Greetings from Earthen,

 

August marks the early signs of fall, signaling it's time to prepare our gardens for the changing season. There are lots of foraging opportunities this month, with blackberries, elderberries, and wild plums ripe and ready for snacking. 

 

?A little Gardening Advice

Consider planting cover crops(!) like clover to fix nitrogen in the soil, improving fertility and also prevent erosion. 

Watch for heat or drought stress in your plants, signs like wilting leaves, brown tips, scorched edges.

Reduce watering gradually when temperatures begin to cool to help plants adjust and prevent overwatering.

Shape the overgrown shrubs and trees to promote healthy growth before dormancy. Extend blooms like coneflowers and black-eyed Susans by removing spent blooms. When deadheading maybe save some seeds so you'll have a devoted following of flowers hitching a ride to your garden's show next year. 

 

?The Full Sturgeon Moon is on August 19, 2024 and it gets its name from the abundant sturgeon in the Great Lakes and nearby waters. For many Indigenous communities, this moon carries a deep cultural significance, symbolizing abundance and harmony with nature. ?The Perseid Meteor Shower's peak dates are the 11th–13th. Hoping for clear skies!

 

?Botanical Spotlight: Showy Milkweed | Asclepias speciosa

Showy Milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) is an essential addition to any pollinator-friendly garden, especially in Central Oregon’s climate. Its velvety, gray-green leaves provide a soft texture that pairs beautifully with structural native plants like yarrow and lupine, creating a naturalistic and visually appealing landscape.

This hardy, low-maintenance plant thrives in dry conditions and supports biodiversity in multiple ways. Its nectar-rich flowers attract a variety of pollinators, including honey bees and butterflies, while its foliage serves as a critical host for monarch butterfly caterpillars. Once established, Showy Milkweed can spread via runners, so it's best suited for areas where it won't overpower other plants.

 

Monarch butterflies begin their remarkable southward migration in late August. To support their epic journey, plant Showy Milkweed alongside late-blooming nectar sources like goldenrod, asters, and sunflowers, which provide essential nourishment along the way. Avoid tropical milkweed (Asclepias curassavica), as it can disrupt monarch migration patterns and contribute to disease spread.

 

By incorporating native Showy Milkweed into your garden, you not only create a visually stunning landscape but also play a vital role in conserving pollinators and supporting monarch populations during their incredible migration.

 

Hope your Summer is blooming in full!

 

Stay Grounded,

Mike