Burdock & Ladybugs

Another reason I like burdock is that it supports a lot of insects. A week ago, I noticed that seemingly overnight, the undersides of the flower clusters had been swarmed by hundreds of aphids. I pulled out the hose and blasted a bunch of them off with a few quick squirts, but that only thins them out, it never gets ’em all, so I was very pleased to find a couple of ladybugs crawling around on it the next day. Although they’re cute, I know they’re fiends for aphids.

And even better, by the end of the week I was seeing ladybug larvae crawling around, clearing out the lingering aphids. A few days later, I can no longer find any aphids at all.

Donation Appreciation

While I am generally happy to provide the limited funds needed to cover the garden’s operations, neighbors do occasionally donate supplies, for which I am very grateful.

My thanks go out to the following for items received this spring:

  • Peter Arndtsen for his gift of two young evergreens and numerous cuttings.
  • A couple in 217 W 106th who provided dozens of flower starts and two large bags of potting soil.
  • Someone who had discarded a metal “grow” sign which I rescued from the garbage and attached to one of the treebeds.
  • An anonymous donor who left three hanging baskets on the steps this morning. [Update: I got the backstory on these after the fact; a neighbor collected these from a scrap heap after another garden decided they had ordered more than they needed.]