Week 8 update

This week we've had more problems.  The broccoli and cabbage (to a lesser extent) were savagely attacked by cross-striped cabbageworms.  They eat holes in the leaves, but fortunately, they are easily eliminated.  Mom and I picked off many, many of them and dropped them in a bowl of soapy water.   

THEN, I found tomato fruitworms on several of the tomato plants.  At the point I found them, they were only about 1/2" long, but they grow up to almost 2"...gotta get them early.  They burrow into the tomatoes and eat their way out, as well as defoliating the plants.  A couple of tomatoes were already infested.  After finding them, I tried the soapy water trick.  But these guys said, "Thanks for the bubble bath" and climbed right out of the bowl.  Nothing but poison will get rid of them, so yesterday all of the plants got a dusting of Sevin dust.  Killed 'em all.   

Hopefully the upcoming week will be better!  

Here is the new strawberry bed that the kids put together last weekend; behind it is the bed that will hold asparagus in a couple of months.  
Side view of the box, see the canteloupe vines climbing up their poles.  You might be able to see a yellow squash in the far side of the bed.  

This is one of the plants that we got broccoli from...when you click on the picture, notice the side shoots growing from the stalk that will form new heads.  

Can you see holes in the leaves?  Rotten little caterpillars.  

Back view of this box--you can see some of the bell peppers!  
This box is doing better.  Forgot to mention, we added a banana pepper plant to this box (formerly was potted.)  Most all of the pepper plants have several peppers on them...and the tomatoes are loaded; we're just waiting for them to turn red.