A New Month

I welcomed the cooler temperatures (mid-70sº) that were a start to August. I got outside and tackled the grass and weeds that overtook the flowerbed. I'm still feeling the muscles that I use only for pulling weeds, but it was worth it.

I didn't get everything, but seeing dirt around the plants is so much better than seeing grass, creeping jenny, thistles, and whatever else I pulled. 

It is rather sad that not many plants are blooming. Usually, the Columbine flowers all summer for me. The numerous cone flowers did not survive the winter, so I am missing all those colors.

The milkweed plants have started to take over the flower bed. I did attack some of the smaller ones, but when I noticed the eggs on the leaves, I got excited!

Lots and lots of eggs on the underside of the same leaf.

And a few eggs on the leaf of another milkweed. The three milkweeds are growing behind the peony plant.

The black-eyed Susan is doing well. I attempted to remove the wild rose plants (3 of them) that invaded that end of the flower bed. Dang, they have deep roots! I also destroyed the rhubarb plant as it just doesn't do well in that location. Besides, my DIL has a huge rhubarb plant that I help control in the summer. 

    

Not sure where that little yellow flower is coming from. I know it is not a weed, so it can stay.

The Icelandic poppy keeps producing flowers. That was an excellent buy earlier this summer! That is a Virginia Groundcherry behind the poppy. It needs to be removed as it is taking up more ground space than I am willing to give it. I did not plant it. 

Now to the cucumbers...

This is the only flowering plant I had on the deck this summer. I have come to the conclusion that I need more flowers, or there will be no cucumbers. I did see a big fat bumblebee flitting around the cucumber bed while I was resting on the deck from the weeding. 

Another cucumber possibility...

I had trouble finding the one that looks like it will actually be a viable cucumber for a salad later this week. (It is still there Ruth!)

I really need to add more wire for the cukes to climb!  I really do trim the plants, too! See all those yellow flowers!

I really like the balloon flower. It will go in the flower bed this fall.

I don't think the one flowering plant was enough to attract the bees and other insects for pollination. So...

I added this planter of colorful zinnias. Only Lowes and Home Depot have any flowering plants. Neither has much of a sale on the plants that are still on their shelves and racks.

I think these two pots were also labeled zinnias. I put them in a bigger pot and placed them right in the cucumber bed. Come on bees! 

Lesson learned this summer. IF I continue to put cucumbers in the raised bed by the deck, I must have flowers on the deck to attract the pollinators!