Friday, July 1, 2016

Pests

It's that time of summer, and we are stuck in a rut of gardening posts. 

I hope to get back on the roads in the next week.  You see, my air is out in my car, so 
I can't take the dogs walking, they are overheated by the time we get back 
in the car, and it's not fair for them to suffer seven miles going home. 

Tomorrow the air will (hopefully) be fixed. 


I was checking the straw bales the other night, and discovered I had some unwelcome visitors.  Can you see the one in the middle right? 

I actually hate killing... hate it.... and I love hummingbird moths, which tomato hornworms become. 
I just could not lose my big plants. 

I see very few honey bees around here, so treated the plants with Sevin. 


This is what prompted me to check the straw bales... Japanese beetles on the back deck. 
These are on a basil plant, can you see how they are decimating the leaves already? 


20 minutes later.  


The spearmint was not affected at all. 


This is the little tomato I transplanted two days ago on the deck. 
I have NO clue what kind it is. 


This is the big tomato that was transplanted about two weeks go. 


See the tomatoes at the back of this geranium? 

That's from whence came the other two plants! 
Total volunteers.  I may take the 
three plants in the pot and move them into the 
compost heap (where I had volunteers grow on last year). 


We are expecting big storms this weekend, and I suspect 
this is a view of Jester I will be seeing a lot of! 

I am getting up in the rain in the morning, though, to 
take the car in and PRAY it's just a freon shot that is needed.  
We are so spoiled now... I have driven for a few days without air, but 
am not relishing next week's high temps and humidity. 

Everyone have a safe weekend! 


11 comments:

  1. Like you I'm spoiled with the air conditioning. I do remember days we didn't have that option at all. Now when it's hot I can't do without it. I have something chewing away on my hydrangeas but nothing else seems to be bothered. I guess I need some seven dust for it too. Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

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  2. Hari OM
    and g'day! I finally got back to 'the hutch' and can begin catching up on folks - and joining up with the newbies discovered along the great Americas Adventure! I no longer have a garden and envy you having plants - even ones that attract pests! Growing tomatoes is one of the great pleasures of life... waggles to Jester, hugs to you, YAM xx

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  3. We used to just pick off hornworms--we had only a few tomato plants. Try interplanting tomatoes with dill or marigolds to discourage pests.

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  4. Wow, you got a great shot of those beetles! Yes, we wonder how anyone ever drove a car without A/C cuz it is soooo miserable! Mom bought a car without A/C (when she was furst divorced in the 80's) and we heard it made her crabby all summer long! Good luck and hope it is a cheap and easy fix!

    Your Pals,

    Murphy & Stanley

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  5. Hope the A/C on the car is fixed soon. It falls into the necessary category for sure. I am glad you found a way to control the pests.

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  6. My Dad is 96 and still lives on his own. He's not strong enough to bend down and garden so I put a few items in tall pots he can just water and gather from his deck. You've got some beautiful things growing!

    Abby the Lab and her Mom in Chicago

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  7. I sympathize with you on the Japanese beetles. I just discovered them on my small linden trees and some evidence on my new, very little peach tree. I have ordered some spray and milky spore powder. In the meantime, I'm picking them and drowning them in soapy water. They are one creature I really don't mind killing.

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  8. It is so frustrating to try to have plants and pests (all kinds)
    mess with them. I planted some marigold seeds from some dead
    one to see if they would come back and they did!
    BUT then the squirrels tore them up!!

    Hope the storm yesterday wasn't to bad for you guys.

    Happy 4th!

    M : )

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  9. Does Jester suffer from the thunder, and fireworks? My little Milo does. I'll be so glad when the kids around here run out of fireworks.

    I haven't seen Japanese beetles in years but I remember reading in Gladys Taber's books how she would go around plucking them off plants and drop them in kerosene.

    I hope that air conditioner in the car gets fixed tomorrow, Mary Ann,
    Dewena

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  10. Look at those bugs!! yuck!
    love
    tweedles

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  11. I'd go buy another car before I'd do with A/C. Too hot and too long of a drive in from our house to go any where at all.

    hoping it's fixed by now

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