Beware of the Tobacco Worm
Ugly monsters aren't they?! This is the tobacco worm. It is my WORST garden enemy. One day I will go out to admire my beautiful tomato plants, half way ripened and budding more-the next morning it is a devoured scraggly stick! I am not joking, these guys are awful. So, I am sharing my experience with you in hopes of saving your beautiful, bountiful tomato crop. Tobacco worms have only ever feasted on my tomato plants out of all the selections they have. They are almost impossible to see. In fact I can stare at a plant for 5 minutes without noticing 3 giant worms right under my nose. As you can see God gave them some good camouflage. Now, I do all of our gardening organically, leaving me with my fingers as the best deadly defense against this pests. Do not be afraid to pick these guys off of your plant, they will not hurt you. The pointy horn is a visual defense more than anything. They do hold on tight though so be prepared to give a good tug. If you find them with white 'specks' on their back, this is a good thing. Wasps lay their eggs on tobacco worms which will then kill the worm in return. Oh, and if you are like me, I was concerned I was killing a potentially beautiful butterfly. Turns out they become Hawk Moths. While that does sound fascinating, I would rather have a crop of juicy Heirloom tomatoes. And if you need an even brighter side to convince you of their end, you can always feed the birds.
Ugly monsters aren't they?! This is the tobacco worm. It is my WORST garden enemy. One day I will go out to admire my beautiful tomato plants, half way ripened and budding more-the next morning it is a devoured scraggly stick! I am not joking, these guys are awful. So, I am sharing my experience with you in hopes of saving your beautiful, bountiful tomato crop. Tobacco worms have only ever feasted on my tomato plants out of all the selections they have. They are almost impossible to see. In fact I can stare at a plant for 5 minutes without noticing 3 giant worms right under my nose. As you can see God gave them some good camouflage. Now, I do all of our gardening organically, leaving me with my fingers as the best deadly defense against this pests. Do not be afraid to pick these guys off of your plant, they will not hurt you. The pointy horn is a visual defense more than anything. They do hold on tight though so be prepared to give a good tug. If you find them with white 'specks' on their back, this is a good thing. Wasps lay their eggs on tobacco worms which will then kill the worm in return. Oh, and if you are like me, I was concerned I was killing a potentially beautiful butterfly. Turns out they become Hawk Moths. While that does sound fascinating, I would rather have a crop of juicy Heirloom tomatoes. And if you need an even brighter side to convince you of their end, you can always feed the birds.
There is something about a sunflower that makes me smile before I even realize it's happened. I always try to have them in my garden, if they manage to win the race against the squirrels and chipmunks in their early days of growth. I also like to make the most of these beauties by harvesting the seeds of my sunflowers. If you have never harvested any of your own seeds (flower or vegetable) this is a perfect first time candidate as the seeds are so large. Once the sunflower has seen it's last day of glory, cut the bloom off of the stem and set it in a dry sunny place for about a week or so until all moisture is gone. Then, break the head of the sunflower in two to begin picking seeds. This is a great summer activity for kids too as they learn about nature while being hands on in the process. Be careful though, some dried sunflowers can get pretty prickly! After you have gathered your seeds, you can either put them in an airtight bag for next Spring, make bird seed, or put them in the oven lightly salted for a tasty home grown snack. Whichever you choose, it can surely be said that one little seed goes a very long way!
My Mind's in the Gutter!
My mind's in the gutter and I'm pleased to say I'm excited about it! No, this phrase is not being used in it's typical affiliation. I am talking about GARDENING! You may be thinking I am a bit off my rocker, -or glider in my case- thinking about my Spring garden at the height of the Christmas season...go ahead. It is never too early start planning for a bountiful and beautiful Spring crop. So, what's this talk of the gutter? I've been doing research on utilizing my small gardening space by growing more vertically. So, I am going to grow various greens and lettuces in 2 sections of 6 foot long gutters, fastened to our backyard fence. Lettuce especially has a pretty shallow root system, so enriched soil filled gutters have shown to be a successful cradle to grow them in. This will free up my ground space for other larger vegetables to grow happily in. Of course, I will be buying my Lowe's gift card for my Gutter Garden project at Kroger to earn quick fuel points in the process. It seems strange to think that in only 3 months we will be planting seeds and watching our garden grow. But, I think even Santa would appreciate the vibrant crisp leaves of organically grown Buttercrunch lettuce! What are your creative gardening tips? I'd love to hear from someone who's mind is in the gutter with me.
How Does Your Garden Grow?
You know the best way to cut down your grocery bill & ensure chemical free, nutritious food in your home is to grow it yourself?! I know, sounds crazy right? Not really. Gardening can be as simple as you would like it to be. If you have never tried gardening, or think your thumb is black, I challenge you to give gardening another go. You do not need a a plot of land to grow herbs or vegetables, and container gardens are not confined only to pots. Gutters, rain boots and even cinder blocks have proven to yield beautiful results with a little soil, a lot of love and sunshine, and a tiny seed. If you have children, gardening is especially fun for tiny hands and big imaginations. So, how does your garden grow? I mentioned a while back about my gutter garden, which I have now purchased supplies for (about $10 total and is ready for me to secure on my fence. When it is up and going and will give you more details. Hopefully my gutter gardening photos will have lettuce, greens and strawberries flowing from it's plastic sides rather than the usual boring rain water. What are your gardening goals for this Spring?
No comments:
Post a Comment