Potter wasps build marble-size nests
Trimming dead leaves from helleborus plants isn’t essential
This tiny replica of a jug is the work of a potter wasp. The mother wasp constructs this nest from soil and spit, then stocks it with a spider, caterpillar or similar larva. She lays a single egg near the lip and seals the jug with a mud pellet. Her egg hatches into a wasp larva, feeds, pupates into an adult wasp, pops out the pellet like a cork, and emerges. Since your nest clearly has an opening, it’s likely the adult wasp emerged successfully. Potter wasps are a huge genus of wasps and build nests in a variety of shapes. They live solitary lives (no social hives like honeybees), feeding on flower nectar and hunting to provide for their offspring. These insect predators serve our purposes and should be encouraged.
The recommended culture for helleborus, also known as Lenten rose, is to prune off dead leaves in late winter if they are ratty looking. That means late February or March pruning. Old leaves do not necessarily have to be removed though. They can be allowed to settle to the ground and naturally mulch the plant. For helleborus with disease problems, removing old leaves in late winter is a good sanitation measure.
While summer is eternal in San Diego, interior designer Vanessa Matsalla still likes to decorate her home with soft, comforting accessories for the fall.
“The autumn refresh is all about refinement, using neutral tones and texture,” says Matsalla, owner and principal designer of Studio Matsalla Interiors.
She has highlighted products used in past projects to help welcome the season, including jute storage baskets — “a staple in our designs,” she says. “They’re functional, pretty to look at and stand the test of time.” Here are some of her top fall picks.