Yesterday morning I spent about an hour in the community garden, harvesting some green beans, cherry tomatoes, basil, and dill, and weeding and watering the three 5′ x 40′ plots. As summer begins to settle on Central Florida, everything both good and bad begins to grow like crazy.
The cherry tomatoes and pole beans have been our best producers by far, and though we have had some problems with tomato fruit worms in the past month or so, the bug situation hasn’t really picked up until now. I’m seeing all sorts of interesting things going on, mostly on the tomato plants. I have heard that Florida is “tomato hell”…
I’m not sure what the above leaf damage is from, nor what I’m looking at below, although they look like they might be red aphids?
Bugs aren’t the only thing in the garden, however – there are some glorious flowers! The only thing I would do differently with these is plant them earlier in the season, both for the enjoyment and for the magnetic effect they have on bringing beneficial bugs into the garden.
I even heard, and then saw, a majestic pileated woodpecker yesterday morning, chilling at the top of a dead tree:
Enjoying the view!
I found out that the “what bug is this” photo is of leaf-footed bug nymphs: http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/galveston/p&dc_12.htm
That burgundy sunflower is my new favorite flower. So pretty Nathan, you are amazing!
Aww thanks! I really loved that one too, I had never seen a sunflower that color.