The beautiful foliage that looked like this just last week...
...now looks like this.
We sprayed with a homemade pesticide, but it just made the thing worse.
Our once healthy butternuts...
...now look like this...
This looks like a harmless little hole, but it means the worms have dug in and laid eggs. Every vegetable has holes.
We have one remaining cucumber, and it looks like this...
The tip of it is brown and shriveled, so I suspect it will not be good, but we're letting it grow...see what it does.
My husband whacked open a few squash and cucumbers to see how infested they were. The holes burrowed deep into the flesh, sometimes out the other side.
We are very sad and discouraged. Our daughter worked so hard tending to this little patch of earth.
We're debating what to do. Is it worth clipping off all the bad growth and hoping for new sprouts? Or, is the entire garden ruined for good? If we remove the dying growth, how do we keep worms from attacking again? Did we spray for bug/worms too late? WHAT HAPPENED?!
I have no idea what the tomato and watermelon plants will now do. They did not have any fruit yet, so maybe they will still produce. I'm afraid the cuke/squash trauma will spread and wipe out any hope of more produce of any kind. It's heartbreaking to see such ruination.
I have such an appreciation for farmers. And, sadly, a new appreciation for pesticides.
If any gardeners out there have suggestions for us on how to proceed, we would be so grateful.
Here's hoping God will work His magic on our dying garden. Only He can resurrect anything.
17 comments:
awwww i am sorry this happened--maybe you could try to cut out the bad part--it probably wouldn't hurt---and so true about our God!
Oh, no. I'm so sorry. How frustrating and disappointing...
Wow, so sorry to see this. I wish I could help you out, but I can't even grow a chia pet. Good luck with the tomatoes and watermelon...I hope they hang in there.
How horrible! I can't imagine what did that Mare, do you know what worm did the damage? My guess is you'd have to know that before proceeding.
We've had problems with turtles and horn worms but they just munch on the veggies they don't burrow into them. So sorry!
So sorry for your loss. It's so exciting to see things start to grow, and then when this happens, it is disheartening. My garden is only just beginning.. I hope it's successful, but I really don't have a green thumb, so I can't give you any tips. I'd probably go to the nearest garden shop and ask the experts.
So sorry for your loss. It's so exciting to see things start to grow, and then when this happens, it is disheartening. My garden is only just beginning.. I hope it's successful, but I really don't have a green thumb, so I can't give you any tips. I'd probably go to the nearest garden shop and ask the experts.
Check with your local nursery, they can usually tell you what to use. May help to bring in some of the fruits so they can see what's going on.
As for us, our biggest enemy is the squirrels. As soon as the melon gets the size of a tomato they eat it. It's so discouraging for the kids.
Right now we have peas and cukes, the sunflowers are looking great but the squirrels will get them, I just know it.
Oh no!! That is so sad!! Sorry to hear this!! I have a brown thumb so no help with what to do so this doesn't happen again. I do agree with you about God and what he can do indeed!
betty
That's terrible! To make you feel better, I presented you with a blogging award on my site tonight.
Mare!! That's so sad after all of your hard work. I haven't tried a veggie garden in years and although I've thought of it, your experience is one of the things that keeps me from doing it. Is it too late to re-plant? That's how much I DON'T know about gardening.
Oh my, how awful! :-( Sure hope it doesn't get to your watermelons and tomatoes.
That is terrible! I've never had something like that happen to our small veggie garden. My aunt and uncle did, though, and they had to start over from scratch, down to getting rid of all the dirt from their raised bed. Not sure if it is the same thing, but for them, their dirt was 'infected' with worms and everything they grew there was eaten.
Oh no!!! I am so sorry, that is awful!
I would try again. Definitely don't give up. :) I try to use all natural for weeds etc., maybe do a little more research. The garden will be beautiful again. :)
Such a bummer! I have a huge respect for farming and gardening. Not an easy task. I hope you find out what to use to get rid of them and start over.
I am sorry to hear about your garden. Don't give up though! Do some internet research and ask around for advice for next time.
I am not brave enough to plant vegetables. Yet.
Oh no! I'm sorry this happened. I'm not very good with gardening, but I learned that you can put sandpaper around the base of the plant to keep out worms and slugs. They don't like that it's scratchy.
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