In Season: Make Way for Turtles

Welcome to In Season, the Northwoods almanac covering all things outdoors related

No-Mow May is officially over. Grab your lawn mower and get to cutting; right? Yes, but with a few caveats. Pollinators may be out of hibernation now, but other fauna and their young still require your consideration when landscaping. 

If your property includes shoreline, be sure to keep an eye open for turtle hatchlings. Upon finding a nest along your shoreline, consider installing a nesting cage to protect the turtles and prevent a mowing accident. Active now through the end of July Wisconsin’s turtles are on the move, first as adult females lay their eggs and then as hatchlings move from their sandy nests to the nearest waterway. 

Don’t forget to remain diligent while driving on roads near wetlands and waterways. Turtle crossings are common and the Wisconsin DNR encourages motorists to assist turtles across the road. If you observe a road that has heavy turtle traffic, or see numerous dead turtles on a roadway, report it to the DNR’s Wisconsin Turtle Conservation Program.

Other wildlife to watch out for include rabbits, foxes and deer. All will temporarily leave their young somewhere safe during the daytime, and sometimes that safe place is your yard tucked among the overgrowth. Watch out for wildlife while landscaping and remember that fawns or kits on their own are not necessarily abandoned. Do not approach young wildlife, but observe from a safe distance to make sure the parent returns; if it doesn’t call the professionals. 

Home and Garden Chores

DAILY: 

• Check yourself and your animals for ticks. Administer flea and tick medication and/or medicated baths as appropriate and as recommended by a veterinarian. For more information on tick risks and how to properly remove a tick, check out this CDC guide.
• Check plants, water and weed as needed.
• Watch the local frost advisory and cover plants at night as required.

WEEKLY: 

• Aggressively weed garden beds.
• Succession plant weekly, via transplant or direct sow, any fruits or vegetables whose harvest window you’d like to prolong.
• Deadhead blooming perennials.
• Harvest garlic scapes, strawberries, asparagus, cool-season greens and early root vegetables.

MONTHLY: 

• Move all indoor seed-starts and container plants outdoors as the weather allows. Do not forget to harden off plants beforehand.
• Direct sow heat-tolerant plants like sunflowers, watermelon and squash as the weather allows.
• Make sure garden trellises are in place before tomatoes, peas, beans, cucumber, etc. start to grow, crawl and vine
• Mulch flower, fruit and vegetable garden beds, trees and shrubs once soil temperatures warm up. Doing so too early will insulate the cold soil and prevent new growth. 
• Watch for and manage early pests — cabbage moths, various beetles, aphids and squash vine borers are common early season garden pests. UW-Extension’s Horticulture and Master Gardener programs both use and recommend Integrated Pest Management resources.
• June is National Safety Month. Check fire extinguishers, smoke and carbon monoxide alarm batteries, and review, rehearse and readjust emergency plans.

June Forecast

• Currently, Accuweather’s 30-day forecast suggests a June with slightly above-average temperatures: Average highs could reach 77-78 degrees F and average lows 53-55 degrees. (Historical averages are 71-76 degrees F high/46-54 degrees F low.) The National Weather Service’s precipitation forecast calls for an average June rainfall (3.4 inches).
• Burning? Check the fire danger level with the DNR’s WisBurn tool, and respect Red Flag Warnings.
• As the Canadian wildfires continue to ravage Manitoba, Ontario and Saskatchewan, keep an eye on air quality levels and act accordingly. When the fine particulate matter measures 2.5 or greater, the DNR reports it can be especially dangerous for children, the elderly, pregnant women and people who have heart or respiratory conditions. 

Community Events

• “Wisconsin Wolves: Back to the Future,” Tuesday, June 3, 3:30-4:30 p.m., free, Walter E. Olson Memorial Library in Eagle River
• Free Fishing Weekend, Saturday, June 7-Sunday, June 8, statewide
• Fishing Has No Boundaries, Saturday, June 7, 7 a.m.-4:30 p.m. to Sunday, June 8, 7 a.m.-noon, Chanticleer Inn in Eagle River. For more information, contact Wil Campbell, chapter chairman, at P.O. Box 985, Eagle River;  715-479-9309; or wbc1@newnorth.net.
• FORK on the River Charity Paddle, Saturday, June 7, 9:30 a.m. start time with launches every 30 minutes. Benefiting Feeding Our Rural Kids, the event registration is $45 with a boat. Boat rentals are available on site. Boat drop point: Highway G Boat Landing in Eagle River. Vehicle parking at Wildwood Outdoor Adventures and Campground in Eagle River. 
• Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest Centennial Celebration, Saturday, June 7, 9 a.m.-3 p.m., free, Crystal Lake Day Use Area and pavilion, 3237 Crystal Lake Road, Boulder Junction
• Northwoods Explorers 4-H Club, Sunday, June 8, 4-5:30 p.m., First Congregational United Church of Christ in Rhinelander. All youth in grades K-12 are welcome to attend 4-H club meetings.
• “Food For Fathers,” Oneida County UW-Extension, Thursdays, June 12-July 3, 6-7 p.m., free, via Zoom. Ready to make mealtime easier and healthier for you and your kids? Join Food For Fathers — a supportive four-part Zoom series with FoodWIse Nutrition Educator Jace Purdy. Connect with other dads, get practical tips, and learn how to encourage healthy eating habits in your children — all while keeping it simple and stress-free. Pre-registration is required.
• Deadhorse Trail Hike and Paddle,  Thursday, June 12, 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m., North Lakeland Discovery Center, $38 members/$48 nonmembers. Registration due June 10.
• Native Plant Sale and Pickup Day, Friday, June 13, noon-3 p.m., North Lakeland Discovery Center, Manitowish Waters. This Discovery Center Garden Club fundraiser supports its gardens, garden activities and native plantings.
• “Wild Foraging Hike and Workshop,” Friday, June 13, 9 a.m-noon, North Lakeland Discovery Center, $20 members/$25 nonmembers
• 45th annual Spring Classic Muskie Tournament, Saturday, June 14-Sunday, June 15, Eagle River Chain of Lakes, $340 entry fee, tournament sponsored by Headwaters Muskies Inc. and headquartered at Shotskis in Eagle River
• “Northwoods Canids,” Tuesday, June 17, 7-8 p.m., free, presented by the Boulder Junction Public Library at the Boulder Junction Community Center 
• Northwoods Land Trust Annual Meeting and Gathering, Friday, June 20, 1-3:30 p.m., free, Trees For Tomorrow in Eagle River, advance registration required
• “An Introduction to Identification of Ferns and ‘Fern-allies’ of the North Woods,” Saturday, June 21, 9 a.m.-noon, Kemp Natural Resources Station in Woodruff. Join Alex Graeff, Ecologist with the U.S. Forest Service, for a hike around Kemp’s nature trails – including some time on the bog.
• “Growing Gourmet Mushrooms In Your Garden,” Saturday, June 21, 9 a.m.-noon, North Lakeland Discovery Center in Manitowish Waters, $32 members/$40 nonmembers
• “Backyard Chickens 101,” Saturday, June 21, 1-3 p.m., Trees For Tomorrow in Eagle River, $25/person, $40/couple, advance registration required
• Take A Kid Fishing, Sunday, June 22, noon-3 p.m., Conover Recreation Center, free, poles and bait provided, open to children up to age 12, sponsored by the Conover Lions
• “Ask Your Gardening Question: LIVE,” Monday, June 23, 1:30-2:30 p.m., free webinar, Wisconsin Horticulture, a division of UW-Extension, advance registration required. For more information, contact Amy Freidig at amy.freidig@wisc.edu.
• “Wacky Water Plants and Critters: A Touch and Feel Event,” Tuesday, June 24, 10:30-11:30 a.m., Walter E. Olson Memorial Library in Eagle River, free, presented by the Vilas County Land & Water Conservation Department
• 3rd annual Wild & Scenic Film Festival On Tour, Friday, June 27, at 6 p.m., at the Three Lakes Center for the Arts. The Northwoods Land Trust sponsors this event as part of a nationwide tour. Tickets — $20/adult or $12/youth — are sold directly through the Northwoods Land Trust website and not through the TLCFA website. 

Open Seasons: Inland freshwater fishing, inland trout, muskie, northern pike and walleye, and large and smallmouth catch-and-release. The smallmouth bass Northern Zone harvest begins June 21.

Astronomical Events — Courtesy of Milwaukee Public Museum

• Saturday-Monday, June 7-9, Jupiter and Mercury close in the evening sky.
• Wednesday, June 11, full moon, known as the Strawberry Moon.
• Friday, June 13, earliest sunrise, 5:06 a.m. in the Northwoods.
• Friday, June 20: Summer Solstice starts at 9:42 p.m. 
• Friday, June 27, latest sunset, 8:52 p.m.

Wisconsin Wisdom: “In June as many as a dozen species may burst their buds on a single day. No man can heed all of these anniversaries; no man can ignore all of them.” Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac

To submit a community event or other information for In Season, email Carly Ratliff at carly.j.ratliff@gmail.com.

About the author: Carly Ratliff is a nearly lifelong resident of the Northwoods (30 years) with 14 years’ experience in publishing — first at the community newspaper in Eagle River and then for the water and wastewater trades. In her spare time, Carly is an artist specializing in fiber art and acrylic painting, enjoys bikejoring with her dog, and gardening. She is also a newly minted Master Gardener excited to swap gardening tips and tricks with readers.