The warm front must have passed because we received a wonderful first spring rain. I'm not counting the tornado, though it gave us plenty of rain. It was a tornado. This was the lengthy drizzle (with a few lightening bolts to help change the nitrogen in the air to a usable form for plants) that left the air warm enough, and the cool weather delectable future meals sprouting. The rain also woke up the weeds, but Campus Grow's growing army of members and volunteers greatly reduced their take-over. A high five to everyone who has been out with us on our meetings weeding the little ones so they wont turn into monsters! Alas, I cannot commemorate you with photos because my camera is.. very grouchy. Thank you, nonetheless!
Though my camera is out of commission, I'll show some images from last year in hopes to educate and amuse. The following is the deadly cabbage maggot and some of its effects on foliage. This pest is the reason plants with the name brassica are banned from the big garden. It lives in the soil and sneaks in through the roots.
This is blurry, but the closest I could get. It's a white wormy thing with a black head.
Effects are devastating.
Foliage is very sad.
Cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, turnip, kale, kohlrabi, mustard are in danger. Radishes are supposed to be, but some volunteered to come up last year and were left alone. After some research, the following is the late pupae stage. Earlier, they will look like brown, shiny packets with a pointy end, but the only photos I have of that died with my camera.
As adults, they are called grey flies, and look like creepy flies.
On a similarly uncomfortable note, here is the tomato hornworm.
All bugs above are several reasons we want to attract the following friend.
And, like MSU, eventually get a few of these..
And, with that, have a lovely week, and enjoy planting those cooler weather peas, spinach, carrots, potatoes, and beets!
