http://www.eattheyard.com/2009/09/15/the-essential-caterpillar/ A novice's attempt to get 15 percent of his food from his suburban fifth acre Tue, 17 Aug 2010 01:27:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 http://www.eattheyard.com/2009/09/15/the-essential-caterpillar/comment-page-1/#comment-35 Anna Sat, 26 Sep 2009 05:25:44 +0000 http://www.eattheyard.com/?p=133#comment-35 Yay bugs! The bees love my onions! Every time I go to water my onion plants there are four or five bees hanging out on the surface, and they don't congregate anywhere except the onions! Yay bugs! The bees love my onions! Every time I go to water my onion plants there are four or five bees hanging out on the surface, and they don’t congregate anywhere except the onions!

]]> http://www.eattheyard.com/2009/09/15/the-essential-caterpillar/comment-page-1/#comment-31 Painchaud Sat, 19 Sep 2009 00:56:57 +0000 http://www.eattheyard.com/?p=133#comment-31 You are right. Caterpillars and all bugs are pretty awsome. Just a little less when they eat your crop. I'm amazed how the buterflies only go put their eggs on my radishes and not the lettuces...awsome! You are right. Caterpillars and all bugs are pretty awsome. Just a little less when they eat your crop. I’m amazed how the buterflies only go put their eggs on my radishes and not the lettuces…awsome!

]]> http://www.eattheyard.com/2009/09/15/the-essential-caterpillar/comment-page-1/#comment-29 Jason Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:38:21 +0000 http://www.eattheyard.com/?p=133#comment-29 That's a great idea. I hadn't thought about trying to confuse the caterpillar by setting it in something potent. I just focused on feeding it something else. That’s a great idea. I hadn’t thought about trying to confuse the caterpillar by setting it in something potent. I just focused on feeding it something else.

]]> http://www.eattheyard.com/2009/09/15/the-essential-caterpillar/comment-page-1/#comment-28 Deb Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:57:52 +0000 http://www.eattheyard.com/?p=133#comment-28 The real test of this creatures tracking device would be to put him down the back hill on some sage bush and see if he makes it back to the garden. Does he have the instincts of a bear and is he able to find his way back to those delectable beet leaves? The real test of this creatures tracking device would be to put him down the back hill on some sage bush and see if he makes it back to the garden. Does he have the instincts of a bear and is he able to find his way back to those delectable beet leaves?

]]> http://www.eattheyard.com/2009/09/15/the-essential-caterpillar/comment-page-1/#comment-27 Scott Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:51:27 +0000 http://www.eattheyard.com/?p=133#comment-27 This year I will be building a 14'x16' cage 8' high in an effort to save my vegetable garen. The problems?...iguanas and Key Deer!! I will wwatch with interest the progressof your raised platform cage garden. Scott This year I will be building a 14′x16′ cage 8′ high in an effort to save my vegetable garen. The problems?…iguanas and Key Deer!!
I will wwatch with interest the progressof your raised platform cage garden.
Scott

]]> http://www.eattheyard.com/2009/09/15/the-essential-caterpillar/comment-page-1/#comment-26 muhammad khabbab Wed, 16 Sep 2009 09:35:02 +0000 http://www.eattheyard.com/?p=133#comment-26 wow great blog. never seen this caterpillar before. keep posting. wow great blog. never seen this caterpillar before. keep posting.

]]> http://www.eattheyard.com/2009/09/15/the-essential-caterpillar/comment-page-1/#comment-25 Jason Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:14:11 +0000 http://www.eattheyard.com/?p=133#comment-25 I like to let the animals share, as well — but they haven't been sharing. There must be some kind of imbalance. Great that you use a natural pest control method with your spiders. It's a good way to work with nature, rather than chemicals. I've been using ladybugs to control the aphids pretty effectively this year. I like to let the animals share, as well — but they haven’t been sharing. There must be some kind of imbalance. Great that you use a natural pest control method with your spiders. It’s a good way to work with nature, rather than chemicals. I’ve been using ladybugs to control the aphids pretty effectively this year.

]]> http://www.eattheyard.com/2009/09/15/the-essential-caterpillar/comment-page-1/#comment-24 Katie Tue, 15 Sep 2009 20:26:34 +0000 http://www.eattheyard.com/?p=133#comment-24 Maybe it hatched there. I just let the animals have their fair share. The birds eat the figs that I can't reach, I put spiders on my tomato plants to keep damage at a minimum, but I leave the caterpillars alone. It's fun to watch them cocoon up. Besides, isn't it worth it to see butterflies? Of course, I'm not trying to grow any certain percentage of my food. I imagine i may feel differently in that case. I do recommend purposely putting spiders in your plants though. Maybe it hatched there. I just let the animals have their fair share. The birds eat the figs that I can’t reach, I put spiders on my tomato plants to keep damage at a minimum, but I leave the caterpillars alone. It’s fun to watch them cocoon up. Besides, isn’t it worth it to see butterflies? Of course, I’m not trying to grow any certain percentage of my food. I imagine i may feel differently in that case. I do recommend purposely putting spiders in your plants though.

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