Re: New England June 2017

CapeCoddess 6/22/2017, 4:56 pm

So nice, HG! You guys are leaving me in the dust now. Some day it will get warm here, too. But we have a few days more of fog starting tomorrow. Rolling Eyes

**Scorpio Rising** 6/22/2017, 8:01 pm

hammock gal wrote:It's slow going here in NE. I envy those of you who are eating from your gardens already. But at least there's some progress. The pepper is getting a tiny bit bigger, but so far, it's the only one. Here are a couple of cuke flowers. There are flowers on the tomatoes, I didn't get pics of them. So far, everything looks healthy. It's just that things are going so slooooooowly. Someone eat a tomato for me!

Patience my friend! Looking good! It was just a cool wet Spring....taking a bit to get past that, but all will be well!

CapeCoddess 6/23/2017, 1:23 pm

Harvested a basket of lettuce, collards and strawberries this morning. Ate all the sugar snap peas while watering the SFG.

Sure wish the sun would come back out...and stay out. Too cold, windy and foggy for my poor summer veggies.
Rolling Eyes

**Scorpio Rising** 6/23/2017, 7:30 pm

CapeCoddess wrote:Harvested a basket of lettuce, collards and strawberries this morning. Ate all the sugar snap peas while watering the SFG.

Sure wish the sun would come back out...and stay out. Too cold, windy and foggy for my poor summer veggies.

Yeah, we just had a whole day of rain, maybe an inch and a half, from what is left of Tropical Storm Cindy. We needed a rain, but it was a lot.

Weeding tomorrow while the dirt is wet and they are easy to pull. Will finally get time to spend staking and trellising stuff in the SFG.

Some squares will be freed up for the potatoes as well.

CapeCoddess 6/24/2017, 1:32 pm

Regional notes from UMass Amherst:
https://ag.umass.edu/landscape/landscape-message-jun-23-2017

1 more weekg of getting rained on by gypsy moth caterpillar poop and then all we'll have to deal with are the moths themselves. Every oak tree, and some pines, look like this: New England June 2017 - Page 3 Img_2011

The caterpillars go all the way up to the very tips of each branch. New England June 2017 - Page 3 Img_2010

There are actually ruts in the roads made by cars driving through poop. One of the old-timers just told me that the last time the infestation was this bad was 43 years ago.
I just hope all this poop is good fertilizer because it's everywhere! If I knew for sure I could shovel some up and add it to my compost pile.

yolos 6/24/2017, 2:00 pm

YUCK. ARe the caterpillars crawling up from the base of the tree or are the moths laying the caterpillar cocoons in the trees. If coming up from the ground, tanglefoot at the base of the tree may stop them.

CapeCoddess 6/24/2017, 2:42 pm

The caterpillars were hatched in the trees and then proceeded to eat all the leaves. I believe they come down to pupate and then the female moth, which can't fly, crawls back up the tree, laying hundreds of eggs as she goes. They will hatch next spring.
http://m.extension.illinois.edu/gypsymoth/biology.cfm

**trolleydriver** 6/24/2017, 2:48 pm

CapeCoddess wrote:The caterpillars were hatched in the trees and then proceeded to eat all the leaves. I believe they come down to pupate and then the female moth, which can't fly, crawls back up the tree, laying hundreds of eggs as she goes. They will hatch next spring.
http://m.extension.illinois.edu/gypsymoth/biology.cfm

That is gross. Do the trees come back after the leaves are eaten or do they die?

CapeCoddess 6/24/2017, 3:02 pm

From the looks of it, some will live and some will have to be taken down. I think the two Oaks on our property will live through this. Don't know about my apple tree. If this goes on for a few more years I'm not sure if any of them will survive.
Sad

These trees supply the leaves for my compost piles every year.

hammock gal 6/25/2017, 9:12 am

CapeCoddess wrote:From the looks of it, some will live and some will have to be taken down. I think the two Oaks on our property will live through this. Don't know about my apple tree. If this goes on for a few more years I'm not sure if any of them will survive.

These trees supply the leaves for my compost piles every year.

Oh CC, you've really got it bad up there! I'm so sorry about your beautiful trees. It's always such a shame to lose even one, if not more. What a shame that the birds can't even keep up with them. My heart breaks for you. I have an enormous oak tree in my back yard and it would kill me to lose it. I hope that the fungus spreads to your area, and starts to kill them soon.

Here is some info on the fungus that kills them.
http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-gypsy-moth-update-20170601-story.html

CapeCoddess 6/26/2017, 12:59 pm

That is a very hopeful article, HG! Thanks for posting it!

Heads up, New England...This weeks Vegnotes from UMass contains SVB sighting:
Mad

http://extension.umass.edu/vegetable/publications/vegetable-notes-newsletter/archives

**sanderson** 6/27/2017, 11:15 am

Do their bristles sting?

CapeCoddess 6/27/2017, 3:22 pm

sanderson wrote: Do their bristles sting?

I found the bristles to be uncomfortable - they poke ya. But some folks get rashes all up and down their arms and neck. I wish the birds would eat them but they don't. Not sure what their purpose is in the big scheme of things. Maybe the resulting moths are bird food.

hammock gal 6/27/2017, 3:34 pm

sanderson wrote: Do their bristles sting?

My girlfriend lives out in the woods, and she's sensitive to the webby strings that they float down from the trees on. She says she can't even go outside because she can't always see the webs, and if they come into contact with her skin, she gets a rash. The rash that you get from them is not fun. Nasty little buggars! Evil or Very Mad

http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/Health-Department-Releases-Information-on-Gypsy-Moths--421386314.html

CapeCoddess 6/27/2017, 4:03 pm

Good article, HG. Thanks. It says that the fungus that kills them is found on the lower part of the trees. We were told by Agway to put duct tape around the trees and now my caterpillars can't get down. I wonder if that's the wrong thing do to...?

**Scorpio Rising** 6/27/2017, 9:46 pm

Last Saturday, June 24, I saw my first SVB adult flying and checking out the squash stalks on my patty pans. My plants are way behind last year. However a couple blooms on the Early Green. They were seen on the 2 unknown to me, Delicata.

CapeCoddess 6/28/2017, 9:42 am

Scorpio Rising wrote:Last Saturday, June 24, I saw my first SVB adult flying and checking out the squash stalks on my patty pans.

Dollars to donuts, that SVB was doing more than 'checking out' those stalks.
Evil or Very Mad

Unless they are covered...?

hammock gal 6/28/2017, 1:12 pm

CapeCoddess wrote:Good article, HG. Thanks. It says that the fungus that kills them is found on the lower part of the trees. We were told by Agway to put duct tape around the trees and now my caterpillars can't get down. I wonder if that's the wrong thing do to...?

Here is more info than you ever wanted to know about gypsy moths. http://www.ct.gov/caes/cwp/view.asp?a=2826&Q=588414&PM=1&caesNav=|

And here, they talk about using burlap bands around trees. From what I gather, you fold the burlap and tie it to the tree, but then have to go and squish the ones that crawl up under it. Sounds like you have WAY too many to be doing that!!! Evil or Very Mad

http://www.ct.gov/caes/cwp/view.asp?a=2826&Q=588414&PM=1&caesNav=|

CapeCoddess 6/28/2017, 3:12 pm

Yes, HG, I read about burlap around the trees also. But in the article I read it suggested spraying the burlap first with deltamethrin. Apparently once the bug comes into contact with it when crawling on the burlap, they will eventually die.

However, I was checking out the ones on the trees this morning as I was mowing and they are all just hanging there, dead! Completely emaciated, like they were eaten from the inside out. Guess that fungus got them after all. I don't know how many are pupating tho. We'll know once the moths start flying, climbing and laying. But at least for now, the poop rain has stopped.
What a Face

I'll be pressure washing everything this weekend!

hammock gal 6/28/2017, 4:29 pm

CapeCoddess wrote:Yes, HG, I read about burlap around the trees also. But in the article I read it suggested spraying the burlap first with deltamethrin. Apparently once the bug comes into contact with it when crawling on the burlap, they will eventually die.

However, I was checking out the ones on the trees this morning as I was mowing and they are all just hanging there, dead! Completely emaciated, like they were eaten from the inside out. Guess that fungus got them after all. I don't know how many are pupating tho. We'll know once the moths start flying, climbing and laying. But at least for now, the poop rain has stopped.

I'll be pressure washing everything this weekend!

Yay fungus!!! cheers

Yay to no more poop rain!!! cheers

I hope you see the end of the nasty buggars soon. I had a few on the side of my house by the hose valve, but I haven't seen them for a few days, so maybe the fungus is doing it's job here too. Now, if we could only do something about those ticks! thinking

**Scorpio Rising** 6/28/2017, 9:20 pm

CapeCoddess wrote:
Scorpio Rising wrote:Last Saturday, June 24, I saw my first SVB adult flying and checking out the squash stalks on my patty pans.

Dollars to donuts, that SVB was doing more than 'checking out' those stalks.

Unless they are covered...?

Oh no, of course they aren't.... Evil or Very Mad

hating SVBs......will keep a close eye.

quiltbea 6/29/2017, 1:14 pm

On an upbeat note, my container tomatoes are doing just fine. And growing so well with several yellow blossoms now showing on all 4 plants.

New England June 2017 - Page 3 06-29-10

L to R above: Patio and two Better Bush.

New England June 2017 - Page 3 06-29-11

This is my last one, Red Pride. It seems to be outgrowing them all right now. It was the smallest only a few weeks ago.
As you can see, all healthy, all dark green leaves, all sturdy stems and branches and I am tapping and shaking the branches at least a few times each day to disburse the pollen to produce maters. I am very happy with my tiny container garden so far this year.

CapeCoddess 6/29/2017, 3:18 pm

Beeeauuuutiful, QB! What are you going to do with all the tomatoes you'll be harvesting?

Color me surprised....I have a little tomato! Can't remember which one it is. Probably the store bought Super Sonic plant as it's way ahead of all the others: New England June 2017 - Page 3 01710

Flowers on most of the others now.
What a Face

Sugar snap and snow peas are coming in fast and furious:
New England June 2017 - Page 3 01410

chomp chomp chomp...

quiltbea 6/29/2017, 5:34 pm

CapeC.........I will be roasting my maters and freezing them. I love using them thru the winter in sauces, soups and chili as an added component or just a complete tomato sauce for spaghetti and meatballs or in lasagna. They add such a great flavor to the dishes. Unlike many, I like seeds and skins and all. I also love to have roasted tomatoes for a side dish on the day I roast some. They are great just as is.
If I have too many for me, I'm sure I can give away what's an overload either to family or the residents that live here.

Hooray for you with a baby green mater. I'm eagerly awaiting to see my first one.

**Scorpio Rising** 6/29/2017, 6:48 pm

quiltbea wrote:CapeC.........I will be roasting my maters and freezing them. I love using them thru the winter in sauces, soups and chili as an added component or just a complete tomato sauce for spaghetti and meatballs or in lasagna. They add such a great flavor to the dishes. Unlike many, I like seeds and skins and all. I also love to have roasted tomatoes for a side dish on the day I roast some. They are great just as is.
If I have too many for me, I'm sure I can give away what's an overload either to family or the residents that live here.

Hooray for you with a baby green mater. I'm eagerly awaiting to see my first one.

I like your roasting idea, QB! Thanks! Your garden looks great, too!

CC, I do the same thing, eat my sugar snaps while doing garden chores...LOL!

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