User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Re: Lindsaylew's 2014 Garden - Upstate, SC

SusanRachel wrote:I am fighting my own hornworm and stinkbug battles. What is the best way to find the hornworms? I search where I see the defoliation occurring, but sometimes it takes me several days to locate the offending bug because they blend in. Is there a good trick? Also, what is the best way to find the eggs?
Did you know they glow in blacklight?
Some people go out with blacklight flashlight at night.

User avatar
Lindsaylew82
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2115
Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
Location: Upstate, SC

I read this on the way to dinner and stopped and got a black light to go in the utility light! STOKED!

I'm gonna be disgusted, I just know it.

My sister and I stumbled upon a LARGE rat snake in the garden tonight. Much screaming, running and fretting went down. Sister said kill it, I said NO WAY! Me and snake had a talk about respecting boundaries and he slithered off. At least 6 feet long.

Made pickles tonight.

1 quart, 5 pints hot dill zucchini spears.

1quart, 5 pints regular dill zucchini spears.

5 half pints of zesty zucchini relish (without the horseradish)

5 pints of bread and butter cucumber pickles.

Image
Image

Pulled the pumpkin vines today. They were looking VERY nasty. Cut about 15 SVB grubs in half and squished 3 squash bugs with about 70 squash bug eggs. Got 4 nice pumpkins. They still have some green veining, but still jackolantern size!

Image

Came home to a really large harvest! These zucchini are as large as my arm!
Image

Image

Image

My mystery tomato is a Cherokee purple. 95% sure.

My dedicated hornworm tomato plant. 3 of the hornworms I placed last week are now parasitized.

Image

Image

Image

Image

I put 3 more hornworms on there yesterday. One of which is showing signs of slowed eating.

I got my black light ready for some more hunting tomorrow night! If it works, it will make collecting them MUCH easier.

User avatar
Lindsaylew82
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2115
Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
Location: Upstate, SC

Went out to the garden late this afternoon when we had a break in the rain. It's rained for 3 days straight! My gardens ravines are very full! Tomatoes are cracking...

One of the infested hornworm's nest of braconids hatched. He is suffering. I almost feel bad enough to give him to the suds. One of the other two has his poor head curled under and he's cradling it in his first set of claspers. I pitty them, as nasty as they are... 3 newly transplanted hornworms are still devouring the nursery plant. No outward sign of parasitism, but there ARE about 40 new braconids hanging around... :()

User avatar
Lindsaylew82
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2115
Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
Location: Upstate, SC

My hornworms did not glow.

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/vi ... 39&t=59152

I found THIS fellow on a plant that was NOWHERE hear the nursery plant!!! He's small, too!
Image

It's rained for 4 days straight... Garden is really starting to show sights of decline from fungal pressure.
Powdery mildew and downy mildew.

Image

Image

Image

Pulled 3 more squash plants today. Found 4 squash bugs, and lots of eggs. I will resume neem oil tomorrow. 2 of the squash bugs were on the cucumber trellis. Weird... I am assuming they were chillin with the pumpkins that are no longer there. I forgot how much the stink when crushed...

Image

Zucchini are still hangin in there!
Image

Getting lots of tomatoes. Army worms are heightening their pressure. Lots of munching and circular holes. Pulled at least 5 large army worms.

Tomato harvest for today! Not shown are 3 cups of Sungold cherry tomatoes and 2 large yellow brandywine! Yummy to my tummy!
Image

Nasturtium is flowering this week, too!
Image

User avatar
Lindsaylew82
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2115
Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
Location: Upstate, SC

I THINK the hornworms are slowing down! I'm back down to just a few a night! One I found tonight that was sick. Puking all over the place, so I'm think he found some naturally occurring BT somewhere, or he's been stung. The other two were biggish and went to the nursery plant. One of the parasitized worms is missing from the nursery plant. I'm assuming he died, and two of the larger ones I placed there are just GONE! I'm thinking feathered friends.

I put a new bird feeder on my old clothes line. The birds found it today and have been using it. It's a nut, seed, and fruit blend, so I hope it'll attract a lot of different birds. A female cardinal was perched on a rebar post this morning! Good stuff!

My mom has a UV/black light flashlight that was purchase for detecting pet urine. I will try that one later this week for hornworms!

I killed a lot of squash bugs tonight, with lots of eggs, too. 5 squash beetles, A TON of cucumber beetles, climbing cutworms, army worms....

These things, which are HUGE and TOTALLY gross me out. June bugs? Idk.
Image

Indigo rose is blackening nicely!

Image

So is this Black Sea Man. I didn't realize it did that. I also didn't realize until today, that I have always had a potato leaf BSM, but this year, it's a regular leaf. It's also REALLY struggling. Both of the stink bugs in this picture were harmed during the filming process.
Image

Some extras:
Image

Weed in my asparagus. I think it's black nightshade.
Image
Image

Tonight's dinner with crusty bread! YUM!

Image

User avatar
ReptileAddiction
Greener Thumb
Posts: 866
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2012 12:52 am
Location: Southern California

Your garden looks great! How many tomato plants do you have?

User avatar
Lindsaylew82
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2115
Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
Location: Upstate, SC

18!

User avatar
lakngulf
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1294
Joined: Mon May 10, 2010 4:34 pm
Location: Lake Martin, AL

Great looking garden and produce. Gotta love it when the earth brings forth the bounty.

User avatar
Lindsaylew82
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2115
Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
Location: Upstate, SC

Thank you!!! :()

User avatar
DDMcKenna
Senior Member
Posts: 152
Joined: Sat Jun 21, 2014 1:10 pm
Location: Florida, USA, just north of Daytona Beach

Absolutely awesome photos, thank you so much for sharing them. That is an amazing garden and you are definitely the master of your trade.

User avatar
Lindsaylew82
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2115
Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
Location: Upstate, SC

Absolutely awesome photos, thank you so much for sharing them. That is an amazing garden and you are definitely the master of your trade.

DDMcKenna
:() I'm just lucky! ;P

SusanRachel
Newly Registered
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri May 30, 2014 11:06 pm
Location: South Alabama on the border between 8a and 8b

Lindsaylew82 wrote:
Absolutely awesome photos, thank you so much for sharing them. That is an amazing garden and you are definitely the master of your trade.

DDMcKenna
:() I'm just lucky! ;P
That ain't luck. And it is beautiful.

NancyJo
Full Member
Posts: 37
Joined: Wed Jul 23, 2014 2:49 pm
Location: Wisconsin Z 4a

very nice!! I love seeing your garden.

User avatar
Lindsaylew82
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2115
Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
Location: Upstate, SC

:-() Haha! :oops:

Thanks!

User avatar
Lindsaylew82
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2115
Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
Location: Upstate, SC

Things are beginning to wind down in my garden. I pulled most of my squash, and several zucchini plants this weekend. The rows look barren! I have a tomato and two eggplant that were struggling under their shade that should do much better now that they'll have full sun. Flea beetles are destroying the eggplant. I'm a little surprised that they are so bad right now. We cut grass last night, and I put a thick layer of very lush grass clippings on the row followed by a heavy rain last night. Hoping that'll crust up and provide no hiding places. Lots of nasturtium left over, too.

Image

Cucumbers are really dying down, but are trying to put out new growth.
Image

Image

Image

Image
I have some Asian long cucumbers that are starting to fruit now. Some are cute and funny! These are a first time for us!
Image

Image

Tomatoes are really rolling in now. I haven't seen a hornworm in a few days! I'm thinking it's just late in the season, but I'm giving my self a little credit, too. I've been working VERY hard! The uv/black light flashlight (made for cat urine, as Applestar suggested) worked MUUUUUUUCH better for catching hornworms!

Image
Image

Image

It was a lot of fun, too. :()


My cherry tomatoes and small plums are starting to resemble grapes! They are growing along the horizontal strings between stakes. I think I like it!

Image

Image

I have been pulling tomatoes when I first see a blush of color. Army worms, climbing cutworms, and corn worms will take nibbles out of them if left on the vine.

Lots of large tomatoes! This one is the largest in my growing history (both organic and conventionally!).
Image

Image

Some of my plants just are NOT dealing well with this rain and heat. I probably won't bring them back next year. Black prince, yellow brandywine, and orange amana are done. They just do not appreciate my climate. They are currently wilted from base to tip. Black Sea Man has some kind of serious physiologic leaf roll. I don't know if that is normal for this cultivar or not. I should note that it is a regular leaf BSM, where normally this cultivar is potato leaved. Idk, but it looks like it's strugglin.

Black Prince
Image

Black Sea Man with a perfectly healthy Black Krim right behind it.
Image

I added a new bird feeder next to the tomatoes. It's very popular! Wrens, blue jays, blue birds, doves, cardinals, and purple martins have been frequenting the spot! I flooded the ravines this weekend which attracted lots of robins, too!

Image
Noticed this creepy looking guy on my okra. He's been there for several weeks!
Image

Some wider shots and extras!
Image

Image

Image

Image

User avatar
Lindsaylew82
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2115
Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
Location: Upstate, SC

CLEARANCE TIME at my favorite nursery!

WHOOP! WHOOP!!! Yaaaaaaay! Cheap perennials!

NancyJo
Full Member
Posts: 37
Joined: Wed Jul 23, 2014 2:49 pm
Location: Wisconsin Z 4a

what are you hoping to add to your garden Lindsay?

I have several wants, but waiting for the right prices , and I hoping to barter for a few also.

User avatar
Lindsaylew82
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2115
Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
Location: Upstate, SC

I'm hoping for some perennials for shade. I need to do a better job of maintaining my front yard. We had 2 large oak pruned back this spring. But they'll provide lots of shave next year. I have a few largish spots that get deep shade and these rest is full shade to 4 hours of sunlight per day. Mostly dappled.

I'm looking for pots of bulbs like lily of the valley. He had some last year, but when I went back, they were gone :( . Astilbe, bleeding hearts, ground covers. I don't have anything mapped out yet, just a general idea in my mind. Hosta.

Right now he has a lot of stuff. I figure the big hit will be Friday, which is most of this town's PAYDAY, including mine. And. I'm. OFF!!! Woohoo!

I should take pictures of the space and post them...

User avatar
Lindsaylew82
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2115
Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
Location: Upstate, SC

Also, whatever herbs he has. I lost some in last winter's harshness. I replaced both my French lavender and regular lavender and my common sage this spring, but they've all struggled this summer, all 3 died. Very strange. I definitely think there is time for them to better establish in the fall.

User avatar
ReptileAddiction
Greener Thumb
Posts: 866
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2012 12:52 am
Location: Southern California

Must be nice to have nurseries that clearance things. Here it is so warm that all the nurseries just keep selling all year long so they don't put stuff on sale.

User avatar
Lindsaylew82
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2115
Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
Location: Upstate, SC

That's a shame! I would think things would get pot bound and yucky looking after so long...

NancyJo
Full Member
Posts: 37
Joined: Wed Jul 23, 2014 2:49 pm
Location: Wisconsin Z 4a

well I hope to get a few new plants this year, I had hubby make me a new bed along side of his shed/shop. This fall I will need to divide most of my stuff again and I will be able to use divisions to fill in the area. Up here plants are all sold out of the stores and most nurseries by the 3 week in July. I refrained from buying more as I can never find my true got to have plants. So I'm going to have a plant swap here in Sept. I know I might not find what I want but it will be nice to meet other gardeners and make some new friends. I have been inviting everyone I know and I tell them to bring anyone they would like. I hope to have at least 20 people attend.

User avatar
ReptileAddiction
Greener Thumb
Posts: 866
Joined: Sun Jun 17, 2012 12:52 am
Location: Southern California

Lindsaylew82 wrote:That's a shame! I would think things would get pot bound and yucky looking after so long...
Well, the nursery I work at turns over annuals fast enough that that doesn't happen and perennials just get potted up to the next size and cut back and they almost all look great again.

User avatar
Lindsaylew82
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2115
Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
Location: Upstate, SC

My new bee balm is finally blooming, and it's PURPLE!!! I wasn't expecting that, my last one was brilliant red. It's very pretty! It tastes different also. It's very strong. More savory/sage-ish. Very tasty in tea with chamomile, pineapple sage, and peppermint.

Image

Swallowtails are EVERYWHERE! This one posed pretty for me.
Image

I found a friend tonight! A really BIG friend! I hope it's a she, and I hope she lays puffs everywhere!
Image

Image

Can't really see it, but there are 7 goldfinches eating the seeds out of our sunflowers in this picture.
Image

Bumble bee moths are very numerous, and I have lots of skipper butterflies, too.

Image

I've been saving seeds from tomatoes! Here is my fermenting station!

Image

Tonight's harvest!
Image

User avatar
Wombat
Full Member
Posts: 39
Joined: Sat Aug 02, 2014 11:16 pm
Location: Australia

Wow just read the whole thread. Great set up you have there! Makes me wish for Summer to arrive asap, thanks for sharing the pics of your patch..... :D

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Which kind of praying mantis ootheca do you usually find? This kind?

Subject: Some kind of egg casing? Good or bad? >> Carolina Mantis
applestar wrote:OK -- it's so nice out I was giving my garden a once over patrol and discovered this half way up on the main trunk of my little ginkgo tree -- t's only knee high and can't afford any munchers. :x

It looks like an egg casing -- approx. 3" long from top to bottom. Hopefully someone can help me ID before it's too late. :shock:

Image

User avatar
Lindsaylew82
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2115
Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
Location: Upstate, SC

It's been a LONG time since I've actually seen one, but that looks similar! The last time I saw one, it was on the inside of a screened in porch. :)

User avatar
hendi_alex
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 3604
Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2008 7:58 am
Location: Central Sand Hills South Carolina

Looks like some kind of mantis or walking stick.

User avatar
Lindsaylew82
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2115
Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
Location: Upstate, SC

Definitely mantis!

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Yep. If you go to the thread, you'll see we northerners had some head scratching discussions about the oddball. Eventually we found out that it is a CAROLINA mantis egg case.

So it makes so much sense that you two would recognize it. (WHERE WERE YOU WHEN ALL THIS WAS GOING ON? :> )

User avatar
Lindsaylew82
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2115
Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
Location: Upstate, SC

Did yours hatch out?

I was going through family related h*ll at that time...I missed my big garden last year. :(

n8young
Cool Member
Posts: 87
Joined: Wed May 01, 2013 11:39 am
Location: Eliot, ME - zone 6a

hendi_alex wrote:Get chickens! No more squishing bad garden critters. The chickens just love them. Three to four chickens don't take much space or much care, plus give lots of eggs and a bonus of manure for the compost pile.
Not sure if anyone commented on this or not......here's my take. I have 6 chickens, and I cannot let them out anywhere near my garden....I have carrots, kale, peppers, green beans, tomatoes, onions, basil, dill, black beans, butternut squash, and chard growing, and the only thing they have not eaten is the dill and the onions.......they will peck into any fruits(tomatoes, squash) and will eat leaves off all the other plants. They can wreak havoc in a big way, in a very short amount of time. On top of that, they will scratch through the garden, removing any mulch you may have put down, and potentially damaging the root structures of plants.....they are great when the garden is not growing, Fall/Winter/Early Spring. I also have found that most pests eat the new growth off your plants, which is generally at the top(read high and out of reach for the chickens)......the eggs are great, the chickens are cool as heck, the manure is great for the garden, but the chickens are by no means expected to be a pest removal method from a growing garden......

That's just my practical experience with it, feel free to experiment on your own, but I would advise against it.

FYI - tomatoes are their favorite....

User avatar
Lindsaylew82
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2115
Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
Location: Upstate, SC

I have the opportunity to get some quail, 4 weeks old, for free... Like 20 of them! I'm thinking about it. I need more research. Man said no, right off the bat. "They have nice eggs!" I told him.. He didn't seem to care and asked me how I'd feel when the neighborhood hawk makes another feather explosion...( I witnessed a mockingbird get dive-bombed at the new bird feeder....I felt extreme guilt.) I could never use the birds for food.

Having something like chickens in the fall and early spring would be nice. I need something like them to pick over my soil and mulch.

I've been reading up a lot on guinea hens, and I'm very interested.

My neighbor raises chickens for meat and eggs. He seems to get so many roosters! When they figure out they can make noise, they practice all hours of the day and night. It's really annoying. In recent years, I've started putting chicken recipes in their mailbox. The noise stops after that.

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30514
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

I used to pack hard boiled quail eggs for daughters' field trip and kindergarten lunch. I didn't pre-peel them for better keeping (and they knew how) but for a parents night pot luck get together, I took 20 peeled quail eggs. It was fun to see the look of wonder on the other kids faces since most of them (and parents) didn't know what they were. My kids preferred them to chicken eggs for a long time because of the milder flavor.

We dyed them for Easter, too.

I'm not supposed to keep chickens,but have often thought quails might be less conspicuous.... (or bantams) and more suited to stealth chicken :lol:

User avatar
Lindsaylew82
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2115
Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
Location: Upstate, SC

I've heard they're higher in protein, by weight, than chicken eggs.

Eta:

I've not gone to any lengths to see if that information is accurate...

JPNguyen
Full Member
Posts: 14
Joined: Thu Jul 24, 2014 1:17 pm
Location: California

Your home grown veggy look very tastey. What's the biggest tomato you've harvested from your garden?

User avatar
Lindsaylew82
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2115
Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
Location: Upstate, SC

This year's Black Krim! 1 pound 8 ounces.
I've had several really large black Krim this year.

I also had large Amana Orange, Yellow Brandywine, Chocolate Stripes, Cherokee Purple. and Park's Whopper. Most have given me fruits over 1 pound.

Image

The 3 in the background are all over a pound!

Meme
Cool Member
Posts: 67
Joined: Mon Aug 04, 2014 3:37 pm

Your garden is a credit to you Lindsaylew82. I so enjoyed looking at your photo's. Not just a green thumb do you have, but fingers as well. :D
I was amazed at all the variety you have grown, as well as the stunning Marigolds, how lovely.
Hope not too many bugs/slugs/critters come along, but at least you are on the look out, regular patrol. :D

So sad about the loss of your cat, but how lovely you made the Memorial Bed.

User avatar
Lindsaylew82
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 2115
Joined: Wed May 21, 2014 9:26 pm
Location: Upstate, SC

Thank you so very much! How sweet of you!



Return to “Vegetable Garden Progress + Photos & Videos”