Author: WPCG (Page 1 of 5)

This is a guest blog from Jack Falker.

Here is a new book by Jessica Walliser, “Attracting Beneficial Bugs to your Garden”, which changed my way of thinking about controlling insect pests in my gardens.  Here’s a link to that book, which is available in many public libraries, as well as both new and used on Amazon.

Magers & Quinn | Amazon | Hennepin County Library

What Jessica advocates is the establishment of “insectary gardens” to attract beneficial insects (good bugs), such as syrphid flies, lady beetles, minute pirate bugs, lace wings and predatory wasps that attack “bad bugs” such as spider mites, thrips and aphids. As long as you don’t spray things that kill them, these predators are very easy to attract to the garden with plantings, such as oregano, dill, bachelor buttons, lobelia, yarrow, daisies, alyssum and cosmos (and many others cited in the book).

Here is a partial list of the beneficial insects we all want in our gardens:

• Bees of all varieties (there are more than 400 bee species in Minnesota).
• Predatory beetles, especially Lady Beetles
• Syrphid Flies
• Minute Pirate Bugs
• Lace Wings
• Predatory Wasps
• Butterflies

And here is a list of some of the plants that attract beneficial insects:

• Oregano
• Dill
• Angelica
• Lovage
• Daisies
• Yellow Cone Flowers
• Sunflowers (both annual and perennial)
• Bachelor Buttons
• Alyssum (On the edge of every bed to attract Syrphid Flies)
• Verbena Bonariensis
• Zinnias
• Boneset
• Cosmos
• Coreopsis 
• Monarda
• Rudbeckia
• Aster
• Yarrow
• Anice Hysop

Jack Falker is a writer, blogger, and Master Gardener. He is also an organic farmer, and creates his own organic fertilizer. Jack’s blog is The Minnesota Rose Gardener.

Our monthly garden happy hour is coming up this week! 6-8pm. An announcement went out — check your email! Bring a beverage and a chair (and maybe a bit of big spray). Kids are enthusiastically welcome.

It’s the summer solstice. We’ll have a bit of poetry, guitar, and singing. See you then!

Other updates

• Jeff (55) and Kevin (3) are working on three new plots on the east side. We need cardboard! If you have any, bring it in and leave it under the picnic table on the east side. 📦
• The announcement board next to the center shed has a white board. You can use it to ask for help watering or to share extra produce. You can also post that info on the garden Facebook group. 📢
• Carry out your old tomato cages, chicken wire, and trellising! The side of the center shed was recently cleaned up and we’re going to try to keep it that way 😆 If you think someone could use it, post the info on Facebook or the white board rather than leaving it next to the shed ❤️

Check your email! A garden update was sent out with workday signups and announcements, like:

• The water is on and hoses are hooked up! (Thanks to Andrew G!)
• Garden opening & first work day is Saturday May 20, 10-12pm.
• Join your garden neighbors for happy hour on Wed May 17, 6-8pm. (Here’s the Facebook event!)
• Workday signups are posted! The link is in the email and on the Work Days page.

If you don’t see an email, check your spam or promotions inbox. Happy gardening!