Ugh! This cutworm is about as big around and as long as my pinky! He devoured all of the scallions I had sown in the planter with the japanese eggplant, down to the soil line (as cutworms do). I first noticed the droppings and then couldn't figure out what was different at first...then I saw HIM. Oh man, I'm such a wuss. I dropped the hose and ran for the camera and then my clippers. Ugh, still grossed out!
On a better note, I see 4, count 'em, 4 baby eggplants. Whoohoo!!!! Yum, yum, yum!! Lots more flowers, but you aren't guaranteed anything yet...
My Scarlett Runner beans are flowering, they are only about 3 feet tall as a whole, but there are runners who have reached the top of the fence. I am just waiting for the foliage to catch up.
And the edamame are getting pudgy! No seed pods on the most recently sown edamame yet.
My cucumbers are pulling down on the stakes I used, so I think this weekend might be a good time to get better stakes and do a little tying up. They seem to be doing great given the light support they have had. there's a big cuke hiding and about 4 that should be ready to pick any day now. Everytime I see my son eating something in the yard I have to interrogate him to make sure it gets washed first! Time tp pull out the flowering arugula and plant something for fall... hmm, what to plant?
The tomatoes may not be doing great, but the basil sure is going gang-busters! Maybe some pesto might be in my future.
Well, it's off to play with the kiddos. Reading time maybe? My youngest one turned 8 months yesterday and I definitely think he's saying "Mom-ma" and "Da-da". He can't crawl, but he can "talk".
I've never seen a cutworm before, but that looks gross! I would be scared too! I'm totally squeamish in the garden! So cool that you have baby eggplants growing. We have nada yet. Hopefully something soon!
ReplyDeleteThis is my first year having problems with cutworms but they are nasty little suckers.
ReplyDeleteI love your scarlet runner beans I have never grew them but are really pretty.
I hate finding cutworms, army worms, or hornworms in my garden. I was squeamish at first but after a few attacks on my plants I soon conquered my fears!! I was working too hard to lose a battle to them!!
ReplyDeleteI love the scarlet runner beans. I don't think I have ever seen them before but this is the second post today where I saw them. I may need to check them out for my garden.
Eek, I have yet to see any cutworms in my garden, after seeing your pictures, I hope to delay my own encounter for as long as possible.
ReplyDeleteYour scarlet runner beans are really striking. I remember reading somewhere that they could be grown as ornamentals, and now I can see why.
My cucumber plants are doing much better since I "trained" them to climb up a simple trellis made up of strings attached to a wooden frame. I'm almost convinced that they grow faster if they have something to climb up. I could be wrong, though.
Your basil looks like they are growing well and flowering. If you pinch all the flowering parts, they your basil will grow more side stems and get bushier - more basil leaves for your pesto!
meemsnyc: Hope you are feeling better! Soon, your eggplants will arrive soon =)
ReplyDeleteJeana: This is by far the largest one I have run across, bleck! The Scarlett's are really pretty and a bright splash of color in the garden, I hope they taste as good as they look.
debiclegg: I saw your little visitor as well, ewww! I'm debating the purple podded peas for a fall crop.... That should look pretty too! If all goes well, and it turns out to be a good crop, I'll send you some seeds.
thyme2garden: I do pinch, but I'm pretty lazy about it, I usually only get 90% of the flowering stalk, and the flowers you see are the ones I miss (I'm usually juggling an infant in my arms or chasing after a toddler). Basil everywhere here! However, I was super lazy about keeping the Holy Basil (aka Thai basil) flower free.
I was hoping that the cukes would do better going vertical as well, and I was just too lazy to put up my extra trellis. I think I'm paying for the laziness by having to keep increasing the stakes! I do think that the cukes do produce more the more you harvest, at least that is what appears to be happening.
You know, I do that same thing with the scallion tips and I've managed to get some nice returns, but I also have no idea where I read to do that!
Safe flying today and looking forward to seeing how your garden is doing.
I would love seeds!! THANKS!!
ReplyDeleteI saw your response comment via email in my inbox last Friday, and am only just getting around to thanking you for remembering that I travel on Fridays and wishing me safe flying. I don't know how you do it all - raising two kids, raising a beautiful garden, chasing after the icky critters who try to eat your garden, and still remember trivial details about other garden bloggers. Moms really are superhumans! :)
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