The insects are terrible up this way too , may dub this " the year of the pest " even the mosquitos and gnats seem to be in greater numbers and extra vicious this season .
Earwigs , Japanese beetles and crabgrass may break the last straw of sanity I have left
Last year the marmorated stink bugs got into the house(just a very few) and when we turned off the lights to watch TV they were flying around. I have not seen them this year.
We like to place a sign on our porch that says: We are in the garden. Really, we are always in the garden.
Name: Annie Luck Apex, North Carolina BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE IN TH
Very big year here for the Japanese Beetles and other bugs.
Every time I bring flowers inside, I end up throwing stink bugs back outside.
I've never squashed them though. I assume they stink when you do!
No beetles or stinkbugs here, but the powdery mildew is starting. Just came in from deadheading, and the lowers leaves are starting to show it. There was hardly any at all last year, and what there was, did not show until later in the season - maybe August or September. I wonder if it has anything to do with the amount of rainfall we had this year.
I haven't seen the ladybugs show up en-mass yet and found the sweet peas pretty infested with aphids. I hate to use my ammonia spray if the ladybugs are due to arrive...Still on the fence about it but aphids carry a virus to any of the pea plants here, called "pea enation" virus.
We are still selling lots of sweet pea bouquets and I got asked to grow them next year for a little girls Jewish ceremony. next spring. I am ready to change colors now, getting bored with what I have, but as long as they sell.....
I was going to ask you Drew what you did different then the rest of us to keep bugs off your florist plants. See that you sell your flowers you must have less bugs then me.
If something seems "buggy" I carefully dip the blooms in hot water then hold upside down to drain.
I try to only use insecticides as a last resort ---- I appreciate the bees pollination efforts .
And remember the ammonia spray...I have had no problems using it..probably best to do it in the late afternoon when the sun goes off the plants. 1/3 household ammonia to 2/3 water...spray down inside where those earwigs like to hang out. We don't have Japanese beetles so I don't know how it would work but would be interested if someone tries it and reports back to us...
Ad Lib was bred by a medical person(dentist?) in the Portland club eons ago. Named after the Latin phrase used on prescriptions meaning take as needed. It is a variegated flower that is white with purples dots and splashes. Some stock has sported to solid purple. It had very ragged form thought to be a big negative back when but now is very popular.
We like to place a sign on our porch that says: We are in the garden. Really, we are always in the garden.
Ad lib - up close you can see small, white patches on the petals. I like it better than Regina which I planted this year, also. Regina has more red in it,
HH Funhouse - this bloom has been open for over a week in 100-degree heat. The plant and blooms show no sign of heat damage. It is a little over 5 feet tall and the blooms are 8 inches. I think the red pigment decreases as the bloom ages. I really like this one - a nice, happy flower.
Labyrinth - these blooms are beautiful!!! Unfortunately it started to bloom while we were gone and so did not notice all the buds are down in the plant. It needs to be disbudded. But, the plant is covered with buds and they are a beautiful blend of apricot and lavender-rose. I bet this would be a big hit with brides as the blooms are about 4 inches. Who wants to see something the size of Ayer's White Knight in a wedding bouquet? Trying to get a good picture of this flower.
LOVE those colors!