Monday, April 5, 2010
Gray sky and 32 degrees this morning here on the mountain. Some different than yesterdays 60 degree start and 73 degree finish. Gail and I were rolling up plastic just after noon and the wind gusts were so strong that the two of us could hardly control the 60 foot pieces. Today is a different day and it will be colder as the next three days have promised some rain.
This weekend was beautiful but the hot weather warmed the soil quicker than I thought and I have already received reports of the first hatch of the lily leaf beetle. If you like lilium you have to get control of this beetle early in the season. Even then they might fly in and start a new generation of trouble.
I have written about the beetle on this blog and also on my disbanded Vermont Gardens. In the search bar in the upper left of the main blog pages just type in lily leaf beetle and you will get all the scoop. You can also Google lily leaf beetle for plenty of results. Many other gardeners are writing too and I do hope someone will come up with an organic solution that helps us out. Please, oh, please try to avoid Imidachloprid--we are already having enough trouble with loss of honey bees.
Hope these pictures help with your identification. The pictures of the beetle as an adult and as larva almost ready to bury in. They are difficult to confuse with other insects. Hand picking is not easy as they drop to the ground at the sight of an approaching hand and in nano seconds become invisible. Good luck!
Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the sun is getting stronger like the voices of the tom turkeys.
George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
This weekend was beautiful but the hot weather warmed the soil quicker than I thought and I have already received reports of the first hatch of the lily leaf beetle. If you like lilium you have to get control of this beetle early in the season. Even then they might fly in and start a new generation of trouble.
I have written about the beetle on this blog and also on my disbanded Vermont Gardens. In the search bar in the upper left of the main blog pages just type in lily leaf beetle and you will get all the scoop. You can also Google lily leaf beetle for plenty of results. Many other gardeners are writing too and I do hope someone will come up with an organic solution that helps us out. Please, oh, please try to avoid Imidachloprid--we are already having enough trouble with loss of honey bees.
Hope these pictures help with your identification. The pictures of the beetle as an adult and as larva almost ready to bury in. They are difficult to confuse with other insects. Hand picking is not easy as they drop to the ground at the sight of an approaching hand and in nano seconds become invisible. Good luck!
Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where the sun is getting stronger like the voices of the tom turkeys.
George Africa
The Vermont Gardener
Vermont Flower Farm
2 comments:
Very helpful George and as always your blog is a joy to read.
Simply gorgeous lily flowers.
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