Ok I finally resorted to chemical warfare with the grasshoppers. I sprayed seven on the perimeter of the garden and throughout the yard. Then I spread seven granular through the yard. I went out and they had almost stripped my grape leaves. Between that and only a few tobacco are surviving I knew I had to lower the hopper population quickly.
I didn't give my seedlings any fertilizer this year so they were too weak. A costly oversight due to too busy and too tired this year. I'll still come out with about 22 although one is already showing sign of clay compaction/ malnutrition I'm considering digging it out and moving it.
On another note my common milkweed is showing flowers this year. Only have 5-6 so I need lots more. For anyone wondering milkweed is the only thing monarch butterflies eat so I'm trying to make a nice patch hoping to see some.
My raspberries are taking off with a vengeance I have to move several other plants before the raspberries choke them out. There is 3 rhubarb, a patch of daylilies, and 4 shrubs for sure. I'll have to watch out for that blueberry. I thought it was a goner last year but it looks okay this year so I'll have to keep those raspberries back, and grasshoppers. I knew this about raspberries so it's not a surprise or anything. I put some blackberries in last fall and those came back. Grasshoppers stripped them last year so I wasn't sure. I guess I need to take pictures so I'll put them on the next post.
