This week’s Weed of the Week is Amaranthus retroflexus also known as Amaranth or (Red root) Pigweed. This variety has thorns at the nodes of the plant so you have to be careful while pulling them up. When you do pull them from your yard one large red and white tap root will generally come up with it. Try to pull up all the root or it will make new sprouts, between the roots and the seed heads Pigweed is a very prolific and rigorous plant.
If it looks like someone has been cutting the leaves off of your tomatoes, take a look around for tomato hornworms. These caterpillars can get quite large (this one is actually on the small side) but still manage to camouflage themselves quite well. They feed on many solanaceous crops (like tomato, peppers, eggplants, and potatoes) before turning into a large moth called sphinx or hawk moths. They can often be controlled in the garden by simply removing them from plants by hand.
When most people think of stink bugs they think of garden pests, but this adult Florida predatory stink bug is a real friend of the gardener. This one is taking out a Japanese beetle that was munching on some zinnias.
It is important to get compost hot to rid your pile of harmful organisms and weed seeds! If you have questions about backyard composting or need help getting started, let us know – maybe we can help!
It took a long time to clear this out but it felt nice to look back on the finished product!
Our new seeder allows us to more efficiently plant our cover crops! Saves time and allows us to get better coverage!
