Beat the Rain, Beat the Beetles!

Saturday, May 16, 2009

A quick morning walk with Karl the Wonder Dog made me happy about how well the hostas are doing (Pacific Blue Edger pictured here) but dismayed about the state of lilies east of the Rockies and on into Canada. The lily leaf beetle has taken control and a predator wasp which is successful in zone 5 just doesn't do the trick here. It's too cold for it to survive.

If you search my blogs from last year you'll see some comments and some solutions but the battle is a big one and here in Vermont there are at least 3 generations per year so you have to love your lilies a lot to help them through the disaster. I'd say 3-4 people a day stop at the nursery and ask for advice. Click on the pictures and get a better look at the beetles--about 3/8's of an inch long.

I have to get clicking here myself because I'm trying to beat the rain. I'm putting a new roof on Gail's mother's house so we can sell it and the rain in recent weeks has slowed me down. I have the sun room roof stripped and will add some more insulation inside and then top it off. Rain is coming after lunch so time is short.

If you are out and about today, the wild flowers are still beautiful around here. Painted trillium are out down the road. At the nursery where we rototilled last fall for the new hosta and shade garden, millions of blue and also white forget me nots grew. We never saw them before but they are bountiful. I won't be at the nursery today but Gail is there so stop and say hello if you have a minute. We're working our way out of "spring disarray" so Gail may need a minute to locate what you want but we do have a nice selection.

Writing from the mountain above Peacham Pond where tom turkey just chased 6 hens by my window. Turkey life is good!

George Africa
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