Tomatoes

Mr. Marvelous has gently objected to the way I have written about him planting SIXTY tomato plants this year.  He reminded me that one-third (that would be twenty) of these are determinate tomatoes.  That means that they all get ripe at the same time and then they die and I don't have to fuss with them anymore.  That also means that one week soon I am going to have to deal with twenty tomato plants worth of tomatoes all at the same time.  That also means that there are a mere forty tomato plants left that will be producing all summer long. OK, maybe only 35-38; a few of them maybe didn't make it.  Still.....

He loves me.  This is his way of keeping me occupied, giving me something to do with my time during these long summer days, keeping off the streets and out of trouble (I don't know how to fix everything that happens to Little Red(neck) truck) (Yet).

All that to communicate that we have a tomato plantation this year.  That's what I get for fussing about running out of tomatoes in January.

There is a little something that comes with tomato plants.  In truth, there are a LOT of little somethings that come with tomato plants.  Meet our Nemesis, TOMATO HORN WORMS!

Ugly little things, aren't they?

Every morning and every evening Mr. Marvelous walks out into the plantation and starts looking.

 

 There are signs that you can look for to help you find them; they are well-camouflaged little buggers.

You look for droppings on lower leaves

You look for plants that are missing leaves (!)

You look for half-eaten tomatoes

Then you pluck the little nuisances off the plant and put them with the half-eaten tomatoes in an old coffee container.

Then you go have fun!

Turns out chickens are not just for eggs and meat!  

Ha Ha, you evil Horn Worms; take that!!