TomatoNut's 2020 Garden

[TomatoNut95]

Okra is coming along nicely! Last night I checked my radar and saw a mess headed my way. So in the darkness I went outside to cover stuff. Moon looked really pretty shining behind the overcast. I tried to get a picture, but alas my phone takes crummy distant shots. My kingdom for a good camera!!

Yesterday I was sitting on my front porch watching the nutty and noisy hummingbirds. There must have been about ten or more little birds out there. All together all that buzzing sounded like a small motor running. A certain little silver colored lump caught my eye, as it sat peacefully on the crape myrtle tree.

This morning I went out and was trying to do some much needed work. I picked up a turned over bucket and there was a giant ant mound underneath. I used my shovel, scooped them up and dumped them over the fence. Stupid ants.

[TomatoNut95]

As of right now I am sitting on the front porch on my phone. The hummingbirds are currently very active.... And noisy. One female got very curious and buzzed close to me, to see what I was up to. Silly creatures.

Speaking of creatures, I know I'm much too old to be chasing lizards, but this is a skink, and I HATE these things! Reason: they poop all over the porches and it grosses me out! I have, on occasion, just caught them and removed them from the yard. But is there any kind of spray or granuals that run off reptiles? I was wondering if snake granuals might work?

Now for the garden: my onions don't seem to be getting big, my New Mexico Chili pepper STILL is heatless and tastes like grass. Don't understand it at all. My Big Bertha isn't producing, I guess because it's just been too hot. Leafminers are getting on my beautiful okra, and my experimental peas. Wish my Spinosad would get here.

[Gary350]

Now for the garden: my onions don't seem to be getting big, my New Mexico Chili pepper STILL is heatless and tastes like grass. Don't understand it at all. My Big Bertha isn't producing, I guess because it's just been too hot. Leafminers are getting on my beautiful okra, and my experimental peas. Wish my Spinosad would get here.

You should grow your onions & garlic in winter they do much better in cooler weather. My garlic & onions grew very large in AZ I planted garlic about Oct 1st and onions about Nov 1st. I planted them around palm trees because the trees had irrigation every night at 9pm and shade. Wow my AZ plants grew large I can not grow garlic & onions very large in TN summer is too hot & winter is too cold.

New Mexico peppers are not very spicy hot with seeds removed they are all flavor and make the best enchilada sauce ever. If you want them hotter seeds make them 10 to 15times hotter. If seeds are not hot enough add jalapeno pepper to get the spicy hot you want. Be sure to pick jalapenos let them turn red in the house to keep the good red color of the New Mexico peppers. Green & red color together makes a weird color. When your hot summer weather cools down plants will produce lots of peppers if you are feeding them potassium.

Big Bertha peppers don't like summer hot weather either, we have been having 15 degree cooler weather my plants finally decided to grow peppers. Soon as weather gets in the 70s you will have a pepper explosion a 100 peppers on every plant if your feeding them potassium.

I have 5 pepper plants on the east side of a shade tree when sun gets hot peppers are in full shade from 12 noon to dark, I often have peppers 1 month or more sooner by keeping hot sun off the plants.

[TomatoNut95]

Texas weather here is too hot in summer and too cold in winter to. I have trouble with growing cold crops because frosts damage my stuff. I lost my cauliflower last winter due to frost. Cabbage stayed good, but only if I covered it. One year my broccoli bit the dust after it snowed. Texas weather is just too unpredictable.

I will, never, never forget that day it was extremely nice outside, perfect temperature, clear and sunny; overnight the temperature plummeted way down and I got a nice snow.

Is it true that when you spray a plant right before a frosty night hits, the frozen water on the leaves protect it from frost? I read that somewhere, and I just can't see that working. Sometimes I feel like covering stuff doesn't work unless you put many layers over it.

[Gary350]

Texas weather here is too hot in summer and too cold in winter to. I have trouble with growing cold crops because frosts damage my stuff. I lost my cauliflower last winter due to frost. Cabbage stayed good, but only if I covered it. One year my broccoli bit the dust after it snowed. Texas weather is just too unpredictable.

I will, never, never forget that day it was extremely nice outside, perfect temperature, clear and sunny; overnight the temperature plummeted way down and I got a nice snow.

Is it true that when you spray a plant right before a frosty night hits, the frozen water on the leaves protect it from frost? I read that somewhere, and I just can't see that working. Sometimes I feel like covering stuff doesn't work unless you put many layers over it.

Spraying water on plant leaves might actually prevent frost because it increases the mass of the leaf that will help it hold heat longer. A few months ago I was trying to learn how it is possible to have frost on plants when air temperature is 38 or 39 degrees F. I posted a message on the Physics forum they explained it then it made sense to me now I understood it. If there are no clouds in the sky it will frost. If sky is cloudy & over cast it can not frost. Spray water on leaves on an over cast night it cannot frost so no need to spray water on leaves. SO spray water on leave when there is a clear sky extra mass helps hold heat.

[TomatoNut95]

Interesting....you know I never thought of noticing of whether or not it was cloudy during a frost. I'll be sure to pay more attention to it now. I should've sprayed my cauliflower last year, it probably would've survived.

[TomatoNut95]

What are these bugs, they look like little piles of garbage with legs. I don't often see them, and when I do, I find them on the house. This one, however, was on my sweet banana.

Okra is coming along nicely, I cannot wait to start harvesting my first pods! The experimental peas have grown rapidly.

Both okra and pea plants are infected with leafminers but not too badly. I'll soon get them sprayed with the Spinosad.

[TomatoNut95]

Something is wrong, when I got on the forum from my tablet, the forum had kicked me off and wanted me to login but when I typed in my password, the forum wouldn't recognize it! @Webmaster, can you please fix this?

[TomatoNut95]

Hmm. It worked this time. Must be something wrong with my connection. It has been iffy for awhile now. So many people must be sitting around on the internet or something.

[applestar]

What are these bugs, they look like little piles of garbage with legs. I don't often see them, and when I do, I find them on the house. This one, however, was on my sweet banana.

...I can’t tell what it is exactly, but it’s probably one of those bugs that use debris and sometimes their own discarded shells from molting, glued on their backs as protection — typically while in larval stage.

— that’s a coincidence, I just saw an article about one that is causing huge problems in I think New Zealand —

Meet the caterpillar that uses its old heads for defense - CNN
https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/09/world/ur ... index.html

[TomatoNut95]

Interesting...a unicorn caterpillar!

[TomatoNut95]

I'm in a sour mood today due to lack of sleep last night because of unexpected severe storms.
Spent the morning washing off, staking up and pruning dirty, flattened plants. Found an assortment of bugs, both good and bad including ants. They were everywhere, including on me.

[TomatoNut95]

This goes to prove you should always keep your toilet lid closed, and always look before you sit down...

[TomatoNut95]

There are ants sucking on my plants. The Spinosad didn't work, the ants in my backyard must be teenage mutant ninja ants that are resistant to anything.

Saw these strange looking cocoons in my beautiful cedar trees, I wonder what they are. I know they're not hornworns, they bury themselves in the ground. I'm so curious, I may keep one just to see what it is. I have an old fish bowl somewhere...

Lately I've been finding new batches of little lizards taking up residence in their chosen territores. Too small to do much help yet, I don't know what happened to the big lizards.

Big Bertha is finally producing some small but pretty peppers. I need to fertilize.

Temperature early this morning was a very nice 70- something, but it didn't take long to warm up, it's already hot out here. These cooler mornings are giving me the itch to start the cold crops, but according to weather, it will warm back up again. Texas weather stays too warm for too long making it difficult to grow cold crops.

Hummingbird just flew up while I was sitting here, she was looking at my pot of caladiums.

Male cardinal I'd trying to attack itself in the rearview mirror, guess I better go tie a plastic bag over the mirror so bird wont think it's reflection is a rival male...birds are so dumb.

[Gary350]

Those are Bag worm moths.

Water your ants with pans of wet sand. If they are sweet ants give them sugar water.

[TomatoNut95]

Bagworm moths; oh dear. In case I better destroy what cocoons I can find. I don't want them to cycle and destroy my beautiful cedars. The last thing I want is to raise more pests- I have too many as it is. Thanks Gary, for letting me know!

[TomatoNut95]

This morning I went out with my pruning shears and cut off what cocoons I could find. Some soap and water will take care of them.

Harvested a bunch of New Mexico Chili Peppers, not sure what to do with them.

Found a cicada emerging from its cocoon casing. Reminded me of my younger cousin when he was a toddler, he was scared to death of the empty cicada cocoons. That's a story I'm gonna have to share to his fiancee if I ever meet her.

[Gary350]

Harvested a bunch of New Mexico Chili Peppers, not sure what to do with them.

You could make green chili powder or wait until peppers turn red then make red chili powder. Cut into thin strips or thin slices to dry then when crispy dry put them in kitchen blender to make powder. Last year I made chili power from Red New Mexico peppers it has very GOOD FLAVOR but not spicy hot at all with seeds removed. My New Mexico peppers will soon be large enough to pick, this year I make red chili powder with seeds I want some mild spicy red chili powder. I already made red jalapeno chili power it is not very spicy hot with no seeds so I will make more with seeds.

[TomatoNut95]

I gave my peppers away, they were glady accepted by a friend. I didn't really want to mess with more powder, the last time I tried didn't work.

Bagworm cocoons are soaking in soapy water, I hope I got them all but I'll keep looking.

[imafan26]

I caught a caterpillar on my pepper plant. It's the first one I have seen in a long time. The geckos are falling down on the job. They usually take care of these things. The birds however, have harvested most of my bell peppers. I only have very young ones. They seem to like them more than the hot peppers.

[TomatoNut95]

I caught a caterpillar on my pepper plant. It's the first one I have seen in a long time. The geckos are falling down on the job. They usually take care of these things. The birds however, have harvested most of my bell peppers. I only have very young ones. They seem to like them more than the hot peppers.

My garden patrol units usually fall down on their job or their too little - still 'in training' I guess- to do a good job, therefore my bad bugs simply outweigh the good bugs and I end up having to spray or sprinkle something that WILL do it's job. (Well, sometimes )

[TomatoNut95]

There are two tropical storms out there headed for the gulf; news talks about how two storms together like that is rare- but then again, 2020 has been full of nothing but despairing surprises anyway.

So in preparation for what may come from Laura and Marco, I want to make sure my garden is secure. What is the best way to reinforce a plant? Stake and tie? Or, my neighbor offered me the use of her short, white wire landscaping fence to put around my okra for it to lean against during high winds. Any thoughts?

[Gary350]

There are two tropical storms out there headed for the gulf; news talks about how two storms together like that is rare- but then again, 2020 has been full of nothing but despairing surprises anyway.

So in preparation for what may come from Laura and Marco, I want to make sure my garden is secure. What is the best way to reinforce a plant? Stake and tie? Or, my neighbor offered me the use of her short, white wire landscaping fence to put around my okra for it to lean against during high winds. Any thoughts?

In 1933 gulf of Mexico was hit by 2 hurricanes at the same time. As the hurricane to the east passed over part of Florida it weakened to a Tropical storm before hitting Panama City area. The hurricane to the west did not weaken until it hit land near Huston TX. In 1933 both stores were hurricanes until 1 storm was down graded to a tropical storm before hitting land in Gulf of Mexico. Keep an eye on the 2 hurricanes that are coming your way it is very likely history will repeat itself if hurricane to the east passes over part of Florida and becomes a tropical storm. One way or the other we are all in for lots of rain. I hope we don't get high wind I have 6 trees blown to 80 degree angle from the storm 3 months ago, I don't want any more trees falling until I am ready to make them fall..

[TomatoNut95]

High winds are what I am concerned about, so I need a good way to reinforce the garden: mainly the okra.

[imafan26]

The problem with mother nature is that it is hard to protect anything. You can try staking the okra, but that is plus-minus. If the stake is too rigid, the top may snap. Flexible plants sometimes do better if they are allowed to bend instead.

[TomatoNut95]

According to news weather, Marco is already a hurricane at 75 mph winds and will hit Texas by Tuesday morning. Tomorrow I will spend my time preparing: putting away everything lightweight, reinforcing the plants, checking to make sure I have plenty of gas, glowsticks, batteries and maybe just to be on the safe side I should run up some water. Houston is already preparing to evacuate.

Laura is predicted to be within 24 hours of Marco, but I'm not sure if she'll hit Texas in the excate same spot. She may turn at hit more-so Louisiana and Alabama.

[pepperhead212]

I hope that it doesn't hit your area (or any, for that matter!) with too much. That storm that we got in early August had 75 mph wind gusts, which snapped two of my pepper plants, yet not one of my okras did anything but bend! They were left at about a 45° angle, but slowly straightened up, with no help!

Good luck, and I hope everyone is spared, but that's unlikely.

[Gary350]

TV shows the 2 hurricanes will hit the coast on different days about 1 day apart. Both are predicted to hit land in the same place about 1/2 way between Huston and New Orleans. They are warning people to stay out of street water even if water is only ankle deep because man hole covers can wash away & you can fall into the storm drain system and not be found for several day. TV said, 12" of rain expected in Huston.

Here in TN when we have too much rain certain parts of town storm drains look like 4 ft tall water fountains in the center of streets. When rain stops and water stops shooting up from storm drains man holes are still open. Several years ago someone road their bike into an open man hole.

[TomatoNut95]

According to weather, Marco weakened back into a tropical storm and according to my radar it hit Alabama, not Texas and I won't get anything until tomorrow night.

As for Laura, according to news it won't hit Texas either and I won't get anything but some wind. I feel like I was out there cleaning up and preparing for nothing.

[Gary350]

According to weather, Marco weakened back into a tropical storm and according to my radar it hit Alabama, not Texas and I won't get anything until tomorrow night.

As for Laura, according to news it won't hit Texas either and I won't get anything but some wind. I feel like I was out there cleaning up and preparing for nothing.

TV News says, 2 days of none stop flash flood rain Fri & Sat from the hurricane TV shows the hurricane going over Nashville TN.
They claim 3" of rain every day for TN, AL, GA, NC, I am so tired of Rain we already have too much rain every year 6 months of rain December to May. I need a vacation in the desert for about 9 months I am so tired of TN rain.

[TomatoNut95]

Some of the okra has buds on it, I wish it would hurry; here in another month and a half I will be getting my cold crops started.

Experimental peas are blooming-both Hog Brains and Holsteins have little pods on them.

Lovely, thin and wispy clouds in the sky this morning, feels nice out here for a shirt time.

More backyard critters, this teeny tiny anole lives in my biggest Hog Brain pea plant. Rat snake was curled up on the front porch yesterday and was eyeing the hummingbirds. Snakes are not my friends.

[TomatoNut95]

I'm so tired of battling bugs. Sick to death of it! My beautiful okra is being gnawed on by these nasty little worms, and a couple of plants were coated in a thick mass of aphids. I took care of the aphids for now, but I may wait on spraying the worms, it's supposed to rain today. This evening, I believe. I'm going to use hot pepper spray on the worms. Also the ants are sucking on my pea plants.

[TomatoNut95]

Love is in the air.... Love Bugs that is. I hate love bugs, they serve no purpose except to fly around mating, and clogging up vehicles on the highway. I don't think anything eats them they must taste bad.

Worms are still eating my okra and two of my plants were destroyed by nasty aphids I pulled the poor plants out no need to waste space. A third plant is being attacked, but I blasted with water hose. Stupid filthy aphids.

Did a little bird watching while I was preparing packs to plant pansy seed. Went and got my binoculars to get a better look-see, still don't know for sure what it was. According to bird book it looked like a female Summer Tanger or if not it was a type of warbler. But beak looked bigger than a warbler. Either way it was really cute. I wish it could've sung, but it was too busy to sing. Also saw two different kinds of woodpeckers, and busy little chickadees, there was a lot of bird activity going on up in the woods.

[imafan26]

I have a few more bugs too. Some of them are perennial which I don't try to eradicate. My aim is mostly to keep the numbers of bad bugs down while keeping beneficials up. I rarely spray anything. The more you interfere with nature, the more it comes back to bite you. I try to think more holistically to create a healthy ecosystem instead. That being said, I don't have most of your pests. I don't have cucumber beetles, aphids, locusts, and I only found a couple of caterpillars this year. I do have birds, whiteflies, thrips, scale, erineum mites, broad mites, snail, slugs, and ants. Some of which I treat with chemicals, but mostly use othr methods.

[TomatoNut95]

Picked a bunch of peppers this morning and four okra pods. I'll be lucky to get much off my okra. One pepper was wedged between two stems of the plant, it's shaped funny, lol!

[imafan26]

Nice. I only got a few pods off my okra, but they were terribly stunted from nematodes. Your peppers are way bigger than mine. It's a good thing hot peppers don't mind the heat.

[TomatoNut95]

Nice. I only got a few pods off my okra, but they were terribly stunted from nematodes. Your peppers are way bigger than mine. It's a good thing hot peppers don't mind the heat.

My peppers don't normally get very big, however my sweet banana has been very good to me. I don't harvest them often, so some of the peppers stayed on the plant for a long time and had the chance to get bigger. I am leaving two peppers on the plant to mature so I may save seed from it. It'll be the first time I've allowed a sweet banana pepper to ripen to red.

The Big Bertha that was wedged and distorted was I think the biggest pepper the plant gave me. Poor deformed thing, but it'll taste just the same.

[TomatoNut95]

If I see that crummy snake on my porch one more time, he's getting his body filled with holes. Nothing messes with my hummingbirds.

Today I picked five okra pods. Not wanting to be wasteful, I fried them. Turned out pretty good if I do say so myself. I boiled the slices prior to breading and frying.

I hope to get much more pods but first I need to fertilize and remove the STINKING APHIDS off my plants.

[TomatoNut95]

So I was looking at my old basil plant when I noticed a couple of dead honey bees. I was suspicious until I found this monstrosity....holding a dead bumblebee.

I removed the evil bee killing spider from the plant, snapped this picture and stomped on it. Nothing eats my bee friends and gets away with it. Bees are scarce enough as it is. Now my busy little buddies can forage in my basil in peace.

[TomatoNut95]

Brr, it was cool out here this morning. 70 degrees! According to weather, temperature will be slowly dropping. Time to plan my winter garden, but still not sure on my plans on where to put what. Okra is still in some of the way, so I'll have to start stuff in six packs until the okra is through or is frostbitten.

Crows are noisy this morning, crows must like it cool.
Found this cute little moth- looks like he has a bunch of eyes. Lol! Also found Gary's walking stick bug and a mantis.

My two sweet bananas that I'm allowing to ripen are currently orange. I'm saving those two for seed so I won't have to buy anymore next year.

Fried some more okra yesterday, boy it was good if I do say so myself. Think I'll experiment and add different stuff to the season to see what it tastes like, if I get plenty more okra that is.