Japan Invades my Back Yard

They sent beetles.

Japanese Beetle on an Apple Leaf

Japanese Beetles on my Yellow Delicious Apple Tree

Japanese Beetle on a Cherry Leaf

The Japanese Beetles showed up after all.  These unwelcome pests will do their best to completely strip leaves down to their framework of veins. I know first-hand that they love apple and cherry trees, grape leaves, sweet potato leaves, corn silk, beans and more. They are an evil scourge and the only way (acceptable to me) to get rid of them seems to be picking them off by hand.

Apples are putting on some size.

I pruned the apple tree back a little more and tied a couple branches to stakes to help shape it.  It set about 50 fruit from the 100 blossoms that flowered, and I removed all but about 15 of them.  The apples are the size of a quarter already, and seem to be doing well so far.

Crowded Seedlings Need Replanted

I have been neglecting my seed starting room!  I need to get this jungle tamed soon and then start some more things!

Meanwhile, the weather man is forecasting a low of 37 [edit: 35!] with possible frost tonight!  I guess I’ll be covering as many flowers (strawberry, cherry, apple, berries) as I can with old sheets and blankets.

Apple Flower Blossom

Yellow Delicious Apple Flower Bud

I pruned the Apple tree this year. It was it’s first pruning since we planted it two years ago. It’s still a bit lopsided, but I’ll do more next year. I just want to make sure it’s establishing itself well before I give it a big setback.

Why does a yellow fruited apple tree have pink flowers?

[I like this photo with the garden in the background.]

Stark Bros. Nursery in Missouri

We went to a local nursery, Stark Bros. in Missouri, this past Sunday. This place has been in business for almost 200 years!  It’s a very nice operation and we brought home a few plants!

The main reason we went there was for a yellow delicious apple tree.  Our oldest son is in love with this particular apple variety and he talked us into adding one to our back yard.  We came back with a 5 foot tall two-year-old potted tree.

I LOVE going to nurseries and this one was no exception.  The folks working there were very nice and helpful…top notch!

We also brought home a few other things:

Raspberry

Blackberry

Blueberry

From Where I Sit

 

My workstation

I am an internet developer by day.  I used the phone for the picture…sorry for the blurriness.