What did you do in the garden today?

[Sueby]

Horn worm poop though is like 8 lobed. 2 on each side and well formed that looks just like wet splatty stuff. I'd still get out the BT for whatever it is.

True, it looks like pellets. I just assumed it looked splatty because it got wet but prolly not.

 

[igorsMistress]

I met my match with the Carolina Reaper pepper. I didn't even eat the seeds, just the skin. And I had the skin all chopped up finely in grated Cucumbers. I struggled to finish that meal because it was so hot. It was so hot I will never do that again. It would have been hotter with the seeds. I saved the seeds to see what you get the next generation even though its a hybrid. Maybe the Ghost Pepper, Jalapeño, Thai or Cayenne peppers it was grown around pollenated it and I end up with a rare gem of a new hybrid.

I won't eat a Carolina Reaper whole and by its self, I will only cook it in a large slow cook meal.

I have also touched my eyes after cutting one up, its chemical warfare, its that hot. I was in a Tear Gas chamber in basic training and this was almost as bad as that.

Ever tried red mushroom peppers? Another person here on BYC is growing them for the first time this year. They also come in yellow.

 

[igorsMistress]

Bird of Paradise, 2 colors. One orange, 2 white. Super excited for these.

 

[NewBoots]

I won't eat a Carolina Reaper whole and by its self, I will only cook it in a large slow cook meal.

The best batch of chicken feet I ever made were so hot that both I and the guy I was sharing it with (DP won't touch hot stuff) were nearly in tears fro the heat but it was the best I've had anywhere. I'm going to make them again as soon as I can find that recipe again.

My guess is hornworms. They don’t leave the leaves, they just eat right through the entire thing and munch on green tomatoes too.

Hmmm, there are a couple stems with a blunt end, nothing past that.

Hornworms is my guess too. Sometimes they just eat the entire branch & you don't even know its missing!!

The foliage is so thick that it could be hiding a lot of damage.

Horn worm poop though is like 8 lobed. 2 on each side and well formed that looks just like wet splatty stuff. I'd still get out the BT for whatever it is. The picture in this article shows like 16 lobes I don't examine the droppings that closely before I go on the attack. http://www.walterreeves.com/food-gardening/tomato-hornworm-droppings/

I think you are looking for an avian or mammal culprit. The only other thing I did notice is you have a couple of bore holes into one of you ripe harvested tomatoes @NewBoots

Yeah I saw that too. It really looks like caterpillar or maybe snail damage (a rasping tongue type of feeding) but most likely caterpillar. The poops are wet cuz I was just starting to water when I saw the damage. I have a black light flashlight so I'll go out tonight and try to hand pick it/them. I have some BT on order from Amazon so I'll use it if I have to.

I made some sugar free strawberry rhubarb jam today from the rhubarb I've been hanging onto for a couple months.

I just planted rhubarb this winter so I've been just letting it grow but it's gotten so huge I'm planning of cutting at least some of it. Rhubarb jam sounds awesome!

Well they delivered the freezer a little while ago and I just plugged it in and it's running. Now I can use the little old chest freezer for fish and put the meat critters in the shiny new upright. And now I'll have room to freeze fruits and veg that need to freeze on trays.

 

[AllenK RGV]

So my June 3rd Blue Sumatra chicks are at the 10 weekish mark now and starting to team up en masse on the old biddie Black Sumatras. Sure they are still tiny but 1-2 older Sumatra can not defend 4+ feeding stations from them any longer. I am pretty sure we have two cockerel in there based on how that flock of 6 splits into a 4 and 2 group to forage on the average day. Also this middle guy is developing his saddle feathers and some real basic sickles.

These are some spunky chicks. They have already declared they share the high roost at night with my older gals. I do not have an all inclusive photo album but they were all fun to watch around the watermelon today. I feel for the old gals once those cockerels mature and am very happy to report I am nobody's item of interest among the guys. They are all going to turn out to be great cocks. Oh yes and the old gals can't out fly them like the silkies they have gotten used to.

 

[Compost King]

Ever tried red mushroom peppers? Another person here on BYC is growing them for the first time this year. They also come in yellow.

I do not recall hearing about them before, I am going to look them up. I seem to do very well with peppers and I may become one of those weird people who only grow peppers in the future. For now I need to grow beans and such to eat but in the future when things change I want to start growing every variety of pepper possible and crossing and making my own hybrids.

I just harvested 3 Ghost Peppers, 2 were leathery and I extracted seeds, I placed the skins in a broth I am currently making. The third one was picked just as it went full red but still crisp. That one will be slow cooked into something eventually.

 

[igorsMistress]

I do not recall hearing about them before, I am going to look them up. I seem to do very well with peppers and I may become one of those weird people who only grow peppers in the future. For now I need to grow beans and such to eat but in the future when things change I want to start growing every variety of pepper possible and crossing and making my own hybrids.

I just harvested 3 Ghost Peppers, 2 were leathery and I extracted seeds, I placed the skins in a broth I am currently making. The third one was picked just as it went full red but still crisp. That one will be slow cooked into something eventually.

I'm hoping to grow the Thai peppers next year. I know they're not that hot compared to the Carolina Reapers but they're a favorite for me. And jalapenos; sometimes I'll wait and pick those when they're red. I know you said some folks think they have less heat and flavor then, but I like them that way sometimes. Less heat yes, but a slightly sweet flavor.

 

[AllenK RGV]

I'm hoping to grow the Thai peppers next year. I know they're not that hot compared to the Carolina Reapers but they're a favorite for me. And jalapenos; sometimes I'll wait and pick those when they're red. I know you said some folks think they have less heat and flavor then, but I like them that way sometimes. Less heat yes, but a slightly sweet flavor.

I can't imagine needing to make things hotter around here as I get so many salsa cups with my normal ordering patterns. I have bags full of 30 ml locally made salsa cups in the freezer. I'll pass. If something needs a little spice I plop in a salsa icecube or two. I will admit though I only do the tomatilla Salsa Verde ones keep your tomatoes for better sauces.

 

[igorsMistress]

I can't imagine needing to make things hotter around here as I get so many salsa cups with my normal ordering patterns. I have bags full of 30 ml locally made salsa cups in the freezer. I'll pass. If something needs a little spice I plop in a salsa icecube or two. I will admit though I only do the tomatilla Salsa Verde ones keep your tomatoes for better sauces.

I love salsa verde, not especially fond of red sauce unless it's for pasta; even then I'm picky. Tomatoes are for bruschetta, salsa, and other ways to eat them fresh. The Thai peppers are primarily for Thai yellow curry paste. I make mine from scratch and want fresh peppers to use. I like to make a big batch and freeze in pre-measured portions to use throughout the year. I do like them in taco meat and I've used them when cooking meat in my pressure cooker with good results.

 

[Acre4Me]

Garden pics from yesterday:

This melon was looking pretty nice in the garden. In the late afternoon it separated from the vine partially, so I picked it.

Turns out it was 5.5 lbs! We will eat some this morning.

A few weeks ago I planted new summer squash, and here is the first squash! Unfortunately, no male flowers!

Here is the Birdhouse Gourd - the one on the left is growing fine - not sure how big it will get, but the other decided not to grow. @Wee Farmer Sarah Mine are growing like crazy, but so far not a whole lot of gourds - maybe I'm just not seeing them. I also find it interesting that the plant flowers in the evening!

WOW - another Moon and Stars watermelon! Not sure how it will grow, or if there is enough time for it to mature, but the one we've eaten was tasty!

And another one also developing - in the opposite direction!

This is the other watermelon "Wilson Sweet" that is producing 2 new ones, but on the same vine. Not sure they will develop fully as this melon seems to take longer than the Moon and Stars.

A new cantaloupe type (same as the ripe one in the first picture). May or may not develop to maturity - time will tell!

Butternut Squash are doing well. Of course, I think they are mostly done. The really big one doesn't appear to have grown any more, but its taking its sweet time to change color. Time will tell what it does, but it has not gotten to 40 or 50 lbs like the packet indicates, but certainly much larger than a regular butternut.


Yesterday I fertilized the Gourds - maybe they will do a little better. Also fertilized one last time the Strawberry plants. Since its their first year, I'm pinching off all runners in the hope that the roots get well established.

Have a great day!