Devv: Someday, I'll get this right, South Tejas Growing

Well I'm way behind this season. Hopefully I can do better....no guarantees!
 
I'm still trying to figure out this "new normal", my brother said it took him a full year.
 
Any way:
 
Last year, could be the year before as they all seem to meld together now   I cleared the Crepe Myrtle trees that were invading the garden root-wise. That spot WAS the original garden 31 years ago.
 

 
Now that area looks like this:
 

 
I added 600 square feet to the garden, the soil is pretty darned saweet! Back then I added 16 yards of Black Gumbo to help with the drainage. Then LB wanted a pool, which is now gone. Garden reclaimed! The goal is to have a crop rotation so we can keep diseases at bay, as I mainly used the 1,600 sf fenced area for night shades.
 
During the off season I made some Bio Char. I need to take pics of the new kiln I made, that will come later.
 
Crunched char. I use the tractor to crush it on the driveway, it's laid on an old sheet to make it easier to pick up.
 

 
I use the old chipper-shredder to grind it. First I wet it so the dust isn't an issue.
 

 

 
Then I grind all this, and this is just a sample of what gets ground.
 

 
Then it rests here until we add it to the soil.
 

 
 
 

 

[Bhuter]

Some pics..
 

 
LB and I wound up parked at the curb service grocery next to the wife of a guy who usually gets my overflow plants. I just charge him for the materials. I asked her how the plants were, her response was "the deer ate them".
So when we got home I pulled a few for him.
 

 
Today's Thunder pull. 2 shots to catch the wonderful colors in different light.
 

 
A couple of TTW pods, some Haskorea, and a few F2 Red P. Dreadie crosses.

Man, your TT Whites look frickin' fantastic!!!!! What are the big round yellows? 7 Pot.......? CARDI.......? The long yellows? Not sure in those, unless it's a transitional color of PT.

 

[Ghost Pepper Revolution]

They also trashed his new Lemon trees, seems the bucks chose them for rubs..
I told his wife to get some cattle panels and build around what they don't want eaten..

 
makes sense, sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

 

[Siv]

Their natural camo works wonderfully. I see a black light on my next Amazon buy..
 

 
I just ordered one from Amazon. Last year one ate almost a whole plant before I noticed. The moths that lay the eggs are huge - almost the size of your palm.

 

[Mr.joe]

 
I just ordered one from Amazon. Last year one ate almost a whole plant before I noticed. The moths that lay the eggs are huge - almost the size of your palm.

Seems like they should be since the worms are so big. Crazy I've never seen a giant moth in the garden

 

[PaulG]

Hawk Moth. Not as beautiful as a cecropia or luna, but pretty impressive!
 
https://extension.umn.edu/yard-and-garden-insects/tomato-hornworms

 

[Siv]

Seems like they should be since the worms are so big. Crazy I've never seen a giant moth in the garden

 
I'm guessing they come at night? Last year I only had hornworms on the soil plants - the ones in my courtyard hydro didn't have any. But one morning I did see a huge moth sitting on one of the hydros and I was a bit shocked at the size. I swatted it with a stick and it flew away and I must have got it just in time as I didn't find any hornworms on the plant after. Interestingly, the ones I got are tobacco hornworms with the straight white stripes, not the chevrons seen on tomato hornworms.
 
Here's one from last year before he was plucked and tossed into the grass - I had to pull out my nice camera since it was such a spectacular bastard!

 

[Devv]

 
makes sense, sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

Deer, wind, and my dogs are why the garden is fenced to 6 feet high on the 2 sides that have field access. Only 3 feet high on the 2 sides inside the pasture fence.
Deer won't come in the yard with the dogs. Woke this morning to the 2 Blue Lacy dogs going nuts (barking like crazy) over this mega coon they treed.

 

[Devv]

 
I just ordered one from Amazon. Last year one ate almost a whole plant before I noticed. The moths that lay the eggs are huge - almost the size of your palm.

Do you have a link to the one you bought?
 
 

Seems like they should be since the worms are so big. Crazy I've never seen a giant moth in the garden

I've seen the big ole moths around here a few times, I catch them (stomp) if I can.
 
 

 
I'm guessing they come at night? Last year I only had hornworms on the soil plants - the ones in my courtyard hydro didn't have any. But one morning I did see a huge moth sitting on one of the hydros and I was a bit shocked at the size. I swatted it with a stick and it flew away and I must have got it just in time as I didn't find any hornworms on the plant after. Interestingly, the ones I got are tobacco hornworms with the straight white stripes, not the chevrons seen on tomato hornworms.
 
Here's one from last year before he was plucked and tossed into the grass - I had to pull out my nice camera since it was such a spectacular bastard!

That's a great shot. They sure hang onto the plant tightly..

 

[Siv]

Do you have a link to the one you bought?

 
This is the one I bought: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YC12HNH
 
I just tested it now and it's freaky! Every insect in the neighbourhood seemed to come check me out. And the plants look so weird. I didn't spot any hornworms so don't know if it's effective for that purpose but it sure makes things glow!
 

 

[Devv]

Thanks Siv!
 
I've read before they work for the horned worms, so it should do the job

 

[ahayastani]

 
This is the one I bought: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YC12HNH
 
I just tested it now and it's freaky! Every insect in the neighbourhood seemed to come check me out. And the plants look so weird. I didn't spot any hornworms so don't know if it's effective for that purpose but it sure makes things glow!
 

 
You should be able to spot scorpions as well, if you happen to have them in your area.

 

[skullbiker]

Hornworms glow real nice. Here are examples from last winter.
Regular flashlight:
 

 
U.V. Light:
 

 

 

[lespaulde]

Hornworms glow real nice. Here are examples from last winter.
Regular flashlight:
 

5D919275-710F-4CCC-B15D-53C89C8DE691.jpeg
 
U.V. Light:
 

5C2AC1F3-9A70-4C3D-B76A-65F34A532182.jpeg
 

Nice pics! Those are some beasts, can only be thankful we don't have those around here!

Sent from my LYA-L29 using Tapatalk

 

[Mr.joe]

Nice pics! Those are some beasts, can only be thankful we don't have those around here!

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I thought they were everywhere? You probably have something else to take their place

 

[Siv]

I thought they were everywhere? You probably have something else to take their place

 
I'd rather have horn worms than broad mites - after reading the horror stories of others and their broad mite infestations, I'm happy that the temps here are so high that they're less likely to be a problem. At least I can see horn worms!

 

[Devv]

 
You should be able to spot scorpions as well, if you happen to have them in your area.

Oh, we do have them here. One learns to wear leather gloves when picking thing up off the ground
 

Nice pics! Those are some beasts, can only be thankful we don't have those around here!

Sent from my LYA-L29 using Tapatalk

We can share if you like
 

 
I'd rather have horn worms than broad mites - after reading the horror stories of others and their broad mite infestations, I'm happy that the temps here are so high that they're less likely to be a problem. At least I can see horn worms!

The first year I grew hot peppers I had them on several plants. I was hardening them off and started seeing the rusty damage. These were small plants, now I try and have 12-14" high plants when it's time.

 

[lespaulde]

We can share if you like

 
As kind an offer it is, I would like to politely refuse...

I thought they were everywhere? You probably have something else to take their place

I don't think it's warm enough for them here, our moths are rather small and wouldn't even be able to recognize them in the caterpillar stage.

Our worst foe of that size are the slugs, they love the wet and cool climate and are not scared of any pepper, not even the superhots. I've set a few beer traps (with the cheapest beer one can find, hardly worthy of the name ) so let's see if that helps...


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[Devv]

 
As kind an offer it is, I would like to politely refuse...


I don't think it's warm enough for them here, our moths are rather small and wouldn't even be able to recognize them in the caterpillar stage.

Our worst foe of that size are the slugs, they love the wet and cool climate and are not scared of any pepper, not even the superhots. I've set a few beer traps (with the cheapest beer one can find, hardly worthy of the name ) so let's see if that helps...


Sent from my LYA-L29 using Tapatalk

Have you ever tried rock salt? That way you don't have to waste beer, even if it's bad beer

 

[Devv]

Okies, got me a black light flashlight now Gotta love Amazon...
 

 
Got this load over 2 weeks ago, started working on it and caught some bug, that knocked me on my ass for 2 weeks.
 

 
Got back after it and hitting it as much as I can. I intend to grind it all. That little pile on the ground is made from what's missing from a full trailer. Pudding doing a photo bomb
 

 
Marli was on hand too, she's my special ed. dog
 

 
We gave all but the stuffing peppers away today, call me lazy
 
Usually the garden is winding down about this time of the year. Not this year...

 

[PaulG]

Geez, Scott, I hope that two week bug wasn’t Covid-19!
 
Nice batch of pods. Season rolling on in spite of you
wanting it to slow down? Good problem to have, my friend!