Category Archives: tomato worm

Weeds Have Jobs #4

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Stellaria media (common chickweed)

Chickweed grows where there is a need for calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and manganese in the soil.  It also indicates that the soil has high levels of magnesium and iron, and high sulfur and copper in the soil.  It indicates that there is low porosity (the soil is tight). 

Chickweed is another edible and is in the carnation family of plants.  It also has a history as a medicinal herb for a variety of ailments.  As the name implies, chickens like it.

The flowers are small, and star-like.  It is a plant that attracts trichogramma wasps, that prey on tomato hornworms – a great natural insect predator for the garden!

Stellaria media – common chickweed

My First Tomato Worm – Ever! and Hugel Kultur Bed 3 Years On

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tomato worm wasps

I was examining the tomato vines that seem to be everywhere, and found … my very first tomato worm … EVER!  I’ve always planted marigolds and basil with my tomatoes, but this year those plants got overrun with the tomato vines.  I was concerned at first, but then noticed that the worm was covered with wasp larvae.  They will take care of the worm.  Nature taking its course.

 

At the Dig Deep growers conference in Fort Worth this past weekend, I re-established contact with the organizers of the Community Harvest garden in Plano.  I visited on Sunday, and took a tour.  Of note was a hugel kultur bed that is about 3 years old, and going strong. My tour guide mentioned that the bed was placed flat on the ground, and that next time they would dig a trench in which to place the wood branches that form the base component of the bed.

hugel cuuc 3 yr