Come along on the Farmchick's Farm Photo Friday Linky Party!!
With the dry weather, it took a few days longer to get the hay baled...no moisture. Yea, I know, folks say that they usually have too much moisture...not here on the high desert. We pray that the night or the morning brings in enough moisture to get some baling done.
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| Cindy Sue says "I love farmin' wiff my mom!" As I drove the backhoe stacking the big bales into twos, Cindy Sue has to co-pilot of course! |
We were extremely lucky that Hay Man Rudy was able to get the baling finished on Wednesday. My Man and I got the big bales off the field that same day, and Rudy came over with his hay wagon yesterday and picked up the two-string bales and got them stacked...just before a huge storm came through!
It started with distant thunder...then we could see the lightening coming in from the east...and then it started coming in from the west...the wind took off blowing huge clouds of dust (quick...close all the windows in the house) and then the rain followed that...and it rained for a good three hours!
I know there were lots of ground strikes, but no reports of fires yet...hopefully the rain put them out. But a hay stack was hit and burned...bummer.
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| Second cutting...two-string and 3x3 bales in the field. |
Then there's my pretty Heirloom Hollyhocks. And I'm calling them heirloom because I found them in the alfalfa field close to where the old farmstead used to sit. I dug them up and transplanted them to spots around the house.
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| Heirloom Hollyhocks |
They look gorgeous at this angle...but then look at the whole plant...
They're dying on me!!!
It started about two weeks ago with these cobweb type things encasing the shorter plant tops...and then the leaves started dying. It's slowly working its way up to the top of the plants.
I've looked for bugs and didn't see any, but I sprinkled Sevin on them anyway. I hope the problem doesn't kill the plants forever.
Does anyone know what the problem is? How did you treat it? Thanks for any info you can give me!
We're off to the last cutting show tomorrow...see ya! Have a great weekend and do lots of fun stuff!!
The hollyhocks are so pretty. I am so sorry they are dying. Wonder what that thing is?
ReplyDeleteThe flowers are gorgeous! As is the hay, it does my soul good to see big beautiful bales of hay :)
ReplyDeleteI'm anti-chemical, so when a similar problem hit my pear tree a few years ago (it was spider mites), I defoliated the affected branch with a pressure-washer before they spread. Undoubtedly not an option with a delicate flower, but basically I would cut off and burn or bury the affected leaves and stems to try to stop them spreading any farther. The next year I had no problem.
Thanks do much for linking up. :) I am thinking it is some sort of mite....maybe spray some tempo. Good luck......let us know what happens.
ReplyDeleteLove your field of hay shot!
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed seeing and reading about the alfalfa and the hollyhocks. Those are sure pretty ones - too bad something's getting to them. That 3-hour rain sounds wonderful! We still need it so bad here in Oklahoma (and Texas and Kansas).
ReplyDeleteBeautiful *Weekendflowers*. If you like, join us... :) LG Tina
ReplyDeleteThey are definitely spider mites. Wash off all of your plants and then spray them with an inseticide designed to kill them.
ReplyDeleteLovely shots.
They are spider mites which thrive in a hot dry environment ...which most of are experiencing to the nth degree this year! This is the best article I could find on the subject
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ehow.com/how_6942_control-spider-mites.html
...I don't really like this website (too advertisement heavy) but the info is good with easy to follow instructions. Please save those hollyhocks ...they're beautiful!
If your dust doesn't do it, try spraying with a soapy water solution really good then rinse with clean water! I had a plant that I put outside for the summer and had the same kind of thing and I did soapy water thing and saved the rest of it. Don't know if it will work but at this point maybe it won't hurt.
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone for your help with my poor Hollyhocks. As soon as DarcC mentioned Spider Mites I did a search...yep...that's the problem.
ReplyDeleteHossBoss...thanks for the link...we'll see what I can do for them! I'm sure they'll survive for next year!
I am so behind in my blog reading, I'm glad you figured out the culprit on your flowers. I managed to kill my 2 rose bushes that I've had for 18 years. I'm so mad at myself. Long story...
ReplyDeleteHoping you have a good ride today, since it's Saturday already.
Your hollyhocks are beautiful. And yes, probably spider mites. They will really get a good foothold on plants stressed by heat, drought, too much water, cold.... (IE whatever could stress a plant!)
ReplyDeleteGood luck - also, most hollyhocks are biennials, so let them reseed and you should have continuing beauty in the years to come!