The weather guessers lied.

ryseryse_2004

9 years ago

Our local news said last week that we wouldn't be seeing Japanese beetles this season since they didn't make it through the harsh winter. I was very skeptical when I heard it and sure enough a few days ago they arrived in droves!

I finally broke down and got Sevin concentrate. I will just spray it on my raspberries and Honey Crisp apple trees though because I know it kills beneficials. (I will spray in the evening) I will just let them devour my hibiscus again this year because I don't want to use Sevin in my flower gardens.

I have two traps hanging and after just 2 days, they are both full. I am wondering if they indeed draw more beetles to the area than would otherwise come. I think I will just toss them.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (9)

greenhearted Z5a IL
9 years ago
:( Dang it!

My grandfather used those phermone traps on his property and it did nothing to protect his plants. I do think they only attract more, but that is my only experience with them. I've never tried them myself. Bucket of soapy water is all I've ever used.
a2zmom_Z6_NJ
9 years ago
ryseryse, I'm sorry to hear that. Beetles started arriving for me a couple of days ago. I don't get too many - many 10-15 a day tops so I just drown them in the morning and the evening.

What's odd is I have a hollyhock that seeded into the bed in front of my house. It's pretty much nothing bu weeds there as I will be redoing the entire area soon. That plant has not one drop of rust and not one leaf toched by JBs. The hoolyhock that is actually in my bed is not so lucky.
Related Discussions
LI Jujube Question
Q
Comments (2)
I have just found your post. I have 2 Li jujube planted last year. I have the same problem like you had. The fruits are soft and sponge. I wonder if you did find out the solution ?. I am living in Southern California Inland. It is hot in the summer, around 97 degree. May be too sunny?
...See More
Oh Dear, I Lied - More Pictures
Q
Comments (34)
floridarose and Lee, YOUR words keep me motivated. Thank you. This is one of the greatest things about this forum, that we cheer each other on and truly enjoy everyone's successes and commiserate with the failures that we all know only too well. That kind of good will and empathy is priceless and heart-warming. It's the reason I can't stay away from here for even a single day. Ingrid
...See More
cool weather herbs, warm weather herbs
Q
Comments (9)
Forget 'weather' and instead think 'climate'. All herbs originated from Somewhere, and once you know where Somewhere is, you can find out what the prevailing climate is Somewhere. Hence, you can find out just what conditions each herb prefers, and you can do your best to emulate those conditions. For example, from your list: Lemongrass is native mainly to South Asia. Climate in South Asia is tropical or nearly so. Tropical climate means hot and humid all year round, with frequent (often daily) heavy rain. Rain runs off quickly except in monsoonal seasons where flooding can occur. From that, you can deduce the following: lemongrass likes the heat - that means HEAT. It likes a lot of water, but prefers that water to drain away quickly. You can also deduce that: it doesn't take kindly to frost, and may not survive a severe winter. It may need to be brought indoors if you want to keep it alive, but it must have plenty of water. From the fact that it's called lemonGRASS, you can deduce that it likes plenty of sunlight, and that it can be cut down heavily and still grow. Cut, grow, cut, grow. You can research the rest of the herbs on your list in the same way to learn what is likely to do well where you live, and what won't without special care. Obviously, outside its preferred climate, a plant won't behave it quite the same way as 'at home'. It could grow more slowly; it might die extremes of weather (too hot or too cold); its growth might be stunted. Etc. Take a look, while you're researching, at the temperatures the plant prefers to germinate from seed. That will tell you a lot, too. If it lives at high altitudes, it's probably accustomed to cooler temps, and its seeds might like refrigerating or freezing (stratifying) before they'll germinate. So - botany and geography can't really be separated, when it comes to plants! I live in the subtropics, so most plant will grow here all year round, and do very well, But I can't grow things like French Tarragon or Meadowsweet, and coriander is a winter-only crop, because even in shade the temperatures here are just too hot for them. The link below is a good starting point for finding out the native habitat of a lot of herbs. The URL below is a good site for learning about the kinds of conditions herbs require (including in many cases, temperatures). http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/D_search.html Here is a link that might be useful: herbs and spices
...See More
The pecan tree lied!!!
Q
Comments (5)
Bob, My native pecan trees, both young and old, are right about 80% of the time. None of them have budded out yet here. My fig is leafing out, but just started about 3 days ago. I almost always "believe" the pecan trees, but they are not always "right". My Desert Willow (Chilopsis linearis), which is neither a desert plant nor a willow, is right about 95% of the time and it hasn't leafed out yet either. For what it is worth, the Chaste Tree (Vitex Agnus-castus) is right about 95% of the time too and it is just beginning to bud out. I don't think any plant is "right" 100% of the time, but the Chaste Tree and Willow tree are more accurate than the native pecans. I am not sure about grafted pecans, but here they sometimes leaf out before the natives, so I wouldn't trust their judgement either. The younger pecan trees do seem to be "fooled" by the weather more often than the older ones are. For me, a better indicator tree is the Bur Oak. It doesn't tend to leaf out too early. Once its leaves are about the size of a squirrel's ear, it is OK to plant corn and tomatoes. My Bur Oaks are just beginning to leaf out. Frost Advisory tonight for a lot of OK, so more damage may occur to tender vegetation. Dawn
...See More
User
9 years ago
The pheromone traps are used as early detection systems, not any sort of preventative......and I think they can act as an attractor. I give many thanks that these horrible beetles do not terrorise us in the UK...truly demoralising. Our non-winter has given rise to an apocalypse of pests and disease - snail banquets beyond all avarice, rusts and mildews.....although my gardens are far too full so frankly, there will be some culling this summer which can only be a good thing - survival of the fittest and all that (in fact the missing roses, lilies and laughable hosta skeletons attest to an early start on the murder season).
User
9 years ago
Not many Japanese Beetles this year here in the MD suburbs of DC...
Molex 7a NYC
9 years ago
First time In about 3 years I've gotten more than a handful here in NYC, I do soap-bucket-handpick method of control, seems to work.
duluthinbloomz4
9 years ago
We don't have JBs here yet - I suppose because the soil can freeze in the winter to a depth of @5 feet.

Read somewhere there's a "social" aspect to the beetles - they find one of their kind and suddenly you've got clusters. Taking into account the pheromones they exude for mating, etc.

They were pretty awful in Maryland when I lived there - they could go through a good sized purple plum ornamental like a buzz saw virtually in a day.
davidrt28 (zone 7)
9 years ago
" Posted by saltidawg Z6 MD (My Page) on
Wed, Jul 2, 14 at 17:49

Not many Japanese Beetles this year here in the MD suburbs of DC..."

Worse year for them ever here in NE Maryland near the upper Ches. Bay. My thinking is something that eats them usually is in short supply, or last summer's wet weather was perfect for them to set up a population explosion. Unlike DC, IIRC, I always had heavy snow cover here during the winter's freezes, so it's possible the soil didn't freeze very deep. (in fact there are plenty of indications it did not, not even as bad as in some other recent winters. Tender perennials, such as they were, had their roots survive)
davidrt28 (zone 7)
9 years ago
I was meaning to document this anyhow so I just went out to take the picture. My entire Zanthoxylum simulans looks like this. It will pull through though, they are already gone.
davidrt28 (zone 7)
9 years ago
Well I see a straggler now, but about 5 days ago there must have been well over 200 in this 9' tree. They were coating the branches. I have one of the old style zapper racquets (without the stupid safety screen) and it was fun to go out and swat at them, but it doesn't really make much of a difference. It's more useful to protect myself from flies.

The weather guessers lied.

Comments (9)

greenhearted Z5a IL

a2zmom_Z6_NJ

Related Discussions

User

User

Molex 7a NYC

duluthinbloomz4

davidrt28 (zone 7)

davidrt28 (zone 7)

davidrt28 (zone 7)

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US