Nature and Gardening

I have a small lemon tree that was bought from a local grower and came with the extra bonus of an Asian Citrus Psysllid infestation. The tree is dead now and I'd love to get a new tree, but want to make sure I've done everything I could to prevent a new tree from getting infested by any Psysllid still in the area.

Is there anything I can do to treat my soil or surrounding plants to make sure those little buggers aren't going to keep coming back? I'm in California where the sale of IMIDACLOPRID products is banned, which was previously the primary treatment for this.

[Image description: the white and pink flowers of a black lace elderberry peek out from underneath the dark purple leaves]

I'm very hopeful that I will get some seeds from it this year, it would be awesome to grow it out to see how the genetics play out.

I spent a huge chunk of yesterday helping a friend transplant bits of his garden from his old house to his new house. We must have dug up at least forty irises and tons of peonies, marigolds, and various other plants. He was kind enough to split some of the clumps with me, and he's planning to split me some white dutch irises that are already growing at his new place.

What's growing on with you all?

[Image description: a disc of white flowers sits atop a stem of elderberry, Sambucus canadensis]

I've got a small off grid place near a pond. The pond is nice to ponder at, but also a lovely breeding ground for mosquitos.

Therefore, I keep the door to the cabin usually closed.

But, as temperature is rising, I'm wondering if a screen door + some naturally mosquito repelling plants near the entrance might do the trick as well. So I can get some air flow at night.

Are there any such plants you know of? Preferentially perennial.

I'm still waiting on my Pycnanthemum muticum, clustered mountain mint, to germinate. But in more positive news I was allowed to take a cutting of Monarda bradburiana, spotted bee balm, home with me yesterday.

What's growing on with you all?

Edited to add an image of the bee balm:

Argynnis butterfly (Flórián tér, Budapest)

Wonderful pitcher plants I found on a hike out to a fen.

I pulled garlic scapes the other day, and our strawberries have been coming in gangbusters. The blackberries are just past full bloom, the raspberries are right behind them, and the elderberries look like they're going to go hard.

Blackberries:

Elder:

The front walkway (it needs some weeding)

What's growing on with you all?

My friend at the library asked this morning if I wanted to take home a hosta that someone donated to the plant sale without a pot, as she didn't have the capacity to split it into pots or spend multiple watering sessions keeping it happy. Being the good husband I am, I asked my wife if it's okay with her if I accepted (unapologetic plant accepter here). She said sure, and even understood when I said I needed to bring the truck because it had no pot and I didn't want to dirty her car.

The hosta:

My wife:

This particular flower is native to my geographic area, although there wasn't any in my suburban city. So I got a big bag of conservation seed and dumped it everywhere, and it went nuts. Best "weed" ever.

It flowers for most of the season, but it's most magnificent right now. Hoverflies and other tiny pollinators love it. Honeybees do too, but they're a little big for them.