mastodon 4.8.0-alpha.3+glitcha gainfully unemployed stargazer, birder, hiker, traveller, wine and craft beer enthusiast, and backyard rewilder in British Columbia’s Okanagan valley. Zone 6.
Silky lupine (Lupinus sericeus) in the Okanagan Valley of BC. In the wild this species form is more of a small shrub than a single flower. This photo was taken from above of one plant with my iPhone and minor adjustments in Lightroom. I hope to return later this summer to collect seed for my own wildflower garden.
#wildflowers #Gardening #rewilding #nativeplants #bees #pollinators #WinterSowing #zone6 #biodiversity #Okanagan
This is my fourth year of successful winter sowing. In total 17 of 19 species successfully germinated. Seeds were collected from last year’s flowers, seed collection from local hillsides and seed collection from a nearby demonstration garden. I potted out 389 seedlings, mostly into 3” pots.
#wildflowers #Gardening #rewilding #nativeplants #bees #pollinators #WinterSowing #zone6 #biodiversity #Okanagan
At the beginning of March I moved my 19 of my winter sowing milk jugs to a location that receives full sunlight. Fifteen of those jugs have started to germinate.
#wildflowers #rewilding #nativeplants #bees #pollinators #butterflies #WinterSowing #zone6 #biodiversity #Okanagan
Spring 2025:
Year 4 of our conversion of lawn to pollinator garden. In January 22 X 4L milk jugs were prepared for winter sowing. Al but one with North American native species primarily perrenials. Another 500 sq ft of lawn will be converted. This will bring us to approximately 3,200 sq ft of conversion over 4 years.
#wildflowers #rewilding #nativeplants #bees #pollinators #butterflies #WinterSowing #zone6 #biodiversity #Okanagan
We have a bit of a warm spell here in the Okanagan. That gave me a chance to start my winter sowing project. This is my fourth winter all using these 4L milk jugs.
#wildflowers #rewilding #nativeplants #bees #pollinators #butterflies #WinterSowing #zone6 #biodiversity #Okanagan
Today I collected bee tubes from my 4 bee boxes. I probably had 20% success rate with these stand alone tubes. The unused tubes are now in storage and will be used again this year.
Based on their “end caps” I have three categories of tenants: smooth mud, rough mud, cellophane. Smooth mud may be wasps. Rough mud is probably mason bees. Cellophane might be masked bees.
I also have a bunch of tubes that are partially filled. Only opening them will give me an idea of what we have.
Later this week I will open up the tubes and store the cocoons until spring.
#wildflowers #rewilding #nativeplants #bees #pollinators #butterflies #WinterSowing #zone6 #biodiversity #Okanagan
While doing some fall maintenance in the yard I came across this item “glued” on to an irrigation stake. INaturalist has identified it as a Mantis egg sac. I am going to leave it insitu and follow through the winter and into the spring.
#wildflowers #rewilding #nativeplants #bees #pollinators #butterflies #WinterSowing #zone6 #biodiversity #Okanagan
The Pollinator Partnership has published a series of guidebooks regarding native plants for most ecoregions in Canada. This is a great free resource for anyone interested in planting or encouraging local native species.
I have been using the Okanagan-Thompson Plateau guidebook for the past 3 years. Mid autumn is when I start to plan for more conversion of lawn to pollinator habitat and this document is a key reference in my decision making process.
#wildflowers #rewilding #nativeplants #bees #pollinators #butterflies #WinterSowing #zone6 #biodiversity #Okanagan
https://pollinatorpartnership.ca/en/ecoregional-planting-guides
Sunday morning cartoons or cattoons.
View from Conkle Mountain looking north to Giants Head in Summerland BC. Fog instead of our normal snowpack.
@WhitecapsFC@sportsbots.xyz great players but are there no Canadians on the team?
It was an unseasonably warm day today so I thought I would get ahead on my winter sowing.
I have saved 16 X 4L milk jugs. Today I started by adding drainage holes in the bottom of each jug. Previous years I drilled a set of 1/2” holes in the bottom, this year I used I used my old soldering iron. I think I prefer the soldering iron, just a little bit easier.
#wildflowers #rewilding #nativeplants #bees #pollinators #butterflies #WinterSowing #zone6 #biodiversity #Okanagan