made its way into upcycle projects such as hummingbird feeders and automatic waterers for pets. Plastic bottles also make excellent mini-greenhouses for your seedlings.

Here, I upcycle quite a few things, even if only on the most basic of scales. A lot of what I do could be considered repurposing, which leads to more confusion. Repurposing is taking an item and simply using it as something other than what it was intended for. I repurpose small flower pots into pencil holders, but I upcycle small flower pots into decorative bells and knick-knacks.

Today, I cut off the bottom of a cereal box and decoupaged newspaper scraps all over it. It's going to hang beside my desk as a holder for my specialty markers. I'm going to make a few more when I'm done eating the cereal for note cards, stationery, etc.

Not finished yet, but you get the idea ...

It's all about finding things that you know you can use and using them instead of throwing them out. Another idea I recently saw was turning old feed troughs into garden containers. The picture I saw looked as though the feed troughs were brand new, but what an easy way to add a rustic look to your yard, deck or patio.

I also upcycled a long, rectangular, horizontal box into a vertical shelving unit. I turned old forks and a block of scrap wood into a coat hanger. I turned old forks into curtain holders and jewelry hooks. I could probably go on and on ..

Getting to Know: Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

By now many of us have seen these pesky little stink bugs coming into our homes in late fall and reappearing throughout the winter. I personally like to watch their antics as they crawl about. However, I'm not too fond of invasive species, so I'm at a crossroads when coming upon a straggler within my home.

Fortunately, these bugs don't bite, they don't ruin the insides of your home or anything like that. They're simply winter visitors that just happen to enjoy being warm in the winter. It's what they do outside that's the problem.

Like many of its relatives, the BMSB feeds on a variety of fruits, vegetables, ornamentals and agri-crops. Examples include peaches, pears, apples, raspberries, grapes, beans, peppers, soybeans, corn, redbud, walnut, maples, catalpas, holly, butterfly bush, honeysuckles and roses, just to name a few.

As you can see from the photograph, they have the common "shield" shape that other stink bugs have. However, you will notice the distinguishing characteristics as circles and marked in red.

Controlling the BMSB inside the home is as simple as finding where they are coming in and sealing the hole. Common points of entry include cracks around window frames and doors, exhaust fans, baseboards or chimneys. They may not be the only things getting in; other arthropods could use these same entrances and you may be losing energy to these holes. 

Stinkbug crawling on my phone charger.

Although you can't tell from this picture I snapped with my phone, the BMSB has white stripes on its legs and antennae, along with an almost checkered pattern along its sides.

Outside it's a bit more complicated. As an invasive pest -- it came to PA around 1996 from China or Japan -- it doesn't have the common predators that other stink bugs do; yet like other stink bugs, they will swarm and infest crops. Chemicals are being developed and introduced as a way to help curb the populations, however, that just sounds horrible to me.

For a more detailed photo, check out Rutgers' BMSB page here.

Emerald Ash Borer General Information

By now we've all heard of the emerald ash borer and know that it's bad. But why? Most of us know that these beautiful but extremely devastating insects kill off ash trees in large numbers.

The EAB came to North America during the 1990s, although a specific year is unknown. In 2002, the Detroit and Windsor areas first began reporting ash trees dying off due to the insect. As of now, the EAB is destroying ash trees in the Great Lakes region of lower Michigan, northern Indiana, Ohio, the Chicago area, Maryland and Pennsylvania. (US Forest Service). Other states, including New York, Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin,  and Iowa also have either localized or state-quarantined areas of infestation.

Description:

• Metallic green wings, although sometimes seen as metallic reds and purples
• Cylindrical and linear body shape
• Approximately 1/3- to 3/4-inch long
• Top of abdomen metallic purple or red
• Blunt head
• Larvae are transparent white to creamy white and up to 1-inch long

Plants I'm Considering

Well, we all know I've been excited about planting more natives this year. There are so many to choose from, and the best part is they all will lend greatly to a natural look and habitat.

One of my all-time favorite flowers is the black-eyed susan. There's a couple different varieties, but I think the more common ones will be what we choose. I'm also gonna go a bit crazy with monarda (also known as wild bergamot and bee balm). If you've never had the chance to smell bee balm, it is a wonderfully refreshing scent with characteristic, fun-shaped flowers. Purple and yellow coneflowers will look nice; as mentioned before they are also a favorite food source for more than a few species. Beautiful asters will lend to the fall color, and I absolutely love them! I have a feeling asters will make it into my pressed-flower art and resin casting next year.

To round out the look, I'll probably plant some bluestem, little or big, along with a few prairie roses and sedges.

For shrubs, I'm thinking maybe some arrowwood viburnum and maybe ninebark. Dogwoods also are abundant in Indiana and who doesn't love those?

We will be cutting down our silver maple this year; it's seen the best of its life and is slowly dying and becoming a sad eyesore. We're not sure which tree we're going to plant there, although we were going to go with a bald cypress. Not anymore, considering our pact to only go with native plants. It has to be a tall, shade-giving tree. We have a baby thornless honeylocust growing close to it right now, we may just leave it where it is and skip replanting in the place of the old silver maple.

If you live in Indiana, or even the surrounding region, I urge you to check out Indiana Native Plant & Wildflower Society to get an idea of natives to spruce up your garden!

New Studio Space

Even though my store isn't up right now (I gave my ornaments out as Christmas gifts and I haven't made many presses lately), I'm still crafty.

Shaun and I recently switched studios, so his music studio is in the back bedroom and my art studio/spare room/office is in the front bedroom. This room is smaller, but I like the layout. I have everything squared away where I want it -- well, almost everything. I still have to get Shaun's large metal shelf out of here, but we're waiting until he gets the last section of his new floor painted so we can put it in his room.

Shaun built most of my new hutch/workspace design for me, we still have to build the hutch part and get it painted. I can't wait.

For those who don't know, I dabble in a lot of different crafts. Painting, sketching, resin casting, wood crafts and a few other things. I'm going to start working with watercolor pencils for the first time, and I also have my first oils to start working with as well.

From the door

Workspace area (Huge metal shelf on right will be gone - new work table will be there)

An old dresser works as a great storage center! Painting it is the next task!

New shelf Shaun built for me! Everything is right within grasp of the desk!

Gardening for Wildlife (and Key Features for a Wildlife Garden)

This is the year our landscape will come together and become a safe haven for wildlife of all sorts -- not to mention a relaxation haven for my husband and I along with our dogs. Growing up in rural settings, I'm used to coyotes, opossums, raccoons, groundhogs and deer running around the edges of the property. While I'm not happy in the city, I am content with knowing I can still provide a habitat for smaller wild animals, birds and arthropods in my yard.

My lonely birdbath, cottonwood tree and some of our euonymus. This will
look greatly different (hopefully) by the fall of 2012

While my favorite plant is Russian sage, I'm going to stick with the five I have and not buy any more. There are plenty of native species that will complement the feathery-soft silver foliage and lavender-esque flowers.

My plan is to get a couple of low-growing native shrubs for cover. Maybe a few native junipers will do this for me, and a couple of honeysuckle bushes. I have this grand idea that trumpet flowers or native honeysuckle vines would look gorgeous growing up the exterior chimney and one spot on the back of the house. I might just go crazy with some native coneflowers. Coneflowers are excellent food sources and provide a bounty of color.

Getting Ready for My Natives!

In my last post, I talked about how to take care of your garden and plants during the winter. Yes, it's still winter. Actually, if you live in NE Indiana like me, it's just now winter considering it's been so incredibly mild (today it is back to being mild -- 10 a.m., mid-30s and a mix of sun and clouds).

Although I haven't began sketching out our garden and landscaping plans for this coming year, we have talked about what's going in and what we want in our veggie garden.

We decided (o.k., I decided and told Shaun) that this is the year we are starting with all natives. Yes, we have several non-native species in our yard, and even some euonymus. Luckily, we don't have full-size euonymus (burning bush), we have a more compact variety that grow to about 7 feet tall. I'm not sure of the exact cultivar -- they were here when we bought the house. Euonymus is an invasive species, although the smaller varieties may not be as much of a threat as the large, 20-foot-tall-plus regular variety.

While I can buy my natives at the nursery I work at, I can also dig several species up from the woods that line my parents' property. While I know those woods like the back of my hand, I know that there are a lot of plant species I've taken for granted out there and never really paid attention to.

Not a huge fan of may apples, but those grow in insanely large patches in the woods out there. I'm also pretty sure I've seen some Jacob's ladder. This spring and summer, I plan on looking for some natural coral bells, Jacob's ladder, spiderwort, American honeysuckle, wild roses and wild lilies. There are also several native grasses out there, and I love grasses.

I want my yard to be more natural. I get sick of looking at green lawns. It's not natural. The grasses we plant in our lawns are somewhat invasive and are definitely alien. As you've guessed from my blog, I'm also disgusted by the lack of habitat for wildlife and the general consensus that it's okay as long as the people are happy.

When my yard becomes developed with my native plants, I plan on certifying it with the National Wildlife Federation as a wildlife garden. My neighbors might think I'm insane trying to attract wildlife instead of exclude wildlife, but hey, maybe they should follow suit.

My next posts will be about ideas for my landscape, wildlife gardens and other related information!

Taking Care of Your Garden During the Winter Months

While you may not be thinking of your garden when the temp falls below 32 degrees, you should be -- particularly if you've got young trees and shrubs out in your yard.

Winter is a hard season for a lot of us (although, here in Fort Wayne so far the weather's been pretty enjoyable and mild). It's also hard on your young plants and the wildlife that visits or lives on your property.

Squirrels and other small mammals may start stripping bark from trees -- especially trees with tender bark that easily comes off. Protect your trunks with hardware mesh.

While it may not be snowing a lot here right now, it's only a matter of time. The extra weight of wet snow will easily snap young branches and stems. Tie your stems and branches together -- firmly yet gently -- with plant tape or twine. Tying them together gives less of a surface for the snow to settle on and also adds strength by combining them all together.

The salt that will surely be dumped on the roads to provide safe travel can damage your broadleaf evergreens such as arborvitae. Protect your branches from the harsh salt and other chemicals by covering them with burlap. The salt can burn the leaves and kill off branches.

Meanwhile, enjoy the winter frolicking of birds and squirrels throughout your yard while watching from a window, covered in a blanket, wearing fuzzy slippers and sipping a cup of cocoa ;)

Real Vs Fake: Choosing the Right Christmas Tree

It's that time of year -- and Shaun and I are planning to go pick out our Christmas tree this weekend sometime. A lot of people seem surprised when they find out we prefer real over fake, considering I'm into the environment and preserving ecosystems. This group of people, as it turns out, may not fully understand what goes into the production of real and fake trees.

Final Plantings and Purchasing Plants

Autumn is -- and it's no secret -- the ideal time to plant several types of trees, shrubs and perennials. The question seems to be "how late in the season you can actually plant?" The answer to the question is difficult to answer, although in many parts of the Midwest and around the nation you still have a week or so -- maybe even longer -- to get those plants in the ground.

Spring and fall both offer transplants different benefits. In spring, the benefit is that if you get the plant in early enough, it will become better established before hot, long summers. This is important for young plants especially. In fall, the plants are put in the ground just before they go dormant for the winter. The benefit here is that the plant can become somewhat established in the ground and have a nice, long winter nap before its glory is displayed in the spring.

When planting this fall, remember to make sure your plant has plenty of its needed nutrients so that it has a better chance of surviving a harsh winter. For young, tender roots, consider mulching around the base of the plant to help shield them from the elements. You also get lucky this time of year with mulch -- use raked or mulched leaves. For small, tender plants, you can also put a cage around them and fill the cage with leaves or straw. Tomato cages are ideal for this.

Changes of Fall: What's Going on in Nature and Home Improvement Tips

Fall is a wonderful time of the year that brings so many changes many people overlook. While many see spring as the "new beginning," autumn plays an important role in making sure that that "new beginning" is as spectacular as it should be.

Along with the cooler winds and changing of the leaves, a quick look around will show you much more going on in nature. The squirrels provide a brief, yet amusing, snapshot into what's going on. As they frantically run around and chase each other, they're also gathering supplies for the winter. Hidden morsels carefully tucked away in secret locations need to be reclaimed from the ground. These guys need some fat and protein to survive this winter when food is scarce and temperatures take their drastic drop.

Autumn's Gift of Craftiness

This year has been a magnificent year so far for color change. After our wet, cold spring that jumped directly into a hot, dry, drought of a summer, fall has brought with it some much needed rain and now a beautiful dash of sunlight and warmth.

As someone who truly enjoys nature and the gifts it offers, I've begun collecting some fall leaves and blooms for my presses. These intriguing purples, yellows, oranges and reds have given me the opportunity to create some beautiful pieces.

I've made some beautiful ornaments and have quite the pile of unused frames at my disposal for arrangements. I must admit though, I've been preoccupied with my crafts and not so much on my writing. Sometimes it seems so hard to find the perfect balance.

For right now, though, I'll keep trying to find that balance while I'm also collecting for my presses.

Coming in for the Autumn ... What to Know About Different Creatures

As the warmth of this summer drifts into the past and the cool and crisp autumn winds bring changes, you'll probably be seeing a lot more activity of the many-legged kind inside and around your home.

Several arthropods (and even some mammals) may try to use your home as an escape from the pending winter. While many insects and arthropods die off in the fall, others overwinter to start new populations in the spring. Lucky for you, control is natural, cost effective and can ultimately save you from the sight of various creatures!

Oh! The Joys of Harvest

There's nothing better than a salad made from vegetables picked straight from the garden. It's one of my favorite summer meals and snacks -- the freshness of the veggies makes for a delightful and colorful meal. While this summer I've used various vegetables from other people's gardens (my dad's and farmer's markets, to be exact), I am never dissatisfied by the way it tastes.

With our 12 tomato plants Shaun and I have in our garden this year, we've only picked 4 or 5 so far -- but have many that are ripening at the same speed (anyone else have the word "salsa" come to mind?). Being the disorganized person that I am, I forgot to mark all my plants with which varieties they are so I'm "eating blind." The tomatoes we've had thus far are nice and sweet, juicy and kind of small.