MG Seed Heads

Is this the seed head from the MG? And how long does it take to ripen?

thanks for your help.

Janet

Hi Janet,

Yup, that's the seed. There's a section in the MG sticky index under SEED / Harvest. I isolated the relevant posts, so you don't have to read the entire threads, although they might be helpful, too. Great pictures.

Karen

Sorry - regarding how long does it take MG seed to ripen - Since seed ripening can vary from 30 to 90 days according to a) how agreeable your location is to seed ripening and b) type of species/cultivar, it's hard to give you a generalized answer.

But I think it's likely that a seed belonging to Ipomoea purpurea (which is what I think is most likely in your picture) at this stage of development, this early in summer, in Ohio should ripen nicely before frost hits your area.

thanks blue, but man they take that long....wow...

I'm being attacked by beetles and will be breaking down and spraying some Bayer 3 tomorrow if some should get on the MG do you think it will kill them or hurt the seed heads?

thanks again for the information.

Janet

edited for spelling

This message was edited Jul 6, 2009 10:17 PM

I could give you the best answer if you could post a picture of the beetle here. If applied according to directions on the bottle, Bayer 3 will kill beetles, but it will also kill beneficial insects, too. So, knowing which beetle it is could allow me to advise you on a less toxic treatment, first.

Regarding Bayer 3, here is a post from Becky about possible problems; but the thread would also be worth reading - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/p.php?pid=5345414 . We don't know exactly how useful or harmful to MGs this product is, but this thread explores both sides very well (some members post in this thread about how well Bayers works on MGs for them).

My vines have been attacked by a 1/8", round, golden bug that looks like what is pictured in the link I'm about to post (scroll down to Golden Tortoise Beetle (Coleoptera - species not given)). Their remedy, also in this link, is to apply 1 Tbsp pyrethrum combined with 1 pint isopropyl alcohol every 3 - 5 days, over a period of 2 weeks. Unlike Bayers 3, which is a systemic that permeates all plant tissues, this treatment is topical and will wash off; it is much less toxic than Bayers 3.

Here's the link: http://www.mobot.org/gardeninghelp/plantfinder/IPM.asp?code=213&group=10&level=c . It looks like a pretty good, basic reference about beetles in general - perhaps your beetle is mentioned here?

Since my little sprouts are growing faster than the beetle is evidently chewing, I'm taking a wait-and-see approach for now. We have had lots of tiny tree frogs hopping around, and I suspect they are helping to control these beetles. If I feel like I have to do something, I will always keep in mind the web of life surrounding a plant I'm thinking about protecting. Usually, that web of life, in the long term, provides better protection than a kill-everything potion will in the short term. If worse comes to worse, I'll probably practice scales instead, and maybe abuse Giuliani while I'm at it - http://www.eythorsson.com/en/?id=music ( click on All in left column & scroll down)

hope this helps

Jap. beetles are eating everything. We are really infested bad this year.

thanks for the links will take a look at them.

So far they aren't bothering my MG especially since their blooms are mostly gone about the time the beetles get moving around.

Janet

This has been such a strange year for us, here - weeks and weeks of rain through May into June, still occasionally spluttering in July - unusually cool temps to boot. So, I'm guessing this is why the bugs' munchings seem to be delayed/diminished here. Japanese Beetles have arrived, but not doing a whole lot of damage yet.

In the beginning, back in the 70s, I read a couple of books about designing a garden for birds and followed some of the guidelines. I'm wondering if inviting diversity of life on purpose and refraining from pesticides might have something to do with not being over-run by any one bug in particular?

One of the principles of this kind of design is to look at the opportunities for edges -

-- between grass and plantings of flowers - horizontally
-- between low shrubs to taller trees - vertically
-- between hedge and path near mixed flower border
-- between water and land (we have a tiny "muffin" pond where the old well was)
-- between shady and sunny
-- between spring and summer etc - through time

With respect to the above, whatever exists can be emphasized and some of what does not exist can be contrived. We've done this on a small scale of .17 acre. We were fortunate in that this area was economically challenged when we arrived and no one was policing anyone's garden tidiness, so I was free to experiment and make a mess (as the garden matured, it became easier to maintain).

No proof that any of this explains low bug problems here - there could be other explanations...like some plants being especially resistant due to their genes. In a bad year, there will be little towers of Japanese Beetles on each rose, but the roses Graham Thomas, Abraham Darby, Othello, Sally Holmes and some others can become quite defoliated some summers and still make new growth in September and spring, whereas more vulnerable roses just quit.

-------------------
We'll have to find a way so you can have morning glories blooming right up to frost - what if you staggered sowing seed?

Janet - Sorry to hear about the beatles attacking your garden and plants! I get chewers here, too, but not serious.

Karen - I think you have a lot of good points! Unfortunately, my eco-system is getting a little crazy with the rat problem. I need more owls and hawks, I guess. LOL! The rats reproduce pretty quick. Not something I really want in my yard. I won't use poisons, but may have to resort to trapping them. Catch and release (somewhere else). And I am seeing some destructive bugs in my yard too. Florida seems to have everything ... the good ... and the BAD!

I do think growing disease, pest, and fungus resistent plants is the best way to go if possible.

here are some of the beetles, they are jap beetles.

Janet - I wonder if you could just spray the plants with some kind of Insecticidal soap? Something that could be washed off after a day or so.

I have been trying that, as well as neem oil mixed with water and dish soap, didn't phase them one bit.

Besides I've already sprayed so now I can only hope that the bees stay away. I will be logging thoughout the day whether there is a decrease in bees or if I see any dead laying around.

I've never used chemicals until this year. Aphids just about got everything then I purchased an insecticidal soap for that, didn't get rid of them completely but did decrease the number of them. And now these stinkin beetles.

thanks anyway for the suggestion Becky

I think you and I are on the same page here, Becky. There are some situations that present choices to both of us where we can and do enact this philosophy. And then there are others where we choose some kind of intervention. I'm coming to the conclusion that the only way I can grow most vegies is to either cage them or surround them with an electric fence around here.

I like to think that when faced with these kinds of choices, we can at least keep in mind this ideal as a reference point.

Sorry - ya'll posted a few times while I ruminated - quite an infestation there, Janet. Looks like there's more soap on my soap box than in your spray - lol

I hope you get some kind of relief from those pesky JBs. I'm certainly no expert on them. I think the best information on what to do about them might be over in the Garden Pests and Diseases forum - http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/pad/all/

wishing you luck,

karen

Thanks Karen... I'm praying for some relief that doesn't require me to cut down everything in my flower beds.

I've now decided that if I cut down the spiderworts that the beetles might transfer on to something else and so forth, so I've just about decided to let them have my beautiful spiderworts. and of course I have not gotten any close up shots of those plants this year.

Janet
edited cause I'm typing to fast to get all the words down in the right order...LOL

This message was edited Jul 6, 2009 11:59 PM

Janet, I can barely imagine what you describe...if you find something that gives you relief, I hope you'll let us know

For sure Karen. As I sure wouldn't want someone else to go through what I'm going through right now.

Janet