This left a scar
Posted on: Sat, 08/23/2008 - 08:52
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This left a scar
A friend at work gave me some tomato plants earlier this spring and I planted them in the back yard. Folks, I'm no farmer. I thought tomatoes magically appeared on the supermarket shelves ... whats all this watering and fertilizing and waiting and waiting and waiting ... The plants are huge (or were). I planted them on the side of the garage that gets afternoon sun and the darn things grew until they hit the soffet ... about 10 feet tall. He warned me they'd grow very tall and that I shouldn't worry about it as its natural for these varieties (he gave me two different kinds, don't know what they are). Well, they've been reaching for the sky but not producing a lot of tomatoes so I got pissed. I don't need greenery in the back yard - I want tomatoes! So I went out two weeks ago and cut them back ... a lot. The plants are now about 4 feet high and man have they put out tomatoes ... I've got dozens of little green tomatoes on the vines so I guess cutting them back was a good idea. Anyway ... when cutting them back I found something that scared the hell out of me ... this creature you see below that I've named "the creature from the black lagoon". Damn this thing creeps me out.
So this city kid is sooooooooooo grossed out by these things. Oh hell, I'm not going to put tomatoes in my mouth that had these critters crawling on them! Yak! So I picked up an Audobon Society book I had that showed all different bugs so I could find out what this "creature" was ... it seems that this is just a harmless "Tomato Horn Worm" ... yes, it has a horn! WTF. Oh yeah, those white things ... the book calls them "parasites" ... egads. I'm getting more creeped out by the second man. Then I read something that chilled me to the bone ... these critters eat two kinds of plants: Tomatoes (of course) and ... you guessed it: TOBACCO
So next time you're relaxing with a bowl of your favorite weed ... just think of this little critter (about 3" long at full growth) crawling all over your tobacco.
Just thought I'd share.
No need to thank me.
LOL.
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Rick Piatt
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lol
When plants grow they get bugs
this one is tame it doesnt bite
Some sting some bite some can even burn the skin
There are some ugly varmints out there lol
Dave
If the thought of things crawling on you tobacco grosses you out, then I won't tell you about tobacco beetles. It would keep you from ever smoking another cigar.
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"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth" -- Albert Einstein
several years ago that almost wiped out two dozen plants. The Iris borer makes your worm look like a bathing beauty!
"If you can't send money, send tobacco." -George Washington to the Continental Congress, 1776
We had them all the time in Dad's garden as a kid.
I still to this day refuse to drink tomato juice as I am sure one of these freaks of nature made it into the juicer and it's juicy constitution is mixed up in my drink.
Hope you don't drink tomato juice as I may have scarred you some more...
My blog: Timberwolfer's Blog
I would be interested in hearing about cigars and tobacco beetles. :)
Chris.
Rick - You're just a big baby. Worms are jampacked with proteins.
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Rick - You're just a big baby. Worms are jampacked with proteins.
That's why chickens love to eat them.
Cheers!
Corneel Vermeulen
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Rick - You're just a big baby. Worms are jampacked with proteins.
That's why chickens love to eat them.
You guys are so not helping me!
Rick Piatt
these kinda fellas are practically everywhere:
http://www.sva.se/up...
http://education.yah...
If I have not seen as far as others, it's because giants have been standing on my shoulders.
Its a simply philosophy that isn't always appropriate but this time at least it works.
Rick Piatt
Don't worry, just relax and think about the 10 or so spiders you swallow in your sleep every year (No, I'm not kidding).
Mites, yeah they're everywhere. They're the ones that sometimes make you itch all over when you get under the covers. When that happens, you might want to consider washing your bed sheets, covers and .. well everything. Don't forget the mattresses - there's millions of those little critters.
"Don't let the bed bugs bite" :)
MPC administrator, moderator and overall member wrangler.
My name: Lars Wiberg | My alias: slartie
My blog: website | My photos: Flickr
LAMY Safari