Tomato Hornworm Season – Check your plants for damage.

As the Tomato plants thrive in this beautiful weather, the Horn worms are back to desecrate your green Tomatoes.

Damage is evident as they attack the leaves on their way to the fruit. A cursory look through your plants is enough if there is no evidence of chewing. Stubs of branches with no leaves is proof of their presence.

Don’t be squeamish. The best way to remove them is to pick them off by hand. If you can’t bring yourself to do this then break off the branch they are on. They can get quite big. Big as a finger. And they hold on. They will rear their head at you when you try to pry them off. They have lots of legs.

I can’t tell you what to do with them. I used to destroy them, but I wasn’t happy about that. I then got great joy out of throwing them into the road to fend for themselves among the cars. Now I am too lazy to walk that far, so I throw them as far as I can into the field. Will they crawl back to my Tomato plants? I don’t know, but they must be a tasty treat for some bird out there.

I made the mistake of assumption many years ago. I destroyed a Hornworm that’s back was covered with rice-like pods. I was later told these pods would be moths that would hatch and eat Hornworms. I guess I don’t destroy them anymore in case there is still time for them to be host to these moths.

Check your plants every day. Twice a day is best. It is surprising how far they can munch along. Once they get to your beautiful Tomatoes they will skim over the surface, eating just a bit before going on to the next Tomato. They are not satisfied to just commit to a Tomato and enjoy it completely. No. They have Wanderlust and move from fruit to fruit. Plant to plant.

Hornworms can be difficult to spot. They are usually on the underside of a branch or leaf. You will see evidence of their crap piles that are strange squarish blocks that begin green and darken. If you know you have a Hornworm but still are unable to find it, Crouch down and be silent. You can hear Hornworms eating. They have a constant crunch crunch crunch that will help you hone in on their location.

Spring flowers bloom early in York County, Maine

The Bleeding Hearts are blooming! The bobbing yellow heads of Daffodils have been seen all across town. Magnolia trees are in full coronation of flowers. The Quince bush is aglow with blossoms and the harsh yellow of Forsythia slashes through the landscape. Yet, it was 29 degrees F this morning. Maine.

Tomato Hornworm Photos

Lawn Party 2009

Last Saturday we had our 16th annual lawn party on the hill. It was a beautiful day for a party, though still hot and humid. As we rent a tent each year we are always safe from rain or sun, and it was necessary this year to get out of the heat of the sun and catch the breeze from the ocean. We had a couple of record breakers this year! Our youngest and oldest guests to date…one week old baby boy and one hundred year old sweet woman! I had never met either prior to the party. I like that!

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How Do My Tomatoes Grow?

The Blight has hit my garden destroying most of the Tomato plants.

For the time, we have saved what has not appeared to be damaged.

It is an emotional loss as well.

When living in Maine, with such a short summer season, fresh ripe Tomatoes from the vine are planned on long before the ground has thawed in the spring.

Black Eyed Susans and Daylily

Summer Beauty

Close up Catnip

Garden

Since my How Does My Garden Grow post, the Tomato plants have grown into a jungle.

 The heat and humidity have kept me out of the garden the last few days.

I haven’t been picking the Yellow Raspberries, and many are dropping.

I still have some Yellow Raspberries from last year in the freezer.

These canes are quite prolific and top out between four and five feet tall.

How does my garden grow.

Orange banana Tomato growing

All tied up and ready to grow.

With the indulgence of rain this past month, the vegetable garden is lush and productive!
We tied up the two rows of 18 varieties of Tomato plants as the heavy branches were forming roots of their own.