Gardening Videos from Fine Gardening

The folks aver at Fine Gardening have 13 short videos on various gardening topics. I watched one on releasing beneficial insects into your garden and thought it was quite good.

You will want a high-speed connection (or lots of patience) to view these videos as they are somewhat large.

Fine Gardening - Video Tips

Butterflies fill the San Fernando Valley

These butterflies are all over the Valley right now. You can't look anywhere without seeing 10-15 of them flitting through the air. I haven't seen a hatch like this in years, and then, it was only out in the Palm Springs area.

University of California, Irvine has this page with pictures and more information.

Migration: Painted Lady butterflies are often seen migrating northward through Orange County (and elsewhere in the western United States) in February, March and April. A notable migration occurred in 1973. The butterfly was unbelievably abundant in Orange County on February 18 and 19, 1973 and it continued to fly in great numbers through April. The butterflies were always seen flying north to northwest. Larvae were so common in the city of Orange that in late April the city sprayed a vacant lot literally infested with the larvae. The spraying was in response to complaints by homeowners that the larvae were turning swimming pools black with their bodies, in addition to feeding on numerous ornamentals.

There is lots more information to be found using this Google Search on Painted Lady

As well as this story, Butterflies invading the Valley, from the LA Daily News.

California native plants used by California butterflies

This is a great resource for California or western states gardeners looking to attract butterflies to their garden. Individual plant species are matched to the larvae and adult butterflies that feed on them. The page also includes many photos of both butterflies and plants.

California native plants used by california butterflies...

This page shows which California butterflies use which California native plants. To get more details on a plant or for ordering information just click on the plant links. Plant sites give growing requirements pictures and prices.( If there is no link on the plant it is because we do not carry it.) To get more detailed information on butterflies and for scientific names, click on the butterfly links. If there is no link on a butterfly it is because they have not bee written yet. Sorry.

(Via del.icio.us/tag/gardening.)