| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Laura Marie |
Posted - Sep 15 2008 : 3:27:28 PM
I came home today and looked at what was my lettuce and it was gone...it looked like it had been mowed. Well the problem is, I have a container garden. So I started looking closer and what do I see but 3 little fuzzy black worms mowing my lettuce.
I actually started to laugh. I put my stuff down inside and went back out and started to look for more, hoping not to find anymore, and I haven't as of yet. I can tell something is eating my tomatoes, as well as my radishes and sugar snap peas. I have a small patio with a container garden because that is how I am bringing my farm to me. I was wondering if anyone could help me figure something out to debug my tiny little garden. I have two dogs and two cats, all of which go outside, so I want something that is friendly to me and my animals and something that will be a repelient to the little visitors. I asked my neighbor about these worms seeing he has a better idea about Southern California vegitation and bugs and he said it was a catapiller. So I asked if it was a moth or butterfly he didn't know. So I put them on a tree outside of my yard hoping they won't come back. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I might try or what would work? I am open to suggestions! I took pictures and will put some pictures up later, I'm short on time but wanted to have something to come back too later tonight.
Thank you!
Laura Marie |
| 5 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| FarmGirl~K |
Posted - Oct 18 2008 : 9:57:41 PM
Last year I bought a grapefruit tree. I was checking on it last fall & noticed a lot of the leaves were chewed. I didnt know what was eating it. I noticed some bird doo on there & poked it off w/a stick. Ended up it wasnt bird doo...but caterpillars. Its the larvae of a giant swallowtail butterfly. Beautiful but again was eating my plant to nothing. I took a bunch of pics of it & it has a little red tongue that comes out. It almost looks like a snake if you look at it from the front. They never did go back on my tree. I did notice one on the brick outside today, but not on my tree yet. I'll have to keep an eye on it, its a big one. Here is a link to what they look like. http://fireflyforest.net/firefly/2007/09/02/giant-swallowtail-butterflies-and-caterpillars/
I would do a search & see if you can find out what kind they are. Might be an easy fix of just picking them off. Good luck.
"I have an irrepressible desire to live till I can be assured that the world is a little better for my having lived in it."
– Abraham Lincoln |
| ddmashayekhi |
Posted - Oct 18 2008 : 06:26:06 AM
We have cutworms here. They do very impressive damage to flowers and vegetables. They literally cut everything down & eat it without leaving a trace. It looks like they used scissors to whatever they eat. I hope the rest of your stuff survives!
Dawn in IL |
| 5 acre Farmgirl |
Posted - Oct 18 2008 : 05:12:08 AM
You can use B.T...Bacillious Thurengesis(I think)..cannnot remember the whole name...It works wonderful for all kinds of "visitors"...Mix it with some Soap Shield from a Organic place and voila!! I get mine from "Gardens Alive". No more visitors..these wont hurt pets and are organic methods.there is proably other places that one can get these products...
The tomatoes get ate by "Tomatoe Hornworms:, and actually turn into the "Hummingbird Moth"..they are beautiful moths, but, they will wipe out a whole crop of tomatoes if not controlled. The caterpillar is HUGE and has a horn on one end, they actually have teeth, it sounds like when they are chewing.There may benore, but, these are the ones we have here in WA.
Hope that helps..
Farmgirl Sister #368
http://froccsfrillsfurbiloesandmore.blogspot.com
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| acairnsmom |
Posted - Sep 16 2008 : 3:44:09 PM
I had some visitors eating my cabbage earlier and one of the gals on the forum suggested garlic water. So I took a head of garlic, smashed it and put it in a small spray bottle of water and let it sit for 1/2 hour or so and then took it out and sprayed it liberally on my cabbage. I don't know if that's what did it or something else but my cabbage eaters didn't bother me any more and I was able to harvest my cabbage later in the season. You might want to give it a try or resign yourself to being a "catapiller farmer". 
Audrey
Toto, we're not in Kansas any more! |
| NatureNymph |
Posted - Sep 15 2008 : 5:46:47 PM
Are they young plants/seedlings? You can wrap the young plants with panty hose, you cut a small length and tie off the top end and then gently place over the plants. Works for romaine and other types of head lettuce. Once they get larger you can use soapy water in a spray bottle.
"Everybody likes to go their own way--to choose their own time and manner of devotion." Jane Austen, Mansfield Park |
