The caterpillars were out of control!

The thing about gardening, is that you never know what the environment is going to throw at you.
A problem arises, you fix it, and learn something while you're doing it.
I don’t know that you can ever have everything ‘under control’.

This year I thought I had tomatoes 'sussed'.
A bumper crop was packing out the raised gardens,
Then a few holes started appearing in leaves. 'not a prob' I thought.
Like last year, must be a couple of caterpillars lurking amongst the leaves.

This week holy armageddon was unleashed up at one end of the bed. I could almost hear the munching rising up from the plants. Day by day, it was definitely working its way down the lenght of the garden.

Up until now, I’ve been squash’n them between fingertips. One at a time, search and destroy. In the past I’d feel a bit sorry for them, as some would pop fully formed, straight out of their skins.

Last week I was over it.

After the last couple of years of battle I’m immune to empathy and I want them gone.

One or two is fine, but they are now at numbers where they are destroying plants. The’re starting to hit the fruit.

The little buggers were getting so bad they weren’t bothering to hide. There seemed to be at least two sort. There were green ones that ‘inch wormed’ about on the underside of leaves, and a small stripy type which happily sat on the top side while they ground up green matter.

I hit them with Neem but that didn't seem to slow them down.

A mate told me about BT (Bacillus thuringiensis). This stuff seems to be a ‘magic bullet’. It’s organic, doesn't affect animals (the dead caterpillars can be eaten by birds), and fruit is ok to eat immediately.

I purchased this tub from Farmlands. Taped to the lid is a ¼ teaspoon measure which makes up a couple of litres of whoop ass.

Before the rain last week I sprayed everything. Tomatoes, blue berries, capcicums, basil, and lemons.
If it had perforated leaves, it got a drenching. I'm going to hit them again tonight to replenish the stuff that was washed off.

Seems to be working. I’m finding bodies all over the place.