2009 Garden Season in Review.

Dec. 9, 2009 First storm

July 6, 2009

So obviously sometime in July the summer stepped up and I was busy either gardening or traveling to and from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Managed to get in an incredibly hike along Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. I had grand plans to better document my travels and progress/regression in the garden more for myself than anything. But I failed miserably. At least I can say I was out engaging with my world as opposed to my computer.

My garden gets a C+/B- in 2009r. I was one of the unfortunate many who was blessed with blight this year and thus my tomatoes which had a good running start and some early nice fruits, quickly hit the brick wall on production and quality. Had I not had the tomato disappointment my garden would have solidly landed an A/B grade.

The disappointment with the tomatoes was definitely offset some buy the raspberries which grew and produced like gangbusters in their second year in my garden.  My 6 year old niece even deemed my raspberries the highlight of her trip to the Midwest this past summer.

A Quick Note

I'm up to five butterfly species in my garden in the past month. Most obviously they like the native Butterfly weed but also various other plants. Echinacea appears to be another favorite. Now if I can get more photos.

So far the Japanese Beetle Trap is working fabulously. A few remain on the foliage but by and large I have trapped the bulk of my yard's population with about 100-125 currently in the trap. Yeah!

Luce and Chippewa Counties, Michigan,June-July 2009

Just wanted to post some photos from my recent trip to Michigan's Upper Peninsula. These photos were taken along Lake Superior at Jinny Palms preserve and Vermillion Light Station in Chippewa County as well areas in Luce County along the "Big Lake", the Two Hearted River and Pike Lake.

Grand Sable Dunes, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Lake Superiors Artistry in the sand...

Mouth of the Two Hearted River on a gray dreary day...

Tall Buttercup growing along the Two Hearted River Bank

Jinny Palms Preserve plant life......

Common Wood Sorrel and Wild Lily-of-the-valley

Blue Flag Iris at Vermillion Light Station

A Ruby-throated Hummingbird finds a fitting perch on the Great Blue Heron weather vane

Japanese Beetles

Well this year appears to be the year of the Japanese Beetle for me. After coming home from vacation following July 4, the garden was flourishing with lush vegetation.





Now in the span of one week my beautiful edamame soybean plants are decimated with holes all over the leaves. They are verging on a skeletal appearance, all because of those darn beetles. So tonight, I hung a trap with reservations about potentially attracting more of these Asian nuisances to the yard. However, I can't really imagine how my one little yard can support many more of these buggers. I also took great pleasure in manually removing 16 beetles from the soybean crop and givin em the old swirly in my toilet.

Insects busily enjoying the fruits of my labor

Lots of bug happenings in the garden in the past week. This year I'm trying to do a better job photo documenting some of the insects visiting my plants. Here is a collection from the past few days two days....

Scudderia sp. katydid nymph out for an early eve frolic among the day lilies.
















Halictadae Bees have been busy gathering pollen.


This Spring Azure butterfly was busily probing the Rudebekia.












I found this weevil orgy tucked away in my hollyhocks.
















Evil Japanese Beetles are starting to decimate the leaves of several fruit and vegetable crops. I'm going to try a trap although I've now read it may actually attract more of the beetles. Arghhhh!












And finally a few other wasp/bee species yet to be grossly identified.

Natures cruel joke

We are past SE Wisconsin's last frost date of May 15th. What is going on this year?

No time

My garden is taking off and behind with planting. So much to do and little time to report. Been taking lots of pictures this spring birds, native plants and progress in the backyard garden. Once I get a "leg up" with getting the rest of my plants in I plan to organize my photos and post more details. Hope everyone else is having a fantastic spring, getting outdoors more and computing less.

We just returned from a six day trip to Michigan's Upper Peninsula and once again this spring were rewarded with awesome looks at some of the lesser seen warblers. Our faves were the male Canada Warbler at Whitefish Point Bird Observatory and the 'warbler wave' seen on Mission Hill in Brimley which delighted us with up-close, eye-level views of Bay Breasted and Cape May Warblers again and again and again. Then the whole trip was topped off by a wolf sighting during the day. The size and height of this animal was pure wolf (not a wimpy coyote). As we approached in our vehicle the wolf scurried into the woods, briefly stopping in the woods within 25-30 feet to peer into our souls. Then mystically, within a blink of the eye, the great creature was gone. SO COOL!