Re: Green Caterpillars

at2wooden 3/5/2014, 3:38 pm

I've had good luck with Neem Oil.

**kauairosina** 3/5/2014, 10:32 pm

My grandson keeps a badminton racquet handy to swat the white butterflies. He's lots better at it than I am.

**sanderson** 3/5/2014, 11:15 pm

I have a home made butterfly net. I'm sure neighbors got a good laugh last summer at me chasing them in my pjs with coffee cup in the other hand. Embarassed

Marc Iverson 3/5/2014, 11:22 pm

kauairosina wrote:My grandson keeps a badminton racquet handy to swat the white butterflies. He's lots better at it than I am.

Nice idea! I get panicky when I see those cabbage butterflies, and they move fast.

Marc Iverson 3/5/2014, 11:23 pm

sanderson wrote:I have a home made butterfly net. I'm sure neighbors got a good laugh last summer at me chasing them in my pjs with coffee cup in the other hand.

"I'm just the distraction. The BIG net is coming up BEHIND you!"

Windmere 3/5/2014, 11:44 pm

drixnot wrote:
camprn wrote:That organization need a cheat sheet in their garden department if they persist in hiring people with limited knowledge. It's really baffling, the lack of training in some of these places. They really should put more effort into helping their associates understand the store's products.

ROFL. But don't you enjoy the vacant look on their faces when you ask for something?

Me: "Do you carry vermiculite?"
HD garden department person: "Vermicu-wha-sis ... is that a flower?"

....I kid you not.

drixnot,
When I first got started with SFG, I also got a puzzled look from the local HD garden dept. employee when I asked about vermiculite. However, to his credit, he wanted to hear everything I knew about SFG (I barely know much now, and I knew even less back then). We see each other from time to time and he always remembers me and asks how my boxes are doing. He is a younger man, so he was much more open to the SFG method. He's gone on to take steps to begin working on his master gardener course at our local UGA extension.

Now, my local Lowe's on the other hand... mainly older men set in their ways. When I asked about alternatives to steer manure... the man I spoke to looked at me like I was out of my mind. He said, "Till the soil in rows, add steer manure, plant your seeds, end of story." Sigh.

**walshevak** 3/6/2014, 2:55 am

kauairosina wrote:My grandson keeps a badminton racquet handy to swat the white butterflies. He's lots better at it than I am.

There is a battery operated tennis racquet looking thing available that zaps 'em. get that pesky wabbi

I've seen them here in PI

Kay

**sanderson** 3/6/2014, 3:36 am

**sanderson** 3/24/2014, 4:21 pm

I took this update photo this morning and when I moved the tulle, I found . . . yep, 2 green caterpillars.
Green Caterpillars - Page 2 Little19

It's a bad photo because of the sun and shade affects. The bok choys in the boxes at the far end are harvesting size. I have been "snipping and let grow" all of the bok choy, chards and collards. I planted 5 per square foot, thinking, what the heck, it's MM! These will be outstanding for winter crops with the winter sun.

CapeCoddess 3/24/2014, 4:38 pm

Ooohhhh pretty. You've been eating fresh greens already. love the idea

Lucky duck. I can hardly wait for mine.
hungry

Well done!

CC

Marc Iverson 3/24/2014, 6:47 pm

So cut and come again works fine with bok choy? I want to plant a whole bed full of them, but it would be great if I didn't have to chop off the heads all at once.

Also, sanderson -- how do you eat and prepare your bok choy? The store-bought I've either put in stir-fries or steamed, but when I steam them, I'm not sure what to put on them as a sauce or whatever.

**sanderson** 3/24/2014, 9:10 pm

Yes, cut-and-come is fine for all three plus leaf lettuce. I use them chopped in soups. The only other way I know to cook any alone, is to saute in oilve or grapeseed oil, salt, pepper to taste. Some times a little diced bacon or ham. Actually the ID of the boxes is 10 1/2".
Green Caterpillars - Page 2 Little20

This Ruby Chard is 15 months old and I still cut leaves:
Green Caterpillars - Page 2 Chard_10

Marc Iverson 3/24/2014, 9:43 pm

Wow nice. They look so healthy. Have you got those bok choy 4 to a square? I got a seed packet for toy choy, a miniature variety, and the packet recommends 8 inch spacing ... but if you're getting 4 regulars in a square foot, I should be able to pack in this little mini variety a heck of a lot closer than 8 inches apart.

**kauairosina** 3/24/2014, 9:52 pm

Good luck. Tell us how it works.

**sanderson** 3/24/2014, 10:27 pm

Marc, I have 5 per 10 1/2" box. Bonsia and Ching Chang. I just harvest and if not using it immediate, wash, pat dryish, bag and refrigerate or freeze. There's 3-6" inches between these undersized squares. February 25:
Green Caterpillars - Page 2 Little21

Marc Iverson 3/24/2014, 11:21 pm

So those are both dwarf varieties rather than full-size. So are my toy choy seeds, so I think I'll try to pack them in like you did. Thanks!

**sanderson** 3/25/2014, 12:50 am

Rosina, Do you grow bok choy? I actually like the tall variety, full grown. I think they have a stronger, crunchier taste than the minis, but minis are all I can find in the grocery stores.

**AtlantaMarie** 3/25/2014, 9:20 am

I wonder how they'd do dried...? Hmmm, may have to try some.

**jimmy cee** 3/25/2014, 10:10 am

I tried pak choy last year, this was a my first SFG season and only a test, this year I am planting for effect.
Green Caterpillars - Page 2 Bok-ch10

boffer 3/25/2014, 12:42 pm

Marc, I plant 4-5 White Stem (tall ones) Bok Choy per square. If it gets too crowded, I harvest a plant or two.

Asian sauces are just too salty for us. I'm not the connoisseur that you are, so when I steam or stir fry bok choy, I just finish it up with a big dash of flavored vinegar. My wife has been on a Julia jag, so I use whatever is open. (no favorites yet)

http://juliasgoodmedicine.com/Vinegars.html

**sanderson** 3/25/2014, 1:16 pm

boffer wrote:Marc,White Stem (tall ones) Bok Choy per square. I just finish it up with a big dash of flavored vinegar.

Boffer, Thank you for the name of the one I like. White stem - now where is my stupid Baker Creek? It was right here . . .

I love greens with wine vinegar, DH doesn't.

Marc Iverson 3/25/2014, 1:37 pm

Hmm, maybe rice wine vinegar would be an easily obtainable substitute. Thanks for the ideas, boffer.

sanderson, I hope my toy choy don't come out dry or tough. The ones I had at a Chinese restaurant were sooooo tender; that's what I'm really hoping for.

Of course, I suppose they could have been not mini varieties but a full-size one picked early on purpose. Oh well, I'll try my best and we'll see what happens. One thing I'm happy about already is that the package says they can be ready in as little as 30 days.

boffer 3/25/2014, 1:49 pm

It grows very fast. It has become the first thing that I direct seed every year because it handles cool weather so well. I'm planning on harvesting my first bok choy of the season this weekend.

Marc Iverson 3/25/2014, 2:38 pm

The packet says "as soon as soil can be worked," which around here is coming even during freezing weather. Hope it works.

rabbithutch 5/26/2014, 6:31 pm

Green caterpillars and long-necked geese
Humpty-backed camels and chimpanzees
Cats and rats and elephants and sure as you're born
Don't you forget the unicorn!

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Green Caterpillars