Its a sunny spring morning in my flower bed beyond the garden gate. Birds are peeping, as the break of day was only a few hours ago. The earth was warm. Wind was silent, like the stillness of a walk in the woods. A perfect day to transplant.

The tithonia plants were ready for their home in the garden. Six weeks ago, they were seeds on the radiator. Yesterday they were under lights in the basement. Today, just at the right time and selected with care, they begin their immortal fame.

Tithonia speciosa is a native of Mexico and Central America. In zones 8-10, it is a perennial. Here in zone 5-6 this Mexican sunflower is an annual. The 3-4 beautiful, bright orange daisy like flowers are excellent for cutting. It is a magnet for butterflies, especially the monarch. The blossom makes perfect landing pads for passing butterflies and provides nectar for beneficial insects. You may see visits from the traveling hummingbirds.

Tithonia is named for Tithonus, a Trojan prince, who in Greek mythology, was quite an interest to Eos, the goddess of the dawn. Eos, the immortal, fell in love with a mortal man. This was a sad affair, because mortals do not live forever as a goddess will. She carried him away to her palace, away from his home.

This Mexican sunflower likes well-amended soil with organic compost. It can be sown directly in the garden after the danger of frost has passed. Choose a sunny spot because it will grow best in full sun. Sow in groups of two-three seeds spaced 12-18 inches apart in moist soil. Press seeds gently on the surface. Its best to use bird netting until germination in four-10 days. Also shade to protect them from the suns heat.

So Tithonus and Eos had a great life together. Children were born. All seemed well as time passed. But mortals do not live forever, as she does. She couldn't live without him, so she asked the great god of all, Zeus, to grant Tithonus immortality. The request was granted. But even Zeus did not have the power to make Tithonus a god.

With the warm sun to my back, I carefully transplanted two tithonia plants into the garden near the fence. Last year, a butterfly weed was not performing so well there. I also wanted a fuller plant and more blossoms at that place. Two weeks ago, they were removed, and the well-drained soil was amended. I covered the plants with two pots to protect them from the sun. Their backdrop will be the bronze spray from a Northern Sea Oat from the other side of the white picket fence.

As Tithonus was living forever, he also began to show his age. Eos noticed the wrinkles on his face and the frailty of his muscles of his arms and legs. His hair began to thin and turned gray. This did not please Eos. Tithonus was not the strong, powerful man she fell in love with. So, she left him alone and went away to fall in love with other men.

It is best to pay some attention to the rabbit in your neighborhood. We all know how it goes. One day we are so confident. Seedlings are doing fabulous. We see the plant in bloom. We feel like a horticulturist at Longwood Gardens. Success, right?

The next morning our stroll through the garden finds the stubs left by an annoying bunny. Thumper has made his visit. Get ahead of Mr. Rabbit. Try a repellent of water, dish soap, hot sauce, and garlic cloves. Spray aggressively. Alternatively, spray with raw eggs, as rabbits don't like the smell.

Eos returned. She saw how sad Tithonus had become. He did not feel her warmth and glow. He saw her beauty. He understood his fate. Give me back my mortality was his forever cry. Eos couldn't stand to hear his sobbing. The gods could not give him back his mortality.

So, Eos, the goddess, used all her powers to turn him into a cicada. He emerged anew. Wings unfolding, like the orange blossoms of the Gold flower of the Incas in late summer.

The hotline is operating remotely with the Extension Office being closed. You can call the regular 570-622-4225 and you will be forwarded.

Online there is a free class called The Victory Garden Reinvented. To register for the class and for information go to: extension.psu.edu or you can Google Victory Garden Reinvented.psu.ext.

There is also Garden Hotline Live to call in questions statewide noon to 12:30 p.m. the first and third Fridays of each month. Go to: https://extension.psu.edu/garden-hotline-live-episode-1.

Read more from the original source:
The Garden Spot: Gold flowers of the Incas - Reading Eagle