It's GONE! 8(

I have a tomato that was almost ripe. Being a rookie I was not sure how to tell exactly. My wife asked me when we could pick it and I didn't think it looked red enough. Mels book mentions to turn it and it should come off easily. I tried that a couple of days ago and it didn't come off. Yesterday I almost texted my wife to say go ahead and pick it and add it to the dinner menu but I didn't. When I got home yesterday the tomato is gone. I get a little excited thinking that my wife and I are on the same page and it will end up on the dinner plate later tonight. I ask her about it and she looks at me whit confusion. She didn't pick the beautiful tomato that we have been gazing at the past week. After thinking she is playing a joke on me we both realize it's gone. First garden, first tomato and it is no where to be seen. Then my 4 year old says he ate it but can't remember where he ate it and says he ate the entire thing and it is in his tummy. We tell him he is not in trouble and I just want to know where it went and that hopefully a squirrel or something else didn't eat it. It was on the vine when I left for work in the morning. He is real fuzzy on details and sometimes says that maybe a squirrel ate it. None of us (him included) knew he even liked tomatoes. We ask him if there is any left but he says he thinks he ate he whole thing but maybe there is some left but he doesn't remember where. He said we can buy some more tomatoes from the store. He said is was juicy and good. We are still a little unsure as to what exactly happened but I think he at least had a bite and he said he liked it. I assure him everything is okay and pointed out the 20 or so green tomatoes and numerous flowers that will hopefully make more tomatoes.

This morning I go to water the garden and inspect my bell peppers which are the size of huge peas and then I inspect my jalapeno plant (what I am most looking forward to) which only has some blooms on it. I was devastated to see that most of the upper leaves had been eaten and the blooms were on the ground. I do some investigating and find a fat army worm just under the mulch at the base of the plant. After a shot to the head I placed him on the driveway for the birds to find. Then I go get the BT. I really hope my jalapeno plant will bounce back but the damage looked significant. Should I cut it back?

Oh well this will just make my first fruits that much sweeter when they do finally get here. Does anyone else feel like a comic book hero with their garden? There are villains everywhere and if it were not for you they would be unstoppable and have their way with all of those plants and vegetables.

I am sure some of our neighbours probably think we are comic book characters for sure (Elmer Fudd comes to mind) if not worse, when we are out there in the middle of the night searching for vermin or pestilence or covering our babies to keep them warm on cool nights. We need to add tights and capes to our gardening wardrobe. Okay, maybe not tights. But I do love the idea of gardeners as comic book super heroes.

It is so frustrating when you are all set to have some of the rewards for your labour and something happens. Last year, I had a tomato I was watching until just the right moment. I came home from work one day only to find it had been pecked to pieces right on the vine. And the strawberries that look so lovely and almost ready to eat and underneath the slugs have eaten them. Grrrrrrrrrrr!

Hopefully, your little guy will eat more tomatoes this year. Sorry about the peppers. I would just pick of the top part that is damaged and let it keep growing. It may surprise you and put out more fruit. But some kind of netting to keep things away from your plants is probably in order.

Best of luck.

Gwynn

I was actually happy that it was him that ate the tomato. He seemed happy when I pointed out that there are 20+ more green tomatoes on the way. I always let the kids pick a mint leaf and suck on that so I guess I needed to clarify some rules I think we are on the same page now.

@H_TX: I got a kick out of your dispatch of the army worm. Have not had any yet -- thank God -- but I know exactly how you feel. We take those things personally, don't we SFGers?

Oh what a funny and precious story, you need to write it down in a letter or something to give to him when he is older. I so understand the "fuzzy" memory, I've got 2 grown sons, 1 14yo son and a 12yo daughter, also have 2 grandsons, so I've heard almost everything. I used to tell mine when they were young everything needed to be washed before you ate it, bugs and birds pooped on it, only one did not listen, until he saw a bird poo on a tomato....

Your pepper plant should be fine down here, you may want to give it a bit of shade, and a bit of extra water in the evening between 5-6 if possible, not too much just a bit extra. Sounds like you are planning on salsa and stuffed peppers, aka armadillo eggs, keep us posted, and please keep sharing stories of your little one in the garden.

Old Hippie, I say wear the tights, and some leg warmers with those rubber boots too!!!!

H_TX,
Funny our extension agent says the racoons know the day before you are going to pick , I guess off spring are the same Some people pick them a little green and let them ripen inside to avoid theft by critter. I'm sure you chilie will recover just fine those things are tuff, tuff, tuff

my pepper plant got chewed on by our cats when i was babying it inside....i thought it was going to be a goner....all the leaves were chewed on.....well....he is doing great....an ugly guy....but he flowers and little green guys on the way

i think its so cute about your little guy!!.....this is our second year of gardening....last year my two youngest who are now 5 and 11 would race each other out side every morning to try and beat the other one to the peas....we could hear the screen door slam open and what sounded like a heard of animals dashing to get their share......they had to take turns on the strawberries as well.....its funny...they would get dibs on them when they were green and expected me to keep track of which one belong to who.....

so ...this year they have their own planting area and was able to pick what they wanted to grow....so they planted their seeds and now each day when they go out to see how things are growing....they will remind each other not to touch their veggies.....LOL....they will even say....look my peas are taller then yours....or...my carrots are up first....LOL...they are just too cute!

hugs
rose

That is cute Rose, some gardeners never grow out of that stage. They know who they are

shannon1 wrote:That is cute Rose, some gardeners never grow out of that stage. They know who they are

Just about everbody on this forum. There are our babies and we are proud of em.

Kay

This being my first year I have at some points had this little part of my brain that questions whether or not I have lost it. Like when I stayed up late at night planning out my squares but I have read about others doing the same thing on other threads. Also when I had a flash light out in the garden looking for any unwanted pests but Old Hippie mentioned doing the same thing. This tells me that I am either normal and what I am doing is okay or I have entered into an asylum with others that have the same tendencies that I have. It is good to know that I at least have good company here in the asylum.

I vote for the assylum, it's much more fun.

My dh actually thought of putting flood lights out behind the garage so that I could garden out there at night. Then he decided not to b/c he figured he would never see me unless he was out there too!

If you're going to have an obsession, I say have a good healthy one like gardening. It is good for mind, body and spirit, literally!

H_ TX - to the asylum!!! It's really a pretty nifty place to be! Like most of us, you WILL occasionally notice some behavior that, to other people living outside this sfg asylum, may seem a bit crazy. You'll get used to the odd looks and strange reactions of others to your new behaviors and may even start throwing a bit of extra dramatics into the mix to purposely confuse those uninitiated to the wonders of sfgs. Just know that you will have the last and best laugh, when you're raking in harvests of healthy, delicious homegrown veggies!!!