Using Sugar for weed control ~ by Charlotte B.

     I LOVE those little wild violets, but they are a weed, I guess, because they like poor soil.
     When I started using sugar to nourish the beneficial microbes, my wild violets were one of the first weeds to go.
     I had some growing between the stones in a path, so I didn't put sugar there EVER. This year, my violets in the walk didn't come up. They were skimpier last year, but this year there were none. Guess the microbes made it up the path. LOL
     The only “weeds” that still grow in my yard are the trees the birds and wind seed in. Trees love rich soil, so of course they come up and grow faster, but all the broad leaf weeds and grassy weeds, just don’t come up anymore.
     Even the poison ivy doesn't come up in the alley since I put sugar out there for a couple of years.
Just apply sugar (plain table sugar) at the rate of 1 pound per 250 sq.ft, and water it in well, and DON’T use any chemicals on your lawn. The chemicals kill all the beneficial microbes and insects. ALL chemicals, fertilizers, insecticides, weed killers, fungicides, ALL of them.
    They kill off the food supply of toads, lizards and grass snakes that will keep your lawn freer of harmful insects than all the insecticides on the market will, and they work CHEAP!!!

If you would like more information on organic gardening, write me any time.
Charlotte (Organic Gardener for 10 years)

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Lawns-725/eradicating-wild-violets.htm

For more information go to this forums page.
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/yarddoctor/

Dark Knight Caryopteris

Caryopteris x clandonensis 'Dark Knight' (Perennial to 3 feet) (Zone 6) Deep blue flowers from June - September. 

This is clearly a favorite of the bees! Even in the early mornings you can find bees on this beautiful shrub and from time to time a humming bird will come calling as well. It does reseed so you can give plants to friends! It makes a nice cut flower for your table, mine is always so heavy with flowers there are plenty to use daily. I prune this shrub back heavily every couple of years to keep it out of my walkway. It doesn't seem to be bothered by pests and when the spirea next to it is full of aphids it never is! These picture were taken in early September of 2012.

Wild Iris

We have wild iris (also known as grass iris) all over our area. They can be found in sunny, moist locations in meadows, along roadsides and streams. The mountain meadows have such a wide variety of wild flowers that it's difficult to pick which one I like the best. The easiest way to decide is to like what ever flowers happen to be in bloom when I'm there!

Crocus

Wild Violets

These little violets are so pretty along my pathway and in my yard. The first time I saw a yard that was covered with the lavender violets I wanted my yard to look just like that! I am hoping that they will spread all over the front yard. It wasn't until I took a close look that I noticed the white violets had lavender veining. That's new! What a nice surprise!

Blue-eyed Grass

Blue-eyed grass is one of my favorite spring flowers. These little flowers are showy and prolific! I love to see the mountain meadows covered in their blooms.

Snow mushroom

We pick snow mushrooms a little earlier than morels but many times we find both toward the end of May. The season will be off this year as we didn't get the usual snow pack. Much less snow that normal.