What's looking good in September 2017

[alp]

@Larisa But too many have been stubborn to me!

 

[MaryMary]

I swear I thought of your phalaenopsis this morning! I thought - when will he appear in this thread?

I heard you!! I'm psychotic psychic like that.

What a wonderful phalaenopsis! Such an unusual color!

I wish I had a better camera!! There's a yellowy color that mine just doesn't pick up as well, and deep in the center there is the "leopard spotting" I see in the pictures of your orchids.

Trying to get a little closer... and look!! A tiny, tiny bud!!

Soon the yellow leaves outside the window?

Oh, you bite your tongue!! But yes. Weather's crazy. One year, it got so cold so fast, they didn't have time to change color! Seemed like one day they were green, then the next day, Whump!! They all just fell off!!

 

[Larisa]

A tiny, tiny bud!!

This is not a simple bud. This is his chance to look good in October!

 

[zigs]

 

[zigs]

 

[Beverly]

Wow, beautiful @zigs

 

[MaryMary]

A couple zinnias.

A few more on the way, but they'd better hurry!!
Nighttime temps in the upper 40s and mid 50s. Goodbye, Summer!!

 

[Beverly]

The Jatropha integerrima (Spicy Jatropha) has almost doubled in size in the last 3 months

 

[zigs]

Larissa's Sunflower has opened

 

[Larisa]

@zigs What a charming and cute sunflower! Like me.

@Beverly This Jatropha does not form a caudex?

Goodbye, Summer!!

Yes, @MaryMary , I had to cut the flowers from begonia and throw it into the compost to prepare the tuber for the winter.

Marigold.

Apples are few.

But a lot of pears. Aroma in the whole garden!

 

[Beverly]

Beautiful @Larisa Love the marigolds.

There are a few species of Jatropha that do not form caudex like the integerrima, multifida, and curcas and maybe more that i do not know about.

 

[zigs]

Pub flowers

 

[JBtheExplorer]

Autumn nectar sources are important to Monarchs in migration, but also to all sorts of pollinators that are slowly running out of food options before winter sets in.

One of the best autumn nectar sources is New England Aster. It's one of the Monarch's favorites. I've seen a dozen Monarchs on a single plant in the past, and that's why I added it to my native garden. I had about 6 last year, and then I heavily seeded more over winter and now I have a ton of them. They grow great from seed, which means it'll definitely be one of the main plant species I sell on my plant stand next spring.

I've read that goldenrod supports more pollinators than just about any other type of native plant. Most goldenrods are super aggressive, but Stiff Goldenrod is less aggressive and better looking (in my opinion). The leaves are very smooth. This is a small one that I didn't even know existed, and it's the first to bloom.

Sneezeweed is an attractive flower, even more so considering it blooms in a time of year where most everything else is fading away.

Lastly is Mexican Sunflower. One of the only non-native species I grow because of its importance to local wildlife. It's also a native that has to be planted every season, which means I don't have to worry about it escaping into the wild as other non-natives do. This time of year, it's frequently visited by migrating Ruby-throated Hummingbirds as well as Monarchs. I saw this Painted Lady on it this morning, and I also frequently see Eastern Tiger Swallowtails visiting it.

 

[MaryMary]

A few more on the way, but they'd better hurry!!

They hurried!!

I love this orange.

 

[MaryMary]

I got a new guppy for the tank and his tail is so pretty, I just have to show you!!

It's easier to take their picture while they are still in the bag from the shop; they have less room to swim away...