Spring Has Sprung!

[NorthernWinos]

We doused ourselves in Hard Apple Cider....that goes down easy after being outside all day...Glad there is more about ready to bottle and that it doesn't take long to carbonate....

Picked another tick off my head.....

Raked up some leaves and went out to see if the Scillias were blooming...looks like I already missed some of the flowers....

Frogs are happy....Spring it truly here at last...

 

[Joanie]

Does anyone beside me have swarms of ladybugs in their house? I can't tell you how careful I am when I open up anything with wine in it! They seem to love the sun in an eastern-facing kitchen window! Little buggers!
Edited by: Joan

 

[NorthernWinos]

We had been over run with European Lady Beetles the past few years...they were introduced to eat the aphids on soybeans or some other plant...?

They took over the whole area....in the fall they would cover the sides of houses and get into everything and winter over in and under everything you own. Last year wasn't as bad and only had a few in the house over winter this year, hardly any around now....compared to how they were.

2 years ago when Jim was combining they were at their peak...he hated to get out of the combine because it was Hitchcock freaky...once he combined all the displaced beetles were in the yard and on the outside of the house.

They bite, stink and leave poop marks on your windows...don't let them get into your wine.....Nasty little buggers.

 

[Joanie]

They have been worse...making my white clapboard farm house look red! They must be related to the stink bug! One will ruin an entire batch of wine! Stinky bad buggers!

 

[farmer]

Last summerI had been spraying the outside of the house to keep the stinky little #*@% from pooping on everything. It helps for a while and it really make you feal good watching them drop.
Some where I seen an article aboutthe beetlesbeing a problem getting them out of wine grapes.

 

[PolishWineP]

We get the nasty Asian lady beetles, but we've been able to mostly keep them out of the house.

 

[mississippi mud]

I was in WV last year and my mom got bit I laughed and said "ah it was just crawling around on you".Only minuteswent by beforeI agreed that they do in fact bite.

 

[Joanie]

Early this morning I was on my 4 mile walk and I noticed there was a small parking lot full of dead ones. I thought someone had splattered paint!

PWP, how do you keep them out of your house?

 

[NorthernWinos]

I just heard that if you spray Listerine around your windows it will keep mosquitoes away....? Wonder if that would work.

Neighbors have an older house that many insects get into...last year they sprayed the foundation and around the windows with something....remember it was pretty expensive and they got it at the Farm Ag-supply. I will try to find out soon...they are out of town this weekend.

We have a pretty tight house and don't get too many insects inside....I think we carry most of them in on stuff....

 

[PolishWineP]

Our house is relatively tight for something built in '58. And, Bert knows how to spray down the yard and foundation. There are chemicals available at your local farm supply store that you can use on the exterior. I have a metered sprayer in the garage for flying insects. The garage, being attached to the house, is a great gateway for all types of creatures if you don't go on the defense.

 

[Wade E]

Never knew they bite!

 

[hannabarn]

I think spring might finally be here! For the first time since November, I can look out and only see a couple of patches of snow in the woods. It's only April 22!

 

[NorthernWinos]

The spray to keep the EurAsian Lady Beetles off the sides of your house is called Tempo....can be purchased at a Farm Ag Supply...or maybe anywhere?

 

[Tomy]

Planted 3 hills of Sugar Baby Watermelon, will be fun to make some Watermelon wine later this summer. Also the Dandylions are up, time to go get some of those to save in freezer for wine. Tomy

 

[swillologist]

It's time to cut some asparagus.

The rhubarb is well on it's way.

The apricots are about to burst open.

Wouldn't you just know it. A cold snap is supposed to move through in a couple of days. If it gets to low it may get the apricots.
We can hope that they are not in full bloom yet or it doesn't get to cold.Edited by: swillologist

 

[grapeman]

I hope it doesn't get too cool for you and the apricots. It looks like you can about pick danelions for wine also.

 

[NorthernWinos]

Swill...Everything is really growing for you and pretty advanced compared to us....Hope your buds don't freeze....and pick all the asparagus that is showing as it will surely freeze and you'll loose those spears.

Been working my butt off trying to beat the storm...Got the roses all pruned..finally. Started moving perennials around and renovating the Butterfly garden....

There was some nice growth on the Black Currants...But, didn't see any bud swell on the grapes...Some ends are wet and some large cuts I made near the base of the vines are actually dripping...I am almost sure that will weaken the vine....? They were large suckers growing from the base of the vines that I had planned on using for replacements, cut them off and now they are crying.....

Might get up to 2 inches of rain before the storm passes...then it might get into the 20's....Just to be sure I tossed the straw back over the strawberries...

I might have to run a propane heater in the greenhouse...will the fumes harm the plants??? Don't know if the heat lamps will keep things warm enough.

They are saying by Friday night it might even ....

 

[mississippi mud]

It's time to cut some asparagus.

These would sure taste good in my new steam/juicer!!! thanks for the pics .

 

[grapeman]

After a week solid close to above 80 degrees, we had budswell today when I got a chance to go out to the vineyard. I had to spray for Steely Beetles voraciosly feeding on the swollen buds.
The propane heater is fine for the plants- propane gives of C02 and water vapor, both of which the plants like. To be safe, open the door for a couple minutes before entering. If the house is very tight , it can use up the oxygen, so opening the door lets it back in before entering. Hope it doesn't get too cold for you or anyone else!

 

[Grant]

It is just not fair,


We have had about 10" of snow since last Friday. When I left the house this morning it was -18 C (0 F). It is suppose to warm up by Sunday. Can't even think about getting out in the garden, can't find it, lol.