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.
Savor Your Sunflowers
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!
How Does Your Garden Grow?
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