I'm primarily working on a pollinator garden. I've been going to plant classes at the local library taught by Master Gardeners.
I have a small red bud tree in a pot that I need to get planted some time and I've been working on reading up on flowers and small bushes that would be good to plant for the various seasons that are also good in this climate.
I will have a small raised bed herb and vegetable garden. This year I successfully grew cherry tomatoes, red okra (they loved the heat), basil, and thyme (I had them under a sun shade). The bore worms killed my squash early in the summer. I'd like to try growing them again once I figure out how to get rid of the worms. I'd like to grow larger tomatoes next year and some peppers along with additional herbs (oregano, yarrow, dill, cilantro) .
I do have some garlic and shallots planted in a raised bed now. I was able to harvest some garlic this spring, this is my first experiment with the shallots.
Our soil has a lot of clay, it can be hard to get through when it is dry and our back yard has a very slight slope.
Questions:
When is the best time to plant the red bud tree? It was a recent gift from my grandmother. Are nematodes the best option for dealing with the bore worms with out using pesticides?If possible, I'd love a berry bush for me and the birds, any suggestions?