Attack of the Japanese Beetles

All month we've been dealing with the Japanese Beetles in the garden.  They've been specifically after our grape vines, roses, and herbs.  Our first approach is to spray Kaoline Clay.  This is not a chemical, but clay that coats the outer layer of the leaves.  It does not affect the plant at all, instead deferring the beetles from eating the leaf. Another way to get rid of them in a smaller garden requires only a bucket of soapy water.  If you go around and knock them into this bucket, they will not be able to survive.  Note that if it's only water without soap they will survive when you dump them out.

On the picture above, you can see a beetle in the left corner of the main leaf shown.

New Bloomers!

 Cardinal Flower (needs wet area to thrive)

 Phlox

 Canna lily surrounded by Snapdragons and Geraniums

 California Poppies

 Mums, blooming earlier than usual

 Me playing with my new panoramic setting on my camera!