Freeform Q&A
And a walk around the homestead in July!
I had a Facebook live session on 7/10 and opened up to questions.
Most of them stumped me so I've researched to find the answers!
This is the link to the video:
https://www.facebook.com/100064174775736/videos/572884120996862/
and the numbers in front of the questions are the time stamps of when they were asked.
6:58 Do you know the pretend Monarch?
It’s called a Viceroy.
14:37 (monarch dot to tell difference between male and female)
See the photos below for comparison
Monarch on the left and viceroy on the right. Notice the line going across the viceroy’s bottom wings. The wing shapes are also different.
The biggest difference is that the males have “spots” on their wings while the females don’t. You’ll also see females laying eggs on monarch plants while males are just getting nectar.
18:36 Tax credit for xeroscapes?
It looks like certain areas of the US offer incentive to move from grass to xeroscapes!
Michigan isn’t one of those but landscaping costs may be added to the market value of a home and professional landscaping may increase the asking price.
States where rebates are commonly offered:
Arizona
California
Colorado - Fort Collins example: https://www.fcgov.com/utilities/residential/conserve/water-efficiency/xeriscape/incentive-program/
Nevada
New Mexico - some requirements: https://www.abcwua.org/conservation-rebates-residential-commercial-xeriscape-rebates/
Texas
Utah - news article: https://www.fox13now.com/news/utah-drought/utah-to-offer-incentives-for-people-to-ditch-lawns-for-xeriscaping
27:26 Difference between witchhazel and forsythia? How does witchhazel smell?
The biggest difference I know of is the flower bloom time. Forsythia blooms in early spring while witch hazel blooms in winter. Some say witch hazel blooms in late fall..
Some think witch hazel smells like roses or citrus – probably citrus-like flowers, like orange, lemons, and limes – others say it smells more medicinal than anything. Some people describe it as smelling like clove, vetiver, cinnamon and tea. Some even say it smells like fresh dirt.
Here’s a link to witch hazel in Michigan information: https://plantitwild.net/native-plants/plants-we-use/deciduous-trees/common-witch-hazel/
39:17 Have you any of those giant headed celosia? Not yet
40:37 Tomatillo or groundcherry? They are related but ground cherry is much smaller and doesn't break out of the husk. They also aren't sticky like tomatillos.
53:49 Can we as Michiganders, grow artichokes? Yes! I'm growing them this year in a protected area, started from seeds.
1:22:53 What types of strawberries have You?
Three kinds but I've lost the tags! Are everbearing truly so? Yes
1:24:41 Can one dry tomatlios for floral arrangements?
If you're thinking of the husks, you could try it when they're still green and the fruit is tiny. Once the fruit gets large enough, it splits the husk and is very sticky too.
1:29:57 Calendulas in Europe, by tradition, will not allow a prostitute into a church. Ha. Have the flowers in a church and prostitutes can not enter. Tradition/lore.