Best Places people on this forum have found to buy Seeds or Perennials?

[TXCraig1]

Craig,

What do I feed him, besides tomato leaves?  If he makes it, I am going to set him free.

Here is a picture of him when I came home tonight.  He sure makes a lot of body elimination for such a little fellow.   

Norma

Just tomato leaves.

If you turn him free, he is going to make more worms to eat your tomatos...

Craig

[norma427]

Craig,

Thanks for telling me to feed the Tomato Hornworm just tomato leaves.  This is a picture of how he is doing this morning.  He almost ate the whole leaf of the tomato overnight.  He sure is one hungry bugger.  I enjoy watching how insects go though their life cycles.  If he eventually makes it to be a Hawkmoth, I will be sure to take near a woods, far enough away from me, so hopefully he doesn’t know where to find my tomato plants again.  The little tomato hornworm sure makes his cage dirty.  I need to clean it out today. 

http://organicgardensite.com/bugs-harmful/tomato-horn-worms/

Norma

[norma427]

I am going to follow the growth of this little Tomato Hornworm.  He really seems to eat a lot of tomato leaves.  Since this morning he has eaten two whole big tomato leaves, right down to the stem.  His body elimination is amazing also.    Since I cleaned his cage out this morning he has eliminated about 25 times. 

Picture later this morning and late this afternoon of the little Tomato Hornworm

Norma

[norma427]

I went outside almost when it was dark, to water my tomato plants.  What I found on my one tomato plant that had the two Hornworms on before, surprised me.  I think I was about ready to have an invasion of Tomato Hornworms.     I had to look carefully, but found two more really little Tomato Hornworms and it looks like eggs on the bottom of some of the leaves.  I couldn't believe how fast this little creatures were eating my tomato plant.  I cut off all the leaves that look like they had eggs on and also took the two really tiny Tomato Hornworms off. I put all the leaves in soapy water. I believe in trying to save nature, but this is ridiculous.  I will check the Tomato plant again tomorrow.

Pictures below

Norma

[cranky]

Take some ivory soap and cayenne pepper and water.  Put it in a blender and mix it well.  Spray it on your plants if you want to put a stop to the inavasion.

[norma427]

Take some ivory soap and cayenne pepper and water.  Put it in a blender and mix it well.  Spray it on your plants if you want to put a stop to the inavasion.

cranky,

Thanks for your help, again.     I do have cayenne pepper, but will purchase some ivory soap tomorrow and will mix the blend as you described.  I appreciate you always take the time to help me with my problems.  I do want to stop this invasion.  If I can't get those buggers to stop eating at that tomato plant, I am just going to pull it out and dispose of the whole plant.

Norma

[cranky]

They will move to the next plant.  Gardening is a violent hobby.  You might add a little garlic powder to the mix.  You can strain the whole mixture through a rag or cloth as you pout it into a sprayer so the sprayer tip does not clog.  The spray will last a long time, probably until it rains.

[TXCraig1]

Take some ivory soap and cayenne pepper and water.  Put it in a blender and mix it well.  Spray it on your plants if you want to put a stop to the inavasion.

Sevin dust works really well too...

Craig

[norma427]

Sevin dust works really well too...

Craig

Craig,

Thanks for telling me Sevin dust works really well.   

Norma

[norma427]

They will move to the next plant.  Gardening is a violent hobby.  You might add a little garlic powder to the mix.  You can strain the whole mixture through a rag or cloth as you pout it into a sprayer so the sprayer tip does not clog.  The spray will last a long time, probably until it rains.

cranky,

Thanks for telling me those buggers would then move to the next plant.  I didn't know gardening is a violent hobby.     I didn't have an major problems with gardening except occasionally beetles, before these buggers.  Thanks again for adding ideas to help.

Norma

[cranky]

Whether you raise vegetables or chickens there will be other hungry creatures that also see them as food.  You are faced with a decision on what to do about it.  You can choose to do nothing and there might be something left for you to eat.  You can poison the interlopers and it might also hurt you.  You can use a repellant and they will either find something else to eat or starve.   You can introduce another species that eats the eater.   If you do nothing the hungry visitors multiply quickly.  Some people think there is a balance in nature, so if you do nothing the calvary will arrive, natural enemies of the animals eating your crop and keep their numbers in check, minimizing damage.   I am willing to share my tomatoes and pizza and other things I work to create with my two legged neighbors, and also willing to feed the ducks and some other critters as long as they don't threaten the entire crop.  I can fence out deer, but not bugs.  They have to leave or die.  I have never had bugs that eat my onions and garlic or chilis or soap.     

[norma427]

cranky,

As I said before you have a great look on life and nature.     I am always determined no matter if it is the pizza I make or insects that I just learned about this year.  This tomato plant was a new heirloom plant I purchased this year, among others for only a dollar at Landis Valley Museum.  Even if I only paid a dollar for the plant, I want to be able to taste the tomatoes.  I am going to try and get rid of the Tomato Hornworms on that plant or if they spread to others, I also will try to get rid of them.  I did save 3 tomato hornworms and am going to see if they then transform into Hawkmoths.  I love nature, but I am not going to let all these Tomato Hornworms all live.   

Thanks for your help,

Norma

[cranky]

The plant cost a dollar, but you have many hours invested in tilling, watering, ferilizing, staking and weeding.  The plant is there, because you put it there.  The bugs would take possession of it and kill it.  It would be nice if you could ask them to leave and be reasonable about it, or not eat too much, but you can't negotiate with terrorists. 

[norma427]

The plant cost a dollar, but you have many hours invested in tilling, watering, ferilizing, staking and weeding.  The plant is there, because you put it there.  The bugs would take possession of it and kill it.  It would be nice if you could ask them to leave and be reasonable about it, or not eat too much, but you can't negotiate with terrorists. 

cranky,

LOL..I don't see them as terrorists, but an inconvenience, that I will try to deal with.     I already sprayed the tomato plant and the next one to it.  I know there is no negotiating with those darn buggers.  I enjoyed working outside.  It brings me closer to nature.  I don't mind the work, because I will get some fresh vegetables or herbs in the end.  It also helps keep me fit, bending up and down.  I have always like the smell of the earth and dirt, just like I now like the smell of pizza dough.  I never put gloves on when I am working outside, because I like to feel what I am doing, just like I like to mix dough by hand to see how it feels.  I think that is why I like pizza making so much.  The yeast is one of the oldest things and so is the earth. 

Norma

[cranky]

cranky,

LOL..I don't see them as terrorists, but an inconvenience, that I will try to deal with.     I already sprayed the tomato plant and the next one to it.  I know there is no negotiating with those darn buggers.  I enjoyed working outside.  It brings me closer to nature.  I don't mind the work, because I will get some fresh vegetables or herbs in the end.  It also helps keep me fit, bending up and down.  I have always like the smell of the earth and dirt, just like I now like the smell of pizza dough.  I never put gloves on when I am working outside, because I like to feel what I am doing, just like I like to mix dough by hand to see how it feels.  I think that is why I like pizza making so much.  The yeast is one of the oldest things and so is the earth. 

Norma

I think all gardeners are the same and there is a connection to making pizza.  It goes from behind my house to the oven. You transform dirt into something beautiful and then prepare and eat it.  We also come from dirt and return to it.  From dust to life to dust.  I like all the bending and pulling and moving as well.  I lost at least 15 lbs this gardening season.  I know my body is aging, but I don't have too many broken parts yet.  My personality is not suited to going to a gym and exercising for no purpose or playing golf.  I want to see some results like a weed free cucumber patch all green and flowering and fruiting.  Tomorrow evening my wife and I will go to a friend's house for supper and bring the vegies.  It will be the best tasting meal they have all year, because you can not get good produce in a super market shipped a thousand miles and picked a week or two ago. Local meat and fish are also very good.   What we eat can not be found at a restaurant either.  When people lose the connection between themselves and what sustains them it distorts their view of life itself, including their own human nature.


   

[norma427]

cranky,

I agree with all you said.  I don’t do gardening on a big scale anymore, but still like it. Fresh vegetables and herbs in my opinion do taste better. We are lucky in our area, that there are many farmers that sell their produce at roadside stands, just fresh picked. I only have to drive a few minutes to find them. Someone is giving me a lot of fresh red beets this weekend. I can make many things from them. I know my body is aging also, but if you can keep moving, in my opinion it does help.  My personality also isn’t suited for a gym either.  I did try that a few times and I didn’t like it.  I rather goes for walks. I don’t like anything that is repetitious.   We also have great meats where I live and many butchers that do butcher their own animals.  I am sure your veggies from your garden will make your friends meal great.  I really don’t like it when winter comes and there is no more fresh vegetables or fruits.  I can get almost any vegetable or fruit at the market I work at, and although they are good, it isn’t like the summertime.

My brother lives in Colorado and is coming to visit soon.  He also misses all our fresh fruits and vegetables here.  He does have a small garden like I do, but he said his climate just isn’t the same as our area for growing vegetables. 

Have a great meal with your friends, 

Norma

[cranky]

cranky,

Have a great meal with your friends, 

Norma

Thanks!  I have friends in Colorado who have to water the trees in their yard to keep them alive.  I can't imagine trying to have a garden there. 

[norma427]

Thanks!  I have friends in Colorado who have to water the trees in their yard to keep them alive.  I can't imagine trying to have a garden there. 

cranky,

My brother had to install a sprinkling system in his yard.  I know how dry their weather is.

Norma

[norma427]

The little Tomato Hornworm is growing fast.  The other two smaller Tomato Hornworms are the ones that I took off the Tomato plant the other evening.

Pictures below

Norma

[cranky]

Norma,
Why don't you give your new pets names?  Maybe, Munchy, Crappy, Poopsalot, Kloraphyllis.