Thank you so much for your channel! We moved to Portsmouth, VA last year and saw no butterflies or bees! We thought it was because this city sprays for mosquitoes, but after discovering native gardening this summer, we realized that most yards in our neighborhood are green…no flowers and nothing native! We planted a few natives and we have been blown away at the pollinator activity in our yard in just a few months!!! We are hooked and are currently switching out non-natives and telling anyone who will listen!🤣Thank you so much for the inspiration and wealth of plant information! I’m constantly pausing the video to research what is native in my area! Thanks again and happy gardening!
Same experience with Monarchs this year. They were around and we saw eggs, and even had a good number of them early. But after a couple instars they'd all be gone. We know we had a couple hatch out but we found far fewer chrysalises. My best guess is predation - and we did see what seemed to me to be an exceptionally large number of predatory wasps. Important to have them around too, so my only plan is to expand and add more plant diversity, and hope for more caterpillars.
Try what I do Nathan. Down here in Florida we have plenty of predator wasps. I take long lengths of Organza fabric, cut to the proper length to cover the asclepias plant the caterpillars are on, and drape it over. The fabric is see-through, breathable, allows in rain...but keeps out all pests. It does not in any way interfere with the cats.
Amazing. I have a sloped, shady lot and I’m trying to find shade loving plants. What are your thoughts? Also wanting to transplant inkberry holly, and hazelnut. Have you had much experience with those?
Have you tried tasting the fruit? I have over 30 species of passiflora, and of them all (including the 2 commercial varieties) my husband prefers this fruit to them all. It works out well for me too, he cleans the seeds of the fruit :) Down here, the Gulf Fritillary and Zebra Longwing butterflies pick this as their favorite passion to lay their eggs on. Beautiful specimens you have, btw.
@@Jem544 The fruit will stay green when ripe. You have to use a weight (growing heavier) in your hand (fruit still attached) and the "feel" of the beginning of hollowness (imagine fruit dislodging from sides of fruit-walls) to judge ripeness. I hope you enjoy them as much as my hubby does. :) BTW, I am envious of your garden. So many of your plants won't do well down here, I miss them from the days of being in Cincinnatti.
I bought Passionvine seeds to grow and replace the non-native Clematis, which feeds no pollinators at least in my garden. Do you have a Wahoo tree? I love love your garden! Kudos. I thought I had a lot of Honeybees, and it turned out they were Common Drone Flies. They look a lot alike.
Thanks for the comment. I think the wahoo tree is the same as the native burning bush. I have 2 of them. Thanks for the compliment. God's choice too for replacing the non native clematis.
I have a winterberry but don't get to see the berries for very long because the birds eat them so quickly! I hope you have better luck with them staying on the bushes longer.
I enjoyed your garden tour. I was glad to see your American Elm. They are huge trees aren’t they?
Thanks for the comment. İt will become very large but probably not in my lifetime...lol
Thank you so much for your channel! We moved to Portsmouth, VA last year and saw no butterflies or bees! We thought it was because this city sprays for mosquitoes, but after discovering native gardening this summer, we realized that most yards in our neighborhood are green…no flowers and nothing native! We planted a few natives and we have been blown away at the pollinator activity in our yard in just a few months!!! We are hooked and are currently switching out non-natives and telling anyone who will listen!🤣Thank you so much for the inspiration and wealth of plant information! I’m constantly pausing the video to research what is native in my area! Thanks again and happy gardening!
Thanks for the comment 🙂. That's an awesome story, thanks for sharing!
Amazing garden!!
Thank you so much!
Just wanted to say this is awesome! Thanks for the inspiration.
Thanks for the comment ☺️ I appreciate it
Same experience with Monarchs this year. They were around and we saw eggs, and even had a good number of them early. But after a couple instars they'd all be gone. We know we had a couple hatch out but we found far fewer chrysalises. My best guess is predation - and we did see what seemed to me to be an exceptionally large number of predatory wasps. Important to have them around too, so my only plan is to expand and add more plant diversity, and hope for more caterpillars.
Thanks for the comment. Hopefully, this upcoming year will be better for us both.
Try what I do Nathan. Down here in Florida we have plenty of predator wasps. I take long lengths of Organza fabric, cut to the proper length to cover the asclepias plant the caterpillars are on, and drape it over. The fabric is see-through, breathable, allows in rain...but keeps out all pests.
It does not in any way interfere with the cats.
Amazing. I have a sloped, shady lot and I’m trying to find shade loving plants. What are your thoughts? Also wanting to transplant inkberry holly, and hazelnut. Have you had much experience with those?
Have you tried tasting the fruit? I have over 30 species of passiflora, and of them all (including the 2 commercial varieties) my husband prefers this fruit to them all. It works out well for me too, he cleans the seeds of the fruit :)
Down here, the Gulf Fritillary and Zebra Longwing butterflies pick this as their favorite passion to lay their eggs on.
Beautiful specimens you have, btw.
Thanks. I haven't tasted one yet but hopefully this next summer one will ripen for me.
@@Jem544 The fruit will stay green when ripe. You have to use a weight (growing heavier) in your hand (fruit still attached) and the "feel" of the beginning of hollowness (imagine fruit dislodging from sides of fruit-walls) to judge ripeness. I hope you enjoy them as much as my hubby does. :)
BTW, I am envious of your garden. So many of your plants won't do well down here, I miss them from the days of being in Cincinnatti.
Great native plantings! Gives me something to aspire to!
Thanks for the comment. I appreciate it
Amazing garden. Great information.
Thank you so much! I appreciate it.
I bought Passionvine seeds to grow and replace the non-native Clematis, which feeds no pollinators at least in my garden. Do you have a Wahoo tree? I love love your garden! Kudos. I thought I had a lot of Honeybees, and it turned out they were Common Drone Flies. They look a lot alike.
Thanks for the comment. I think the wahoo tree is the same as the native burning bush. I have 2 of them. Thanks for the compliment. God's choice too for replacing the non native clematis.
I have a winterberry but don't get to see the berries for very long because the birds eat them so quickly! I hope you have better luck with them staying on the bushes longer.
Hi. I had a lot of blue birds eating them last year which was great to see. Thanks for the comment ☺️