Even as I look with happiness and satisfaction upon my self- seeded tomato patch, I knew not all was well in Tomato Land.... I have been seeing the Fava beans leaves being stripped off their stalks. Tried as I may to convince myself that it was the grasshoper and snail I see in the planter bed, I knew in the deepest reaches of my heart.... it had to be the Tomato hornworm caterpillar. I did not see any until my last day at the garden before my vacation trip. I did not look very hard because 1. I was in denial 2. I figured if it was a problem, I would see the caterpillars all over....
Let's just enjoys picture of my tomato plants first....
The jubilant discovery of self-seeded tomato seedlings from last year's crop sprouting among this year's 2013 planting of fava beans. Seedling in May 2013
June 2013, beautiful little tomatoes starting to appear on plants
First week of July 2013. The tomato seedlings are now huge plants.
The plants are pumping out flowers and fruits are setting on plants. Pinching off suckers, deciding on leaders and tying branches to bamboo stakes is now routine maintenance of the tomato patch.
Not sure which variety this is- maybe Green Zebra because of the stripings.
These appear more pointed at end than the Green Zebra. Need to note down what I plant each year. This blog was to be my online journal for this purpose but obviously I failed to keep up with my blogging and notation. Will have to wait for the fruits to ripen to identify them.
Cherry tomatoes, already excellent gardening snacks. Very sweet.
I have been pushing the thought to the back of my mind in denial. As I watch leaves being stripped off the fava bean plants, I blame the grasshopper and the snails. I KNEW. It was probably my dreaded enemy the Tomato Hornworm caterpillar.
While doing my last check of the garden and setting it up to thrive while I am on vacation, I discovered my dreaded foe- the Tomato Hornworm catterpillar. With a heavy heart I looked for them, but just found one. It does not matter if there is one, there are more. I harvested the beans from the tomato companion plants the fava beans but the left the fava beans plants as the Tomato hornworm catterpillars seem to enjoy those too. I am hoping that they will feast on the fava bean plants which are on their last legs and the damage to my tomato plants will be less. I now have to pray that when I come back it will not be like the devastation of 2010 in my San Diego garden.
Your tomatoes look soo healthy and productive. Hope you can get rid of the hornworms as much as possible.
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