Flea Beetle

July 17, 2026

Several days ago, I mentioned my battle with insects in our garden and flower beds. I have overcome the squash bugs (Anasa tristis) this year, but the vines rotted before I got much fruit. I only found a few bugs on my squash, but I finally located squash vine borer moths (Melittia cucurbitae) on my sunflowers. The vine borers lay their eggs on the underside of leaves and when the larva hatches, they bore into the vines and can cause them to rot. That seems to be the clear case for my squash (genus, Cucurbita), but it did not account for the pitting I saw on the red amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus) leaves in the bed. I have been checking the plants daily for any moths and the underside of the leaves for eggs, capturing the moths (if possible) and scrapping the eggs off the leaves. If the leaves have already been discolored, I am cutting them from the plant. My close early morning inspections proved fruitful today as I spied another beetle on one of my sunflower leaves. When I checked it was identified as a pigweed flea beetle.

When I went online, I found the pigweed flea beetle (Disonycha glabrata) is a species of striped flea beetle in the family Chrysomelidae. This small, striped leaf beetle is known for skeletonizing plants in the Amaranth family (like it did mine). Plants in the amaranth family may be called pigweeds because they were/are used to feed pigs. The flea beetle is active in gardens and fields during the summer, chewing tiny round holes and laying eggs on the leaves. The larvae spend their first 13.5 days in the soil before crawling out as adults. The Pigweed Flea Beetle has a red and black head. The red, shield-like part on an insect’s body (pronotum) has a black dot in the center, or may have three black dots, depending on the individual. The black wing coverings (elytra) have four yellow lines on them, with the two on the left connecting at the bottom as do the two on the right. Antennae are black, and legs are red and black. Other members of the same genus have a similar appearance, but the width, color, and number of the lines on the elytra differ between them.

The pigweed flea beetle is active from late spring through autumn and is not considered a significant pest in a backyard garden. That is unless you are trying to grow red amaranths. It is best to use a multi-step approach to control and manage infestation. Start by placing fine Floating Row Covers over young plants immediately after planting to block access. Once plants are established, spray them with organic Spinosad or Neem Oil. These sprays must be applied in the early morning or evening and directly contact the beetles to be effective. While Neem Oil is considered organic, spraying in the evening eliminates possible contact with the pollinators who would also be harmed by the oils. Flea beetles are highly attracted to plants like radishes or hemp and planting these near your valuable crops creates sacrificial targets that can be easily treated or vacuumed. Flea beetles locate food by smell and interplanting strongly scented herbs like mint (Family, Lamiaceae), basil (Ocimum basilicum), or catnip (Nepeta cataria) can confuse the pests. This would also make our neighborhood cats happy. Tilling the soil in the fall and removing garden debris helps destroy overwintering adults and larvae hidden in the topsoil.

THOUGHTS: Finding the pigweed flea beetle solved another riddle from my garden. Last year it was the pock marked squash leaves (squash beetle), and this year it was the rotted vines (squash vine borer) and skeletonized amaranth (flea beetle). I have found knowing the cause does not resolve the problem. You also need to take appropriate (and specific) action. This is where listening to science and experts can be invaluable. Otherwise, you risk wasting time and money, and sometimes your integrity. Act for all. Change will come and it starts with you.

Squash Vine Borer

July 14, 2026

For the last three years I have waged a battle with squash bugs (Anasa tristis). While I found a few individuals on my squash (genus, Cucurbita) this year, they have not been abundant and when I do see one I remove and dispatch it. Even so, every one of my squash plants died early. The cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) are thriving, but they were planted late and after the squash were gone. Squash bugs feed by piercing the leaves and stems to suck out plant sap, causing foliage to develop speckled yellow spots before turning brown and dying. I was still finding my leaves riddled with holes, but what led to the squash demise was the vine above the roots disintegrated. This seemed a different culprit than what I faced in the past. I attributed this to the cool and wet weather we had this spring leading to vine rot. I have similar leaf problems in the sunflower bed to the north and every one of the red amaranths (Amaranthus cruentus) are riddled with bite holes. While watering yesterday I noticed what looked like small beetles on the leaves of several of the sunflowers (Helianthus annuus). When I tried to remove them, they “jumped” to the other side of the leaf. Then one of them flew off. I was looking at a squash vine borer infestation.

When I went online, I found squash bugs and squash vine borers (the “moth” pest) are two distinct cucurbit (cucumbers, squash, melons, and pumpkins) pests. Squash bugs are “true bugs” (flat, dark gray/brown, resembling stink bugs) that suck plant sap while squash vine borers are daytime-flying moths whose caterpillars burrow into stems and kill vines from the inside. The squash vine borer (Melittia cucurbitae) is a daytime (diurnal) species of clear wing (sesiid) moth often mistaken for a bee or wasp because of its movements and the bright orange hind leg scales. Females typically lay their eggs at the base of leaf stalks, and the caterpillars develop and feed inside the stalk, eventually killing the leaf. They soon migrate to the main stem, and with enough feeding damage to the stem, the entire plant may die. The moth is considered a pest as it attacks cultivated varieties of genus Cucurbita (squash, zucchini, pumpkin, and acorn squash). The squash vine borer is native to North America, with some reports as far south as Brazil and Argentina. It lives in most temperate North American states, except the Pacific coast. Southern states have two broods a year (lucky for us).

Pesticides are ineffective to control squash vine borers once the larva gets inside the plant, and since the north bed is meant for pollinators, cannot be used as they would kill what I am trying to feed. I have been trying to catch and dispatch anything I see, but they are fast. An organic control is to inject BT (Bacillus thuringiensis) bacteria into the base of the stem using a syringe to kill the larvae. The injection should be done after the first flowers start to show and again after a few weeks. This method is quite manual and is only useful to small-scale or home gardeners (and too much work for me). You can wrap the lower stem with nylon stockings or aluminum foil to prevent egg laying, which generally occurs within a couple of inches from the point where the stem emerges from the soil. Some gardeners place a yellow bowl filled with water and a drop of liquid dish soap to attract and drown the adult pest. This method provides feedback on the level of infestation and along with daily checking the plants for eggs is popular with organic gardeners. Now I need a yellow bowl.

THOUGHTS: I try and be conscientious about organic farming on my vegetables, but the squash vine borer is testing my limits. Perhaps it is a good thing that most pesticides are ineffective on the insects. I realize I am feeding some insects even as I try to eliminate others. The same is true as I grow weeds (wildflowers) even as I pull others from my beds. Humans tend to make similar decisions with the people they cooperate with. Act for all. Change will come and it starts with you.

Mason

June 21, 2026

I have mentioned our two flower beds dedicated to wildflowers. The one on the north side of the house has sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) and cone flowers (Family, Asteraceae), while the east bed has a self-propagating mix of wildflowers (the package literally said, “wildflower mix”). These beds attract a variety of bees (Clade, Anthophila) and butterflies (Family, lepidopteran). Attached to one of my browsers was an ad asking for my support for local pollinators. The ad described how honeybees do little of the pollination for gardens and orchards. Honeybees (genus, Apis) produce honey, which along with their brightly colored yellow and black bodies make them attractive. They also form colonies (hives) that are often located around orchards or even transported as rentals for pollination. What I did not know until I opened this ad was that 90% of pollination is performed by a solitary bee known collectively as mason bees.

When I went online, I found a mason bee refers to bees in the genus Osmia (Family, Megachilidae) who derive their name from the habit of using mud or other “masonry” products in constructing their nests. These nests are made in naturally occurring gaps such as cracks in stones or other small dark cavities. Some species preferentially use hollow stems or holes in wood made by wood-boring insects. Over 300 species are found across the Northern Hemisphere, but most occur in temperate habitats of Europe and Asia (Palearctic) and North America (Nearctic) and are active from spring through late summer. Osmia species are frequently metallic green or blue, although many are blackish and at least one is rust-red. Most have black ventral masses of black hairs on their hind legs (scopae) which are difficult to notice unless laden with pollen. Two species of the genus, the orchard mason bee (Osmia lignaria) and the blueberry bee (Osmia ribifloris), are native to the Americas, although the orchard mason have been moved from their native ranges for commercial purposes.

If you want to make your garden an inviting and safe space for the mason and other solitary bees, avoid cute, shallow decorative models. Instead look for removable paper or cardboard tubes or wood laminate trays. If bees nest in drilled in solid blocks, the house becomes a trap for diseases and mites after a single season. The holes should be exactly 5/16-inch (8 mm) in diameter and at least 6 inches (15 cm) deep. If the holes are too wide, bees cannot build secure mud partitions. If the hole is too shallow, the female bees may only produce male eggs. Solitary bees are sensitive to chemicals, so choose natural, untreated, or wood like cedar or pine. Choose a sloped or overhanging roof (metal) to prevent rain from rotting the tubes, and a wire mesh on the front to deter woodpeckers. The house should face southeast or east to receive early morning sun to warm the bees, encouraging them to start pollinating. The house should be attached to a solid surface about 5 feet (1.5 m) above the ground. I ordered one and got another for my grandchildren to enjoy, as well as the bees.

THOUGHTS: The mason bee house in the ad told of a 70-year-old man retiring after 50 years and this would be his last bee houses. The ad pointed out the advantages of purchasing this house and its superiority over the commercial houses online or in stores. It also said there were only 200 houses left. I generally look elsewhere online to see if the “steals” offered by such sites are real and how they compare with other prices. I had a red flag at “200 remaining” at a cost of “only US$69”. My search pulled up a reference to possible scams. When I looked, my ad fit the criteria. The price was twice as much as other houses and did not meet the criteria listed among the “10 best”. There are times we see a great idea that fits a criterion and we buy impulsively. Even if this is the best deal, it should be checked. Otherwise, we set ourselves up to be scammed. That is true regardless of age. Act for all. Change will come and it starts with you.

Nativars

June 09, 2026

Toward the back of my local Sunday newspaper was a USA Today article on the need to plant native plants to help pollinator insects. This caught my eye as I have dedicated two of our flower beds to growing native wildflower mixes and Melissa has increased the number of potted plants around both the front and back of our house. The bed in front was planted last year with perennials, and it reproduced this year. The bed to the north (not full sun) contains two small tables with succulents but I added sunflowers (Helianthus annuus), crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum), and red amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus) to the rest of the bed. All the seeds in the north bed were past their expiration, but I prepared the ground and sowed the seed on the off chance they would grow. While not all the seeds sprouted, I was pleasantly surprised by the number and variety of plants that are now growing. While the newspaper article stressed how native pollinators prefer native plants, it also mentioned how recent plant breeding has created hybrid plants known as nativars.

When I went online, I found nativar is a blend (portmanteau) of the words ‘native’ and ‘cultivar’. A nativar is a horticulturally bred strain of a plant species which distinguishes them from their native counterparts. These plants may have different genetic traits from those formerly prevalent in the wild. The difference between a ‘nativar’ and a ‘cultivar’ is if the species is grown within its native historic range. The goal of using nativars within their historic species range is to reintroduce their ecological benefit into the local ecology. The ecological consequences and benefits of nativars are a widely discussed concept within gardening and horticultural communities, as the capacity of nativar plants to fit the ecological niche of their native counterpart may be manipulated during the breeding process. Nativars are developed for a variety of reasons, including disease resistance, pest resistance, and drought tolerance. Within the horticulture industry, nativars are often developed for aesthetic reasons, such as improving bloom and foliage size, shape, form or scent, along with improved growth habits for a garden setting. Nativars are developed within the agriculture and forestry industries for improved yield, flavor and quality. Finally, nativars have been developed for restoration purposes in hopes of re-establishing native populations.

One of the ways nativars can be manipulated during the breeding and cultivation process is the capacity for a plant species to fit the needs of pollinator species that coevolved to rely on them. Pollinator visitation rates of nativar plants may be increased, decreased, or unchanged relative to their wild native counterparts depending on altered factors such as bloom time, color, and shape. Nativars that dramatically change the bloom color of the species compared to wild populations can disrupt the ability of native pollinators to recognize the flowers as a food source. The ecological benefit of nativars for pollinators can also be reduced by diminished nectar, pollen production, and flower form. Not all cultivars that alter the bloom color from the most abundant naturally occurring flowers result in decreased ecological relationships. It depends on the resulting hybrid and the selectivity of the pollinator.

THOUGHTS: Nativars are hybrids created for humans and not native pollinators. They increase the bloom size or even result in double blooms, but they can also cause the plant to be sterile or reduce the amount of pollen or nectar produced. Since our purpose for planting wildflowers is to attract (and feed) native bees (genus, Apis) and butterflies (order, Lepidoptera) I do not plan on sowing nativars. Why and how humans act depends on the desired outcome. If we are not purposeful, we cannot complain about an undesirable outcome. Act for all. Change will come and it starts with you.

Volunteer

June 03, 2026

I went to the eye doctor for my annual checkup today and when I returned Melissa wanted to show me something that had sprouted in the mailbox planter. Melissa has tried to grow several different flowers in this brick planter. The grape hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum) has done well and explode in early spring, but they dwindle and die leaving the box empty during the summer and fall. We have tried a variety of different perennials, but none have lasted through the season, yet alone come back the following year. This year Melissa tried something different by planting a central coneflower (Echinacea) hybrid (sombrero lemon yellow) surrounded by rose moss (Portulaca grandiflora) starts to act as an annual bedding and keep down the weeds. While the rose moss plants are doing well, the coneflower is again struggling. What Melissa wanted to show me, however, was an intrusive weed that was beginning to take over the lower left side of the planter. It was obvious this volunteer was a tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plant.

When I went online, I found “volunteer” plants in gardening are those that sprout and grow on their own without being intentionally planted. They emerge from seeds dropped in the previous season, spread by wildlife, or distributed through homemade compost. While some volunteers are thought of as nuisances, they can be surprisingly vigorous, cost-free additions to your garden. On the plus side, a volunteer is free and takes no effort from you. They can be exciting to find and can add fun and unpredictability to a well-planned garden. On the minus side, the volunteer can grow in unwanted places, and you can never be sure what you are getting. Seeds from open pollinated plants always produce a vegetable identical to its parent. Seeds from hybrid plants are not true to form and it is more likely the volunteer will resemble one of the plants that produced the hybrid seed, and some hybrid plants will not produce any fruit. The intruder can mess with the crop rotation you planned for your garden and can also carry soil borne disease.

When I saw the volunteer plant I wanted to dig it up and transplant it in the container where some animal had sat on one of my Roma tomatoes. Melissa wanted to let it grow in place and see what it will produce. All the seeds grown in my garden are from older cultivars (heirlooms) but most of the tomatoes are nursery purchases (heirloom and/or hybrid). Since we have never planted tomatoes in the mailbox bed it must have gotten there from an animal or in the compost I used to enhance the soil. This year I also noticed several volunteer plants in my raised beds. These are some sort of unknown squash (genus, Cucurbita) that have sprouted in the rows of beets (Beta vulgaris) and a leafy lettuce (Lactuca sativa) that sprouted after I replanted the spinach with a cucumber (Cucumis sativus). Here again, we must wait and see what is produced.

THOUGHTS: While this is the first time to have a volunteer tomato in the flower bed, I have had a volunteer in my raised beds both years. Last year my sown seed in one of the beds was overcome by large ground cherry (Physalis angulata) plants. These grow wild in Arkansas and some harvest them from the open woods where they thrive. I let them grow after finding out what they were and even tried harvesting them. I did not like the taste and since they were blocking light to what I had planted I tore them out (again, one person’s weed is another’s harvest). When you get a volunteer, you can leave them, relocate them, or remove them. Humans seem to take a similar approach when other people move into their neighborhood. Some are welcomed, some are asked to move to another area, and some are physically removed. Currently in the US, the difference seems linked with ethnicity and culture. Act for all. Change will come and it starts with you.

Distribute

May 16, 2026

After filling my bird feeders, I was sitting on the patio waiting to see what species would arrive. What I noticed instead was how my tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants had begun to grow this last week. I mentioned I planted fourteen tomato plants this year, using four different types of containers. My two sweet 100s (cherry) are in 5-gallon (19-l) buckets. Three of the Arkansas Travelers (slicing) are in 5-gallon grow bags and the other three are in 10-gallon (38-l) terra cotta pots. The six Romas (sauce) are in the plastic self-watering containers I purchased last year. All 14 plants were over 2-1/2 feet (0.76m) and are starting to produce (green) fruit. While I have known since our family garden as a child that tomatoes need trellises or cages for support, it was not until three years ago that I learned you should also prune your plants. The small, secondary shoots that grow in the “V” joint where a leaf branch meets the main stem (suckers) should be removed as these produce less desirable fruit. The bottom branches should also be removed to guard against pests and disease. Pruning encourages the plant to focus on growing fruit rather than tall, bushy vines. With the number of plants in the ground, it got me thinking of how to distribute the expected tomatoes.

When I went online, I found one way to distribute excess produce was called Fresh Food Connect. This group was formed in 2016 with the goal of connecting local gardeners with the hunger relief efforts in their community to grow a more local and resilient food system. Fresh Food Connect has a free mobile app that connects gardeners with their communities. By 2024, Fresh Food Connect had grown to over 4,300 gardeners with over 65 hunger relief nonprofits in 28 states and has shared over 300,000 pounds (136077.7 kg) of homegrown produce with 166,000 community people experiencing food insecurity. During 2025, 5,210 registered gardeners in 18 states connected with 54 local community partners to provide over 91,490 pounds (41,499 kg) of homegrown produce to over 51,870 individuals facing food insecurity. This distribution amounted to grocery savings of US$457,460, or over 76,240 meals and over 91 tons (82.5 mt) of CO2EQ saved.

I got excited when I learned of this effort to efficiently distribute home grown food to those with food insecurity. I immediately downloaded the app and typed in my zip code to find a distribution center near me. While there was (currently) no distribution near me, the Ozark Church Food Pantry was listed as only 52 miles (83.5 km) away. I used the app to suggest they partner with the Crawford Sebastian Community Development Council in Fort Smith (15 miles/24 km away). The app does allow me to register my donations outside of their network so I will probably continue to give locally and register my donation with Fresh Food. Last year I also shared with my neighbors and several friends, and I will probably do that again this year. Today I used my last jar of dill pickles making pickle de Gallo, so I am also looking forward to restocking my garden favorites.

THOUGHTS: Cassey Anderson, Colorado State University Horticulture Agent, provided the three Golden Rules when planning to distribute your harvest to a local food bank. These are: Keep it cool, Keep it wet (when appropriate), Handle with care. Harvesting is best done in the cooler parts of the day (morning/evening) and many crops can be harvested and placed directly into a container of cool water. If you continue to harvest, make sure they are placed out of the sun. Using a sharp knife or scissors is a better choice for harvesting rather than tearing the crop off the main plant. This reduces stress on the plant, reduces chances of damage, and makes for a cleaner product. Food insecurity is limited or uncertain access to adequate, nutritious food due to limited funds or resources. Arkansas has the highest rate of food insecurity in the nation, with 19.4% of households struggling to access consistent, nutritious meals. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Sunflowers

April 30, 2026

I have been having difficulty with the viability of some of the seeds I planted for my garden this year. I received the seeds at Christmas 2023 along with the raised beds I placed along the south side of our house. The box had 100 different packets of heirloom vegetables and flowers. Heirloom seeds are open-pollinated, non-GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) plant varieties passed down through generations, and often for over 50 years. These varieties are valued for unique flavor, regional adaptation, and historical significance. Unlike hybrids, they “come true to seed,” allowing savers to harvest and replant identical offspring. I had no problem with the seeds that first years and few problems the second, so I was surprised I was having difficulty growing this year. When I read the packages carefully, I saw any saved seed from a year would be viable for another 3 to 5 years based on the species. I also found while I had been gifted the seeds in 2023, the packages indicated they had been harvested in 2021. That meant all my seeds were going on five years old, or toward the end of their viability. That meant I either needed to plant the seeds this year (and hope they sprouted) or at least plant them by next year and again hope for the best. I decided to go ahead and plant three varieties of sunflowers in two of the beds along the house.

When I went online, I found common sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) are a species of large annual forb of the daisy family Asteraceae that is harvested for its edible oily seeds often eaten as a snack food. They are also used in the production of cooking oil, food for livestock, bird food, and as plantings in domestic gardens for aesthetics. Wild plants are known for their multiple flower heads, whereas the domestic sunflower often possess a single large flower head atop an unbranched stem. The plant has an erect rough-hairy stem and reaches heights of 10 feet (3 m), but the tallest sunflower on record achieved 35 feet 9 inches (10.9 m). Sunflowers bloom in summer with the flower being a “flower head” (pseudanthium) of numerous small individual five-petaled flowers (“florets”). The outer flowers are sexually sterile and resemble petals (ray flowers) with each “petal” consisting of a ligule composed of fused petals of an asymmetrical ray flower and may be yellow, red, orange, or other colors. The spirally arranged flowers in the center of the head (disk flowers) mature into seeds.

I planted Mammoth sunflowers next to the house in the wildflower bed. I figured if the plants grew, they would not block the sun from the perineal flowers that had been established in the bed the previous year. For good measure I planted some common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca), another perennial, between the bed and the Shirley Temple Peony (Paeonia lactiflora) along the front. We had planted Canna lily flower (Canna indica) and several bulbs in the bed on the side yard, but they had never produced. I thought I would give the bed a try with two other varieties of sunflowers (Lemon Queen and Autumn Beauty) this year and added a few more milkweed to boot. If any of these grow it will be a bonus. They were going to expire this year anyway.

THOUGHTS: While I was disappointed with the dwindling production from my seeds, I figured it could not hurt to plant things like the sunflowers and see if they might grow. The vegetables and all but a few of the flowers were identified as annual. Being heirloom, I could harvest the seed and have viable seed for years to come. Now, they have expired and production is tenuous. This is another hard lesson to learn, but better than that when you are in a sustainable situation. I can allow whatever does grow to go to seed and start the process again. As in life, it seems much is learned as a “2 steps forward, 3 steps back”. Samuel Smiles is credited with the quote, “We learn wisdom from failure much more than from success.” Keep trying. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Wildflower Bed 2026

April 18, 2026

Last July I mentioned Melissa and I had established a wildflower bed in one of the flower beds in the front of the house. This had been a vision of mine since we moved to Arkansas 8 years ago. I had planted native grasses and flowers on sections of the 60 acres (24 ha) I managed as director of a conference center in Kansas. This was done to rebuild a small part of the rapidly disappearing tall grass prairie as well as to create an oasis for the pollinator’s dependent on this ecosystem. While we do not have tall grass prairie in Arkansas, last year we planted an area appropriate mix of perennial wildflowers. The bed had done well after I removed the Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) that had taken over the bed (several times) and some initial hesitation. The flowers filled the entire area (72 feet²/7 m²) and bloomed well into Fall, providing nectar for the butterflies (lepidopteran superfamily Papilionoidea) and bees (monophyletic clade Anthophila within the superfamily Apoidea) that flocked to the garden. Late in the Fall I took care to brush out the seeds from the old blooms and scatter them back into the soil before I carefully removed the dead plants. Although I did a quick weed (grass) and cleaned out the bed in early April, I did not plant more seeds as I wanted to see if the bed would continue to reproduce itself. I have been anxious to see the wildflower bed in 2026.

When I went online, I found US Fish and Wildlife Service encourages homeowners to plant wildflower beds as a way of supporting pollinators, reducing maintenance, and conserving water. Helping pollinators like bees, butterflies, and birds involves creating safe habitats by planting native, nectar-rich flowers, eliminating pesticide use, providing water sources, and leaving “messy” areas for nesting. This includes planting diverse, blooming species to provide continuous forage to support local ecosystems. The key is to choose a variety of native plants that bloom at different times of the year and are already adapted to your local climate and provide the best nectar and pollen. Planting milkweed (genus, Asclepias) is another way to aid monarch butterfly caterpillars (Danaus plexippus). You should also reduce or eliminate insecticides and herbicides which can kill or harm pollinators. Other ideas beyond your wildflower bed are to leave fallen leaves and dead wood for nesting sites and delay garden cleanup in the fall and spring to protect overwintering insects. Finally, create a “pollinator bath” with a shallow dish of water and stones help landing for a drink without drowning.

After clearing out the grass trying to reestablish itself, several plants began to emerge. I did not have luck along the edge of the house last year (except for grass so I put a layer of mulch along the one foot (0.3 m) next to the house. There were still quite a few bare spots, but these have begun to fill in this past week. Most of the ground is now covered and several of the plants have begun to bloom and the pollinators are coming back. I have also transformed our bird bath into a pollinator bath by keeping water in it along with a brick for the bees to cling to. It appears my wildflower bed 2026 is well on its way.

THOUGHTS: The insects that visit my wildflower bed in 2026 are fulfilling a critical ecological function. Without pollinators, humans and all of Earth’s terrestrial ecosystems would not survive. Over 80% of the world’s flowering plants require a pollinator to reproduce as they have separate male and female cones or flowers (monoecious). While it is possible to hand pollinate between the male and female flowers in a small garden, this becomes untenantable for commercial growers. Pollinator populations are declining rapidly, with over 20% of North American native species at elevated risk of extinction and US managed honeybee colonies experiencing average annual losses of 30% to 40%. Key drivers include habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change. Providing pollinator habits is everyone’s responsibility. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Slime Mold

April 14, 2026

Today was time for a second planting of several vegetables in the raised beds. The seed package suggested I plant my peas (Pisum sativum) with a second planting two weeks later to ensure I had a continued harvest later during the season. I thought this was a good idea for my cabbage (Brassica oleracea) and cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) as well. It was also time to plant the artichoke (Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus) seeds I had placed in the refrigerator (scored) two weeks ago to prepare them for planting. Scoring is done to “trick” the seeds into thinking they are coming out of Winter and into Spring. While I was placing the new seeds in the ground I found most of the seeds I had planted had yet to sprout, except for my radishes (Raphanus sativus). Something should have sprouted in all these seeds. After planting the new seeds, I watered the raised beds to keep all the unsprouted seed moist. Then I noticed several spots of bright yellow blobs clinging to the watering hoses in one of the beds. This appeared to be a form of slime mold.

When I went online, I found the yellow slime mold (Fuligo septica) in my garden is in the class Myxomycetes. It is commonly known as scrambled egg slime or flowers of tan because of its peculiar yellowish appearance, or even “dog vomit slime mold”. This slime mold is relatively common with worldwide distribution and is often found on bark, mulch, lawns, as well as other rotting organic matter in urban areas after heavy rain or excessive watering. The slime spores are produced on or in aerial spore cases (sporangia) and are spread by wind. Slime mold is a harmless, amoeba-like organism that is not a fungus, but a type of organism (protist) that feeds on bacteria and decomposes organic matter. Protists are a diverse group of (mostly) single-celled microorganisms that are not classified as plants, animals, or fungi, with a membrane-bound nucleus and thrive in moist environments. It is a plasmodial slime mold, meaning it can move (up to several feet in a day) across surfaces. Slime mold is not harmful to pets, humans, or plants.

I did not know what the slime mold was when I first saw it, although I knew it was not there when I checked the day before. Being inquisitive, I reached out and touched it (yes, this is how the Blob attached itself to humans before engulfing them). The blob disintegrated on my touch and left a slimy covering on my finger. Northern European folk lore attributed slime mold to witches and demons. In Scandinavia it is identified as the vomit of troll cats. In Finland, the mold was believed to be used by witches to spoil their neighbors’ milk and is called “paranvoi” (butter of the familiar spirit). Swedish folklore labels another slime (Tremella mesenterica) as the vomit of a witch’s “carrier” (familiar). Both are referred to in Dutch as “heksenboter” (witches’ butter), and in Latvian as “ragansviests” (witches’ butter) or “raganu spļāviens” (witches’ spit). At least “dog vomit” removes the slime from the realm of the supernatural. Finding the slime safe, I left the other intact.

THOUGHTS: The overcast skies and mild temperatures (70’sF/20’sC) have combined with my watering to grow more than just slime mold. The mulch in the paths around the raised beds are also growing mushrooms. This term is applied to two divisions of subkingdom Dikarya (Basidiomycota, Agaricomycetes). I remove the volunteer mushrooms that appear in my raised beds as they compete for the soil’s nutrients. I decided to leave the mulch plants as they were not hurting anything. When I went back outside to determine the species, the sun had come out and they had withered. Fungi are paradoxically both fragile and incredibly resilient, depending on their visible fruits (mushrooms) or their underlying microscopic network (mycelium). Humans often have a reverse characteristic, with a rough persona hiding a fragile psyche brought on by our exposure to stress, trauma, and emotional overload. This should be noted in interactions. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.

Rattail

April 12, 2026

Traveling 5 of 6 weeks in February and March not only got me behind getting my garden in the ground but also in Melissa’s care for her succulents. The good news is even with the 100’s of plants Melissa tends for she only needs to pay attention to about half of them at a time. Different succulents grow at different rates within a year depending on the temperature, with some becoming dormant and growing slower when the weather is too hot or too cold and turn active again when the temperatures are ideal for their growth. That is why succulents are known as “opportunistic growers”. Succulents can be put into categories as either summer or winter growers. Summer growers thrive in the hot months of summer (May to August) and are dormant in the winter, while winter growers thrive in the cold of winter (November to February) and are dormant in the summer. The primary care given to all of Melissa’s succulents is an occasional misting during dormancy and scant watering and careful observation and maintenance during growing season. When Melissa was able to get back at tending her succulents last week, she called me out to look at the blooms on her rattail cactus.

When I went online, I found the rattail cactus (Aporocactus flagelliformis) is a species of flowering plant in the cactus family Cactaceae. With its ease of cultivation and attractive floral displays it is often grown as an ornamental potted plant. The Latin specific epithet (flagelliformis) means “shaped like a whip”, in reference to the plant’s long stems. The common name “rattail” refers to the same feature. The species was one of the first cacti to be introduced into European culture. Watson (1898) offers the year 1690 but it was probably earlier. The species is native to the dry forests of the central Mexican state of Hidalgo north of Mexico City where it can grow naturally on rocks (lithophytic) or as rootless air plants (epiphytic) in the trees. Specimens are rare in nature and are seldom collected in the field. While rattail has always been one of the most popular cacti in cultivation, almost nothing is known about its natural habit. The rattail cactus is a recipient of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.

Rattail cacti are easy to grow and are suitable for either a greenhouse or container, indoors or out. Plants need a minimum temperature of 43F (6C). They should be grown in bright, indirect light, in a rich potting mix. The best compost consists of 4 parts of sandy loam and 1 part of equal quantities of sand and crushed brick. Rattail should be repotted every other year because their soil tends to sour. However, that does not mean they will need a larger pot. Once the plants are established, compost should be kept moist from April to October, with less water required from November until March, or just enough to keep stems from dying back. In the winter, old or discolored stems may be cut out at the base to encourage new growth. The rattail on our sunporch obviously made it through the dormancy of winter and greeted us with cascading blooms upon our return.

THOUGHTS: Rattail cactus, like most cacti, are summer growers and settle into dormancy during the winter. There are nine species of the Schlumbergera genus of cacti native to the coastal mountains of southeastern Brazil which reverse this rhythm. These species are collectively called “Holliday” cactus, with annual blooms arriving between November and April (i.e., Thanksgiving cactus, Christmas cactus, or Easter cactus). This illustrates the diversity that exists in nature as plants and animals adapt to the specific conditions of different regions. Humans did the same, although less markedly so. We are (at least now) all the same species, only differentiated by the tools, clothes, and culture we use to adapt to our region. The main difference between all humanity is how we choose to differentiate ourselves from each other. Act for all. Change is coming and it starts with you.