This post is by Bernie Carr, apartmentprepper.com
Every year I start an apartment garden with the best of intentions. Some seasons I get a great result, but other times, the results are less than stellar.
What happened to my garden?
The plants have been attacked by these black caterpillars that eat through all the leaves and even soft branches (see title image). They grow big and fat then turn into these ugly moths. Ugggh!! Between the 106 heat and the caterpillars, my poor garden has become scraggly: the tomato plants have yellowed, the chocolate mint is gone, and only a few peppermint plants are left.
If I was relying on this garden for food, I’d be in trouble. That’s why I believe even if you have a garden, even a more successful one, you still need a backup food storage plan. Any number of things can wreck a garden: insects, animals such as rabbits and deer, bad weather, lack of water, etc. A garden can get decimated overnight. That’s why families in the old days preserved part of their crops by drying or canning.
What I’ve done to improve it
I haven’t given up on the garden yet. Some of the plants survived, such as the lavender, basil and green onion.
To combat the worms I filled a spray bottle with water and added a teaspoon of Dawn dish-washing liquid. I sprayed the soap spray on every caterpillar that I found.
They fall off and die.
I’ve decided to grow herbs indoors to avoid having to deal with weather and pests.
Lastly, I collected cuttings of the bigger branches to see if they can sprout roots when left soaking in water for a few days.
I’ll let you know which plants manage to sprout in another post. Have you had your share of garden disasters? Please share in the comments! Perhaps we can help each other, or at least feel better we are not alone.
© Apartment Prepper 2018
Hey A/P – This is true, if it was “grow food or die” kind of scenario, then we’d learn quick. I think I need a backup though while waiting for the crop to grow. Thanks for the comment.