Others will be along to chime in, but I would warn you against the use of vinegar on your lawn. Vinegar is often used as an organic version of Round Up (to a lesser degree) to kill weeds. I can't say how it will affect all the other plants.

In addition, a magic potion that remedies all concerns in one application usually isn't the best solution as almost anything you apply could have adverse affects to something else going on in your ecosystem. In most cases it's best to treat issues as they pop up, and in some cases as preventative measures when certain conditions are known to occur annually.

Please don't use Epsom salt without a soil test. It adds magnesium to the soil, which you may or may not need, and an overage of magnesium causes several problems (including rock hard soils).

It can be fixed, but it's easier not to cause the problem in the first place.

White vinegar will acidify the soil over time, but small amounts aren't much of a problem. Just keep an eye on the soils with the occasional Logan Labs test.

Things that will enhance the plants are stuff like humic acid (minor, but it does seem to have some effect over time) and kelp (not minor, it seems to really help). 1 tsp per gallon shampoo will also soften and loosen soils, but does chemically react with the vinegar. That's a good thing, it neutralizes it slightly.

>>Vinegar is often used as an organic version of Round Up (to a lesser degree) to kill weeds. I can't say how it will affect all the other plants.

On the up side, household vinegar isn't terribly effective even in summer. Horticultural vinegar is, but it's used undiluted (and it's slightly dangerous so wear eye protection or risk corneal burns).

The vinegar is more of a dog deterrent than anything. Thinking more about it, and researching to show everyone what I was going off of, I either read wrong or just found completely different results. I'm going to eliminate spraying vinegar for the time being. It seems to do more harm than good. Apparently the smell just needs to linger (think air freshener) and not be directly applied. Hopefully eventually, I'll be able to instill that eating plants is bad.

Nobody said anything about garlic, which leads me to believe that is pretty safe in most cases? We are also planning to get Immunox for the Cedar Rust, I think.

I'm curious morpheuspa, what levels of Magnesium should I look for (and how much will Epson add)?

Revised ingredients: garlic, Epson salt (depending on magnesium levels), immunox, water

Chili powder or Cayenne peppers is another dog deterrent I might try if it works the same and is more lawn/plant friendly.

Are there any other recommended things to add here for a healthy lawn OR pest deterrent? Would I want to add the kelp shampoo to a concoction involving the above ingredients?

I know there is no perfect mix, really and I'm not looking for the best of all worlds, just something that gets the job done. If something works and mixes well with others, I'd love to add it!

Thanks for the feedback! This is helpful so that, you know, I don't kill my backyard!

(Mental break, I'm having one of those days) I have a tried-and-true animal repellent that I use:

1 tsp Tabasco sauce (or any other hot sauce, the hotter the better)

1 tsp any dish soap (to make it stick)

1/4 tsp of Elmer's glue (sticker, plus helps resist light rainfall)

1 quart water

Shake well, spray lightly on plants, only a mist is necessary. This has resisted any animal that wants to eat my stuff, including rabbits (who are voracious little creatures). The dogs don't eat my stuff, although the elder always sniffs flowers and has taught the younger dog to do it as well (there was an interaction between him as a puppy and a blossoming hyacinth. Since then, he checks every flower for scent).

>>Nobody said anything about garlic, which leads me to believe that is pretty safe in most cases? We are also planning to get Immunox for the Cedar Rust, I think.

Garlic's perfectly safe.

>>I'm curious morpheuspa, what levels of Magnesium should I look for (and how much will Epson add)?

Levels vary by EC (exchange capacity). A spray isn't likely to add much, which is a problem in both directions--if you already have sufficient, it's useless. If you don't have enough, there isn't enough in the spray to correct the problem.

Spray applications of resources are usually limited to the minor elements (Iron, zinc, manganese [not magnesium], copper, and boron) Even there, it's wiser to adjust the soil if possible. Plants can't absorb significant nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium or potassium compared to their usage requirements, although I suppose you might be able to sneak Ca, Mg, and about half the K if you really work at it.

However, again, if you adjust the soil properly, the levels in the plant naturally find their optimum points and stay there without fiddling.

>> Would I want to add the kelp shampoo to a concoction involving the above ingredients?

Kelp and shampoo are pretty stable and can be added to almost anything. The repellent above already has soap in it, and it's used at such small amounts that you really aren't adding significant resources. I'd do kelp and shampoo as a separate hose-end application, targeting about 2 ounces of each per thousand square feet per month through the season.

As a pet owner (2 dogs and a cat), I was a little concerned about the garlic. I seem to remember reading in the past that garlic isn't good for dogs, but didn't mention it above because I wasn't sure of it. You questioning the use of garlic made me run a quick search for "dogs garlic" and returned the following from the ASPCA website:

Onions and Garlic

All close members of the onion family (shallots, onions, garlic, scallions, etc.) contain compounds that can damage dogs’ red blood cells if ingested in sufficient quantities. A rule of thumb is “the stronger it is, the more toxic it is.” Garlic tends to be more toxic than onions, on an ounce-for-ounce basis. While it’s uncommon for dogs to eat enough raw onions and garlic to cause serious problems, exposure to concentrated forms of onion or garlic, such as dehydrated onions, onion soup mix or garlic powder, may put dogs at risk of toxicosis. The damage to the red blood cells caused by onions and garlic generally doesn’t become apparent until three to five days after a dog eats these vegetables. Affected dogs may seem weak or reluctant to move, or they may appear to tire easily after mild exercise. Their urine may be orange-tinged to dark red in color. These dogs should be examined by a veterinarian immediately. In severe cases, blood transfusions may be needed.

https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist/dog-behavior/foods-are-hazardous-dogs

As a pet owner, I would recommend reviewing the other items at the link above. You might be surprised at some other foods that you thought were safe for the dogs. Personally, I feed mine premium vet-recommended dog food and rarely anything else. They are both healthy and happy.

I think as a dog deterrent, the chili powder or cayenne might work. Try putting a little in your dog bowl to see how your dog responds, you could find your dog actually likes it and end up with results opposite to your intentions.

Our English Mastiff likes to eat her own poo and we've tried everything to prevent it. A vet once recommended adding meat tenderizer to her food saying that it could stop her from eating her own... well lets just say recycling her food. She actually enjoyed her food more (both new and recycled), so that test was concluded after just a couple of days. Seven years later she still recycles her food. The only solution is to remove it before she decides to make a snack out of it.

Awesome morpheuspa, I'll have to try that recipe! Is there a way to tell without testing if chemical levels are okay-some sort of coloration or maybe it feels different?

wesottinger, I checked that link and I don't think we give our dog anything on that list. We already have to scrutinize his stuff anyway because he has a bloody gluten allergy! I understand your point about the garlic possibly being harmful, however that is also why I'm trying to find something to ward him away from the plants (that will also help the plants). You and morpheus seem to agree on a spice instead of vinegar, though. Maybe that should be my preferred route. Mine recycles too! I've taken the fertilizer approach though. I guess 1 & 2 are both good for the lawn in theory, just not concentrated so watering both down works if you care about your lawn and don't want to pick everything up.

I was completely anticipating a doing some spraying semi often. I mean between watering, nutrients, and animal repellant, that is three individual needs. Watering would be twice a day (morning and evening for the least amount of evaporation). Nutrients daily to weekly AFTER the watering (so it's not rinsed off) and then animal spray as needed, but combined with nutrients when possible.

Thanks for the feedback!

>>Awesome morpheuspa, I'll have to try that recipe! Is there a way to tell without testing if chemical levels are okay-some sort of coloration or maybe it feels different?

Yes, but in many cases the best you can do is say, "Something's wrong here." The early stages of many resource issues look very similar, although some are obvious. Some are so subtle through their entire range (boron comes to mind) that although you notice the difference between deficient and sufficient you would have been hard-pressed to detect it happening.

Hence my general recommendation for a soil test. I've seen very few soils that naturally have no issues.

>>Watering would be twice a day (morning and evening for the least amount of evaporation).

Water twice a day shouldn't be necessary on any plant, except seedlings. Quite the opposite, it causes massive problems with fungal issues.

My (very large, very densely planted, very heavily blooming) gardens get watered about once a week, but I train them that way.

Everything I have is really just starting out. Last Summer was our first one at the house. No flowering plants are bought in full bloom, they are mostly young ones dug up from my brother's yard. The fruit trees were all store bought though. They haven't produced yet, but they are well passed seedlings. I have no problem with watering less though, just figure with Omaha summers, they might start to hurt!

Forgot to ask....should the Immunox be mixed with the nutrient spray? With the deterrent spray? Should any of the sprays be mixed? Right now, I'm operating on garlic and water in one application, your animal recipe in another, Immunox in a third application or combined with another. All following a full lawn watering.

I have no idea. Check the label to see what it interacts with, if anything.

In a bit of surprising news, I have two updates from the weekend:

1. I was able to get a hold of an Environmental Concepts soil testing kit which will hopefully help determine the need for Epson.

2. My dog doesn't mind Cayenne Pepper.

1) Return it and send a soil test to Logan Labs. Home tests are notoriously unreliable.

2) Many don't. Tabasco is usually another story, or if you can get something even hotter (ghost pepper sauce comes to mind), and use the above recipe, it works.

Your recipe is definitely the next thing on my list. Is the glue an absolute? I'm only asking because it and the dish soap both say it'll help it stick. I have everything but the glue already.

We've decided against Immunox because....evidentially the fruit bearing branches are grafted on. Since all branches have succumbed to a bored dog, we don't know necessarily know what trees we actually have now. Why buy treatment for a tree that may no longer need it?

I'm about to try google, but I also wanted to ask here...among everything we're already looking to grow in our yard, there are of course different times of the year that things bloom. Is there a good calendar anywhere that shows what trees or flowers bloom month to month? Or how long they last? (Blooms in april, gone by July; blooms in May, gone by August, etc)

You can go without the glue but it'll cost you some rain resistance. Also, rabbits and most herbivores don't like Elmer's glue since, as the cheery graphic on the bottle implies, it's made from...distasteful synthetic adhesives. Harmless, but rabbits and deer don't like them.

Almost had you there. :-)

There's no cohesive calendar because plant blossoming depends very much on local conditions and the year's weather. My crocuses just started, making them rather late this year. Two years ago, the April and May bulbs all bloomed together in a rare 90 degree heat wave.

Some are extremely regular as they use the sun to time themselves, but most plants will wiggle around considerably if there's a lot of rain or it's very hot.

So any calendar you find, take with a grain of salt. A very small grain of salt.

That having been said, most annual flowers bloom all season until they freeze. Most perennials have short blossoming seasons, but it does vary--lilacs are very short. Lisianthus (technically a perennial) blooms for weeks. Endless Summer hydrangea reblooms copiously. Nikko Blue hydrangea blooms once or twice, and the second is weak.

>>Well of course the annuals just keep reblooming. Be nice if some perennials could!

Actually, most annuals are short-lived (or not so short) perennials. My red salvia, an annual up here, has a theoretical lifespan of a decade. We chose them for their reblooming capabilities and, in many cases, bred them until they bloomed better.

Coreopsis is an excellent choice for the garden and reblooms copiously and constantly if cared for. Deadheading is not required and I never do it. Bloom is from June through September (at least). The plant regenerates and spreads and is effectively immortal. I have the Sunbeam, Mom liked the Sunfire better. I find the Sunbeam to be more reliable.

Blanket flower (Gaillardia) rebloom all summer on short stems. They're attractive perennials in the garden, but only have a three to four year life span.

Nepeta (catmint) is a regular rebloomer and long-lived plant, but I find it shaggy and too chaotic even for me. Which is saying something.

Veronica (Speedwell) reblooms the entire season if deadheaded.

Ice plant isn't the easiest thing to grow particularly if winters are harsh, but the plant looks very exotic and the blooms are very pretty and rebloom quite well all summer long. The plant itself isn't picky about water or feeding.

St. John's Wort blooms a pretty yellow all season long, but can get a little out of control. Maintenance is required.

Endless Summer hydrangea rebloom through September.

Dahlia reblooms continuously, but the tubers must be lifted for winter and stored (that's quite easy to do, just dig up after first frost kills the tops). Dahlia tubers can live decades. Dahlias feature large, flashy flowers perfect for cutting--and cutting just makes the plant bloom harder.

Cannas, ditto with dahlia, except they start later in the season (and don't tolerate cutting well so leave them on the plant). The leaves are exotic and tropical enough to pull off garden accenting all by themselves.

Elephant Ears don't flower (visibly), but the draw there IS the leaves. The plant is up to nine feet tall and five feet wide. The bulb must be lifted at frost and stored. It pairs amusingly with...

Mouse Ear Hosta, a very small blue-green hosta with small leaves. It blooms weakly in August. This is a perennial.

>>Any thoughts on attracting bees, bats, and butterflies? I'm thinking about adding sunflowers.

Bats, add a bat house, never use insecticide, and they will come. In my area, I host many Large Brown Bats and Small Brown Bats--the only two native species.

Bees tend to be attracted to any brightly colored flower with or without scent (dun-colored flowers must have scent to attract pollinators). It depends on what species are native (I have eight native species here), and what is and is not appropriate for your microclime (of the eight, I commonly see three with two others occasionally). Avoid the use of all insecticides, but as we're finding, particularly avoid the neonicotinoids.

Putting in one very heavily scented flower (jasmine or the like) will attract bees to the garden via scent. They'll stay when they see the other flowers.

Bees will be attracted to your sunflowers. Keep in mind, sunflowers bloom once (except the Teddy Bear and the related cultivars, mostly dwarf sunflowers of 1' to 3'). Post-bloom, they look terrible and tend to attract sap-eating insects.

Butterflies prefer blue or purple flowers, but aren't adverse to visiting others. Butterfly bushes (another reblooming perennial) attract butterflies like mad and feature cultivars with heights from five to thirty feet. I have the Black Knight, a 30' variety, but train it to about fifteen feet tall.

Blue Victoria salvia or its close relative the Rhea salvia, also attract butterflies. I grow the Rhea. It's an annual, and there are several cultivars available within the species of blue salvia, Salvia farinacea.

Hummingbirds are all about the red, although they'll be seen visiting flowers of other colors as well. Red salvia (Salvia splendens) is an easily located annual plant that attracts hummingbirds like crazy.

You have me very intrigued by the thought of 9ft and 30ft tall flowers. Even if it's half that size. My planned yard (a backyard alley and neighbor with most visibility getting a forsythia/lilac barrier, behind the garage getting lilacs and rhododendron, side of garage getting hostas and garden) may have to be adjusted! Though that largely depends on the cost, spreading capabilities, and Midwest survivability. (if it spreads, I don't need to buy a lot!)

The only pesticide I plan on using will either be white vinegar or your recipe. I think...hope.

There are plenty of larger flowering plants, but I don't suggest them for most locales. A Black Knight is about the largest thing most people want to deal with, and it can turn into a shrub that's covered in dark purple spikes from July to October.

That having been said, there's nothing wrong with a lilac. I have five--four old fashioned ones and a Miss Kim. They get nice greenery and blossom beautifully. It's just that they only do it once a year.

>>The only pesticide I plan on using will either be white vinegar or your recipe. I think...hope.

Most insects are untouched by vinegar of household strength, and my recipe won't do much either. Most insects--like most birds--can't taste hot.

That's actually an advantage. Bees will still visit sprayed plants. Birds still eat the seed (the vitamin A in the spray makes their feathers glossy). Plus we can use capsicum pepper to repel squirrels in bird feeders.

Are there any in particular that you listed that would not do well in the Mid West?

Well by insects, I mean some sort of leaf eater. I had been under the impression that the vinegar smell was the deterrent, not so much the taste.

Most of the listed ones are appropriate for Zone 6 to northern end Zone 7 gardening, but dahlia, canna, elephant ear, and the other bulbs, tubers and annuals will do well in anything from Zone 3 to Zone 8 since they get lifted and stored, or removed at frost.

Your local garden shops should carry a mix of perennials that do well in your area--compare it to the list above for the most recommended consistent bloomers. Other plants may also work, so keep an eye out.

In my own gardens, I use a combination of bulbs (spring, no need to remove), tubers (summer/fall) and annuals (late spring through fall). First bloom was April 4th this year (late, actually). Last bloom will be around October 20th. Post that, I'll leave the Easter Eggplant in the garden for winter interest, plus there'll be some stragglers (snapdragon and viola, mostly) that'll bloom weakly through December if the weather doesn't get too cold.

Once the vinegar dissipates it won't repel an insect (I'm not sure it'll repel them when fresh, actually, as vinegar can be used to attract fruit eating insects). Sprays made of catnip, marigold extract, or chrysanthemum extract do repel insects, but don't work well over the long-term.

My response is to let the chips fall where they may and keep the environment healthy enough to attract hunters. Ladybugs, parasitic wasps, stick insects, swallows, frogs, and bats abound in my gardens. Insect problems...once a year when the durned Japanese beetles hit.

One recommendation I had seen for the vinegar was to soak a cotton ball or coffee filter in it and hang it nearby. I'll likely create your recipe once the sun comes out again. Perhaps, I should run the tobacco by my dog first. If he likes cayenne....

Ha, I wish I could get half of those (although, I don't think I want the wasps). That's what I get for living outside a city. I'm just glad I have a yard big enough for SOME creativity. My planned fountain won't be enough to attract frogs, and I've never managed stick insects-even when I was more rural.

Would you recommend seeds or transplanting for the flowers mentioned above? I'm not sure what I'll be able to find, for how much, or in what form.

Stick insects are unbelievably sensitive to any pesticides, so complete avoidance there is recommended. Even with, you might get some, but they're not common and not easy to see in the first place.

All of the above plants are available for transplanting and none require seeding! Although some are available as seed if you prefer to go that route.

Seeding vs transplanting was mainly to see what was the most cost effective. I'd love to get a good number of your recommendations in my yard (especially some of the more different (read: tall) ones), I just don't want to break the bank.

I've also had daffodils and lilies recommended. However, that was my Mom in the climate of the Northeast. Tulips, hyacinths, and gladiolas she had problems with though.

Are any really subject to spreading more than another? Faster, farther?

I'm thinking that choosing a pesticide-homemade or store bought-will just have to come down to what decides to come into my yard..

Oh...ANOTHER question. We had some 70 degree weather early, followed by a nasty, frosty dip. I checked online for ways of determining if plants still had life and the best way I found was scraping away the outer bark layer to see if it was green. I have a lilac and a Flowering Dogwood that I felt were both bitten, but are green internally. When can I expect to see signs of life? Both were transplanted last Summer.

I have given my dog some samples of an off brand tabasco sauce (only one I could find at Walmart). He has shown no hesitation in multiple taste tests across multiple days. He was left out for an extended amount of time the other day and he took out our plum tree and part of the peach.

Sorry, missed this!

Tulips and hyacinths can be touchy. Tulips have limited lifespans, so require occasional replacement (my Purple Prince are giving up after nine years and so far, not a one has sprouted). Hyacinths are similarly limited, requiring replacement after five years or so.

>>Are any really subject to spreading more than another? Faster, farther?

Many aren't subject to much spread at all--actually an advantage in a garden as they start to fight other plants. Certainly spread on these is slow enough that you have time to work with them.

Fast spreading plants tend not to be extremely long-blooming (something like a well-fed Profusion zinnia being an exception, those suckers can go from one small plant to 4' wide during the season and bloom like troopers through it all). But the Profusion is a triploid mutation of the standard zinnia, so it's kind of an oddball to begin with. At this point, it's not even of the same species and is completely unable to reproduce with a standard zinnia.

>>I have a lilac and a Flowering Dogwood that I felt were both bitten, but are green internally. When can I expect to see signs of life? Both were transplanted last Summer.

Highly variable. When soil temperatures hit fifty and stay there, the lilac will tend to start sending greenery and flower buds (if any on a new shrub). Dogwoods are later--mid-May in my area, probably a bit behind that in yours, and don't send leaves until after they blossom (if they blossom when young, which they frequently either don't or do, but weakly).

It's rare to lose a lilac unless it's in sodden ground or got borers. They're extremely tolerant of any other condition, and even deal OK with sodden ground as long as they have some dry root. They're cold hardy to -30 with drying winds, or why I use them in the wind tunnel in the back yard.

At this point, my lilacs are back, but only have very small leaves and the start of their flower pannicles. The ones furthest from the house are just barely back here in Zone 7A.

>>I have given my dog some samples of an off brand tabasco sauce (only one I could find at Walmart). He has shown no hesitation in multiple taste tests across multiple days. He was left out for an extended amount of time the other day and he took out our plum tree and part of the peach.

You have a most unusual dog! The next thing to do is deer fencing on the trees. Attractive, no, but it'll keep Fido off the greenery.

One of mine's coming in with a nose covered in yellow pollen every time I let him out; the daffodil are in bloom and he likes to sniff them.

No worries, glad I can still pick your brain!

The flowers/plants in my yard that I've noticed to have the most spreading power are Forsythia and Queen Anne's Lace. That lace is making the area right behind the garage its own and simply letting the lilacs stick around at this point.

Speaking of the lilacs, the one I thought was frost bitten is not...completely. I keep scratching the outer skin to see if it is green and healthy. The top is fading, while the bottom doesn't need to be checked because it has leaves. Can half the plant die and should I prune to a specific point? The dogwood also appears alive. It has what my brain thinks are tiny rolled up leaves starting to emerge. They blend in quite well with the bark, so it was hard to tell if it was doing anything.

So if I've been discouraged from white vinegar for plant safety and tabasco because my dog has no taste buds, I'm guessing we are beyond spray (if you're recommending deer guards, too)? We actually did get some tree guards over the weekend. Cheap plastic pieces that coil around the tree and can be expanded to accommodate growth.

Hopefully next year the apples and plum tree come back though! The one apple was coming back. WAS. That was my fault though. Do any of these trees have a set amount of times they can reasonably come back until they just don't?

We have also toyed with I think was said waayyy above with white vinegar soaked coffee filter or cotton ball which has evolved into the potential for a motion sensor sprayer. Teach him to eat our trees...

Queen Anne's lace (wild carrot [don't eat it, it has side effects]) does spread quickly! If it's happy there, let it go (although it's listed as an invasive species in some states). Forsythia also grows quickly, as do lilacs.

Think of butterfly bush as something like a forsythia. Same habit, but generally taller, and longer blooming. They can ascend three feet a year in decent environments. Faster if they're well cared-for, but that's true of many plants and shrubs (and trees; I have a pear tree that's nine and was at adult size at year 4, but I started with a 2' whip and pushed it).

Stop scratching the outer skin, it weakens the plant and opens it up to infection and insect damage. :-) Patience, particularly after the winter most of us just had, is a virtue. Everything is very, very slow and very, very hesitant to risk a freeze kill. My pear is now two weeks late at minimum and looks like it won't bloom until very late April.

Winter winds and temperatures can kill the top part of a plant, while leaving the lower part intact. That's particularly common if there was a snow line; the snow protects the plant from the wind and from really cold temperatures. Once it comes back, you can trim off any dead wood--that's always allowable. Lilacs and other shrubs will branch easily and throw new canes. Protection of new shrubs with a "fence" of burlap and a burlap cover can reduce the damage, and it's rarely a problem with anything over 3 years old unless the plant simply isn't built for your worst-case winter.

I lost my butterfly bush back to the ground in 2013/early 2014 (low temperatures were so far under zero it's ridiculous), as well as my very-protected crepe myrtle. The butterfly bush resprouted from the ground, adding eight feet on last year. The crepe myrtle wasn't quite so prolific and is back to about four feet tall.

Trees that take damage like that usually don't recover, although they may throw a secondary leader from the trunk. The form won't make you happy and the join will be weak. It's advisable to remove the tree, particularly if it could come down on power lines, your house, a shed, and so on.

My cousin owns an orchard, so I've heard way more about fruit trees than I ever really wanted to. :-) Apples, pears, and plums all have lifespans of about thirty years (this varies widely), although productive years are a different story. Most orchards are replacing trees around year 5 for some varieties, up to year 10 for others. Older trees simply don't generate the number and quality of fruit required. Home trees only rarely produce fruit that would be acceptable for sale, and this requires a great deal of work.

While short lifespan trees, and generally not used as shade trees on streets for this reason, they're perfectly fine as accent trees. You just need to keep an eye on them toward the end of their lives. A storm will generally bring them down rather catastrophically when the clock finally runs out. In my case, the pear coming down would land on the lawn. Annoying, some damage, but nothing I can't fix very quickly and nothing that really costs anything to repair. It can't hit the house, it's too far away and too short.

Re: the dog, a motion-activated sprinkler might be of use (since he doesn't like getting wet, as noted above). It also deters deer and other large herbivores. Assuming he's large enough to activate the motion detector, of course.

I'll have to look into Butterfly Bush! A quick Google to see what it looks like also had a link about it being invasive and just providing food but no other value to butterflies or moths (something about caterpillars won't eat the leaves). I'm thinking that it could still be used for flower hedge wall purposes. Ideally, I'd like to have other plants that butterflies fully enjoy anyway.

I'll stop scratching. My wife was getting anxious to pull stuff out and I just needed a quick way to determine if things were alive.

Okay, so the Apple and plum trees and that have been eaten and then cut to the base as well should be removed? You're saying they'll grow back but look ugly? Will they still produce anything? I'm just not excited to re-dig holes and spend money on new fruit trees.

The dog is definitely large enough to activate a censor.

Butterfly bushes are for dinner, not for a condo. :-) Plus add milkweed for the now almost-endangered Monarch.

It's possible the stuff eaten to the base will throw a new leader, which will be the main. For now, I'd let it go--but realize it may not come back, or may not do so attractively at all. So maybe you'll need to replace them.

Also, if they're grafted trees with a different species' roots, you might get growth from the other species. That sometimes happens with grafted roses (although in that case you just cut off the canes sprouting from the root mass).

I think Milk Weed is on our list actually. Don't remember if it was recommended here, but it's definitely something we're interested in.

I've been looking around houzz and the rest of the internet looking for ideas to make my backyard more dog friendly, too. The additions I'm most thinking about are a tunnel and a path. They'd pretty much be the same thing-a tunneled path. One recommendation for it though, was dog friendly plants. Something that could survive some aggressive sniffing and maybe some pawing. Out of everything he's gone after, it has either had bark, been fruit bearing (he got a grapevine last year), or had loose dirt. He was also bored. Can you think of anything that would work? I don't know if anything in particular attracts them. It just needs to be durable and not tall. (I'm thinking marigolds, maybe?) I wouldn't want them to spread either. If all goes well, it'd be an area between fence and forsythia/lilac/whatever else.

Marigolds have a very strong, cilantro-like scent. That may attract or repel a given dog. It seems to do neither with ours, who simply push past it and then smell slightly of marigold. Since we like the scent, that's not an issue, but some people can't stand it. Marigold are non-toxic to dogs and people (marigold is quite tasty in salad, actually, in small amounts)

Dahlia respond to damage by dividing and sprouting 2 to 4 branches from any one broken or chewed (I just pinched a Figaro purple in a pot to get it to divide instead of growing a single leader, it's now developing four side branches). They do require some uninterrupted time to sprout and grow, though, just like any other plant. While listed as toxic to dogs, it's limited to mild itching if sap exposed, or mild stomach upset if too much is eaten.

Small, shrubby things like hydrangea would fit the bill but aren't recommended as they're toxic to dogs--significantly so.

https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants?field_non_toxicity_value%5B%5D=01

There's a list of non-toxic plants for dogs. Of them, the African (Gerbera) daisy, most other daisies, bachelor's button, and zinnia come to mind as good choices.

Alright, after spending some time looking up all the flowers that were recommended and plotting out my yard to try to accommodate everything, I have come out on the other side with a few more questions.

1. Would you trust Amazon to ship flowers?

2. My local floral store (we have three designated ones, I'm simply speaking of the closest one) has most of the flowers you listed! They seem to only be lacking Black Knights and Butterfly Bushes. This leads to question one. It also leads to me another question: I believe Black Knight had height on it's side...is there another tall Butterfly friendly flower that grows in Zone 5? Same question for Butterfly Bushes....is there an alternative that will grow in Zone 5? Getting back to the Black Knight...which one exactly are we talking about? I've seen two different flowers popping up on searches.

3. Since Elephant Ears require some Winter care (digging out the bulbs in the Fall), is there another large leaf Perennial that does not require that? I wasn't on board with it at first, but it is growing on me...especially if it has Jack In The Pulpit characteristics. (I'm trying to make Sunflowers be the only things that need any kind of seasonal monitoring)

Thanks again!

1) Maybe, but it depends on the supplier. A well-known, well-rated one with five star reviews is probably going to be just fine.

2) Any butterfly bush on the larger end of the spectrum would be great, and you can choose the flower color you want within the spectrum of hues (reds, pinks, purples, and whites are fairly common).

Of them all, the butterfly bushes are the tallest, and the best-blooming.

Here's a link to a Black Knight example: http://www.michiganbulb.com/product/Black_Knight_Butterfly_Bush

I find their estimate of 6' to 10' to be a gross underestimate. The first or second year, sure. Post that, much taller. Although if winter kills the shrub back to the ground consistently, six feet might be a decent estimate for its sustained height over the years. That doesn't happen here.

Lantana are butterfly-friendly flowers that grow beautifully in Zone 5, but they're annuals.

Salvia are perennials that vary from 1' to 3', but the blooming season tends to be short (May-June) unless deadheaded. Even then, rebloom is rather weak. Annual Salvia farinacea also attracts butterflies.

Black-Eyed Susans bloom in late summer, are perennial, and range from 2' to 6' tall depending on the cultivar.

The coreopsis (perennial, 2' for so) mentioned above is a good rebloomer and a modest butterfly draw.

Butterfly weed is a freely-reseeding annual about 3' tall that will attract Monarchs like mad.

Coneflower are 3' perennials, but the blooming season is a bit short (July-August).

3) Many hosta do very well. The Empress Wu would fit the bill here. Mullein is also in play, but might be a bit marginal in harsher sections of Zone 5.

Ligularia would do beautifully, but good luck finding one.

Was I reading you wrong and thinking Black Knight and Butterfly Bush are two different thing? I had initially found this one and got really excited. I found the one you are confirming (which in hindsight, makes more sense for the height) and was still happy to go with that too.

Coreopsis is still a contender, as are the recommended Salvias.

I'll check up on the Butterfly Weed and Lantana.

We actually have hostas! I grew up with them basically bordering the house from the lawn and lawn from the woods so it was something I definitely wanted to find a place for.

The Ligularia...would that just thrive here or is it a massive butterfly attractor? Both?

>>I had initially found this one and got really excited. I found the one you are confirming (which in hindsight, makes more sense for the height) and was still happy to go with that too.

That's a pincushion flower. It's a nice one, and I do like pincushion, so maybe. :-)

Black Knight is apparently a reasonably common name for a cultivar. In this case, I meant the Black Knight butterfly bush, the tall bush with long pannicles of flowers in summer and early fall.

The Lugularia is a large-leaf plant, and won't attract butterflies. It's a good substitute for the Elephant Ear.

As far as your Jasmine recommendation goes...are lilacs a worthy substitute? Our yard will be bordered by them. I have a space picked out for the blue salvia. I was going to try and find a place for everything you recommended, but that may not be an option. I think I'd like something that attracts bees and butterflies alike and has a particularly vibrant look (like the Ice Plant, Blanket Flower, or Coreopsis that is red and yellow).

Lilacs are always a delight. They're not particular (they require full sun and strongly dislike wet soils), but most only bloom once per year. There are new reblooming lilacs, the Bloomerang: https://www.provenwinners.com/plants/syringa/bloomerang-purple-reblooming-lilac-syringa-x

You can also extend your season by using a combination of common lilac (late April into early May), and Korean lilac like the Miss Kim (mid to late May). If you have room, the Japanese lilac tree will blossom in late June to early July. The scent of the Korean lilac is muskier than that of the common lilac (I have both). I've never smelled a Japanese lilac in bloom.

Lilacs are probably my favorite outside of a Water Hyacinth (I know it's invasive, but I like how it looks and that it grows in/on water) so I'm pretty excited for all of them to grow in.

It's funny you mention the Japanese lilac. I look it up and it looks very similar to another tree in our neighborhood. If I were to venture over to it, what should I look for in terms of seeds that may have dropped? Either way, I'm not sure we'll have room. My wife would like our trees to be fruit bearing.

Most of our forsythia/lilac border is luckily transplanted (so I have less of a wait time). Most of our lilacs have yet to be moved though, so if I find any Boomerangs I'll have to pick some up! I'd love to have a continuously blooming yard!

If constrained and not allowed to enter waterways, the water hyacinth is fine in many states--most of the ones that regularly freeze in winter, anyway. They're not tolerant of weather under 32.

I'm not sure about lilac seeds. Since the Japanese lilac is a hybrid, it's unlikely to breed true from seed (you'll tend to get a plant that more resembles one of its grandparents). But there are exceptions.