Fall gardening

[redbird]

The annual block party for my block (and a few people from nearby blocks) was Saturday. It was a nice low-key thing, potluck food, conversation, and children running around. Two different neighbors asked if they could have seedpods from our milkweed plants*. We said sure, and I suggested to one of them that she take it right then, but cattitude said it would be better to let the seedpods dry first.

However, yesterday morning we noticed a seedpod had split open and the seeds were drifting on the wind. So, after I took the trash downstairs yesterday and moved the bins to the sidewalk, I picked up two seedpods and went to call on those neighbors. The one right across the street wasn't home, and I left a seedpod on the edge of their grill, next to an unopened can of soda. Then I went down the street, rang the bell, and got an "aren't you sweet" thank you for the seeds. I am considering whether I want to deliberately plant milkweed in the back yard, or just let it sprout wherever the seeds land.

I mentioned this to rysmiel, who said they hadn't heard of milkweed being something people actively want. The plants aren't very attractive to humans, but they're what monarch caterpillars eat; monarchs are attractive, interesting, and suffering serious population decline due at least in part to habitat loss. This is part of gardening for wildlife, a bit more actively than leaving the volunteer pokeweed because birds like the berries.

Today I stopped at Pemberton Farms to get some lettuce for dinner, and noticed they had six-packs of lettuce and kale plants in the garden center part of the store. I talked to the woman behind the counter, and told her I don't know the local seasons yet and had no idea when the first freeze was likely. She said that one of the few advantages of New England for gardening is you can grow cool-season crops twice a year.

So I bought some lettuce seedlings, brought them home, and did a bunch of weeding to make room in the front garden for the lettuce. I talked to at least three people while I was doing so, including 42itous and a passing child who asked what I was planting, then said it looked like lettuce, and when I agreed expressed approval. Best case, I will get some really fresh lettuce; worst case, it cost me $3.50 and less than an hour's work, including some extra weeding elsewhere in the yard.



*our meaning they are growing in front of our house; the landlady planted them last fall, I think.

Comments

[alatefeline]

Awesome!

milkweed

[bibliofile]

Is Montreal not on the migration path for monarchs? I know they tend to congregate at the southernmost point in Ontario, but that's the other end of the (very large) province.

Then again, I live in a town with very eco-hippie tendencies, so my knowing people who plant milkweed on purpose isn't too surprising.

Oooh, fall lettuce. I'm always a bit sad when the farmers markets carry less lettuce, when other things are ready for harvest. It's all so good.

Re: milkweed

[redbird]

It might be on the migration path; rysmiel isn't much of a garden person, beyond watering the plants on the balcony (chosen and I think planted by (papersky, largely herbs she can use in the kitchen).

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

I shall also tell Rysmiel about my attempts to foster milkweed.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Green but late-season milkweed pods have matured enough that they can finish maturing on the shelf in the garage (where I do it) or similar place. They don't have to dry until brown on the plant to produce viable seeds. You can also plant them in the spring.

K.

[amaebi.livejournal.com]

I am a fool for milkweed, and they look swell to me. Balls of stars for flowers! Thick, glaucous green leaves!

When I was a kid I spent three summer largely wandering a lot-size field of milkweed, enjoying an amazing, buzzing microverse of butterflies, moths, skippers, beetles, bugs, bees, wasps, formics, and of course caterpillars.