Hello good folks of THP!
I am straying down a different path this season from my usual grow log of hot peppers. I am still growing a dozen varieties or so, plus half dozen overwinters. After many seasons of growing hundreds of plants each year I have fallen in love with photographing them, but also the insects and other critters that take up residence amoung the plants in search of a meal or the safety the plants afford.
I have decided to grow more native oriented plants to see if the same occurs, or do different species show up. This might seem strange to some, or many, but my curiosity can be very overwheming when the hook is set!
Last year I took part an a Master Naturlist certification program and my eyes were opened to the necessity for good land stewardship. I live in the middle of suburbia and as much as I want to plunge into the wild world of owning land away from the city, I am stuck here for now. So with the tools I do have I will make these observations. The archeological record for Williamson county suggests there were no trees here as there are today. Native grass plains were predominate. While I do not plan on removing all my trees I will plant as much native wildflowers, shrubs, and grasses as I can germinate or transplant.
One last item is that I have been using a small camera abanded by my daughter for awhile now. I intend to at least upgrade a little, but probably not as much as I would like.
I will post a list of what I am growing, both native plant and pepper wise soon.
I will leave with this altered image of some dead sunflowers (Helianthus annuus), I shot while collecting some native grasses. Makes me think of "Something wicked this way..."
Until next, Mike
I am straying down a different path this season from my usual grow log of hot peppers. I am still growing a dozen varieties or so, plus half dozen overwinters. After many seasons of growing hundreds of plants each year I have fallen in love with photographing them, but also the insects and other critters that take up residence amoung the plants in search of a meal or the safety the plants afford.
I have decided to grow more native oriented plants to see if the same occurs, or do different species show up. This might seem strange to some, or many, but my curiosity can be very overwheming when the hook is set!
Last year I took part an a Master Naturlist certification program and my eyes were opened to the necessity for good land stewardship. I live in the middle of suburbia and as much as I want to plunge into the wild world of owning land away from the city, I am stuck here for now. So with the tools I do have I will make these observations. The archeological record for Williamson county suggests there were no trees here as there are today. Native grass plains were predominate. While I do not plan on removing all my trees I will plant as much native wildflowers, shrubs, and grasses as I can germinate or transplant.
One last item is that I have been using a small camera abanded by my daughter for awhile now. I intend to at least upgrade a little, but probably not as much as I would like.
I will post a list of what I am growing, both native plant and pepper wise soon.
I will leave with this altered image of some dead sunflowers (Helianthus annuus), I shot while collecting some native grasses. Makes me think of "Something wicked this way..."
Until next, Mike