Rain helps the garden grow, unless it floods

Flowers alright after the flood except for delphiniums.

After the flash flooding Thursday night, I went out to assess the damage and was relieved to find only broken delphiniums. The creek had risen over our driveway and the pond was flooded but today everything is back in its place.
There is a chance of rain every day for the next week.
Today and tonight calls for isolated thunderstorms.
Tomorrow is predicted to be partly cloudy with 20 percent chance of rain, then isolated and scattered thunderstorms on Monday and Tuesday. It is so wet this year.

The broccoli is ready, the peas will be soon.

If it doesn't rain too much, I may be able to weed tomorrow. It's pretty muddy out there now. (excuses, excuses, I should wear boots and get it done. The weeds are starting to overtake the plants.)

Celery is ready to pick and peas are really close.

Farmers markets sprout up with fresh produce

 Oakland County has two dozen farmers markets and most of them are now open for the season. Farmers markets have become more than a place to buy fresh produce and plants. Many offer meals, new products, music and entertainment. In Oakland County, there is a farmers market on every day of the week except Monday. Here is a link to The Oakland Press with a list of  Oakland County farmers markets

Ortonville hosts farmers market in the park, Friday nights

Picking flowers for the garden

My husband and I decided Sunday morning that we needed a tree or shrub for the rock garden. Well, $230 later, we came home with flowers and a Wisteria tree... and that was holding back. Landscaping is expensive. I had looked at the rock garden, thought about the facts: direct sunlight, well-drained mostly and deer pass through freely.
For deer resistant flowers, http://gardentogarden.blogspot.com/2013/03/plants-that-deer-dont-eat-as-much.html
That limited the choices, but not enough, it was still hard to decide. I had also measured the garden by walking its 30 foot crescent span.
We started this rock garden 5 years ago, then ran out of funds and energy. This is the first year that we have seriously planted in it. Initially, we planted the purple irises which come up every year. We planted Tiger Lilies and Hostas, (which the deer enjoyed). There are still a few lilies in there. We had planned on making it a waterfall... maybe next year.
The flowers we bought at Bordines and Wojos and planted Sunday are: (from left) Delphinium, Echinacea, Shasta Daisy, Lavendar, Red Salvia and Evening Primrose in the foreground.
I planted, then moved the flowers around, grouped them together, then dug a few up and moved them again. It is precarious standing on edge of the front of the garden and I couldn't seem to get the plants spaced very well, trying to watch my step.
There's still a lot of empty space that needs to get filled before the weeds reclaim it.
Years ago, we had put gray weed block material down. By the way, that stuff doesn't work very well.
Now I remember why we let this project go to the wayside. It is a constant source of work that is never finished. But it is still pretty, even when incomplete. I need to pull the weeds from the pool, although they are kind of pretty in there. Yeh, that's part of the uh, landscaping.

Compost is available at SOCRRA in Rochester Hills

Oakland County residents have a source for screened and cured garden compost. SOCRRA Community Partners in Recycling & Waste offers residents of South Oakland County member communities free compost — if they shovel their own. It is $5 for residents of other communities. The compost is made from grass, leaves, woodchips and other yard waste and food scraps collected from SOCRRA communities. For larger quantities loaded by SOCRRA bucket loader, a charge of $5 per cubic yard with a $15 minimum applies. It is available, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday to Friday and 8 a.m. to noon, Saturday in June at SOCRRA’s Yard Waste Compost Site is at 1741 School Road in Rochester Hills.
Some communities have compost available for residents at their Department of Public Works yard.
For more information visit www.socrra.org/, find SOCRRA on Facebook or call 248-288-5150.

Oakland County offers mosquito reduction advice

Mosquitoes are in good supply this year, mostly due to the abundance of rain we've received. (Remember that's a good thing for the plants.)
Along with reducing mosquito habitat, there are a number of natural products that can help protect people from bites. I haven't tried any, but am looking into it.
Here's an organic bug repellent with rosemary oil, cinnamon leaf oil, lemongrass oil and geraniol: ecosmart.com/shop/individual-products/insect-repellent.html

Herbal Bug-X from North American Herb & Spice is a non-toxic spray that repels bugs using a mix of wild oregano oil, bay leaf oil, lavendar oil and oil of basil. northamericanherbandspice.com/

The Oakland County Health Division (OCHD) offers tips to help keep mosquito populations low to help reduce the risk of West Nile Virus (WNV) and other mosquito-borne diseases.
· Eliminate mosquito breeding sites around your home. Empty standing water from flower pots, pet bowls, clogged rain gutters, swimming pool covers, old tires, buckets, barrels, cans, and similar items where mosquitoes can lay eggs.
· Apply insect repellents that contain the active ingredient DEET, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or other EPA-approved ingredient to exposed skin or clothing, always following the manufacturer's directions for use.
· Avoid shaded and wooded areas where mosquitoes may be present.
· Wear long-sleeve shirts, long pants, socks and shoes when outdoors.
· Limit outdoor activity between dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.
· Maintain window and door screens to keep mosquitoes outside.
· Report a sick or dead bird, or mammal, at the State of Michigan Emerging Disease Issues webpage, michigan.gov/emergingdiseases. Select West Nile Virus, then How to Report a Dead Bird or Mammal.
“It can take less than 10 days for mosquito eggs to develop into adult mosquitoes,” said Kathy Forzley, manager/health officer of OCHD.

West Nile Virus (WNV) is a virus spread to humans through the bite of a mosquito that is infected with WNV after biting a bird that carries the virus. Most people infected with WNV have either no symptoms or experience a mild illness such as fever, headache and body aches. However, in some individuals, mostly the elderly, a much more serious disease affecting the brain tissue can develop. For more information, visit the Oakland County Health Division.

Clarkston plant exchange is Saturday

The Clarkston Farm and Garden Club annual plant exchange is Saturday, June 1 beginning at 8:30 a.m. Gardeners can find a variety of plants at no cost while exchanging plants from their own gardens. Gardeners should pot and label their plants to trade and take to the Village Parking Lot at Main and Washington Street in Clarkston.
For more information, visit www.clarkstongardenclub.org/ or call 248 620 2984.