08-20-2013, 06:27 AM
Fruit flies & leaf eaters are the culprit to the veggie garden - the fruit flies "sting' an area & the larvae wiggle around ... OK if you like the extra protein (stung fruit also tends to not be as full of flavor... oranges will look ripe around a sting but usually are rather tasteless & drier...)
Cherry & smaller tomatoes do better, as they do not seem to get stung
Melons, inc. watermelon do fine if you support the fruit off the ground (have seen them bagged in those white hort. bags) & watch for the leaf eaters (neighbors grow watermelon on old roof tin)
Squash, have not had a problem with hard squash & kabocha pumkin...neighbors grow zucchini....
ADDED: the fruit fly eggs hatch real quick...& then the larvae wiggle around & snack on the fruit inside out! that is the reason why most will not eat fallen tangerines & avocados & actually 'pick" these by cutting the stem above...the fruit flies cannot enter the fruit through the stem cutting but are all over that attachment area if thosee fruit detach from the stem...
Cherry & smaller tomatoes do better, as they do not seem to get stung
Melons, inc. watermelon do fine if you support the fruit off the ground (have seen them bagged in those white hort. bags) & watch for the leaf eaters (neighbors grow watermelon on old roof tin)
Squash, have not had a problem with hard squash & kabocha pumkin...neighbors grow zucchini....
ADDED: the fruit fly eggs hatch real quick...& then the larvae wiggle around & snack on the fruit inside out! that is the reason why most will not eat fallen tangerines & avocados & actually 'pick" these by cutting the stem above...the fruit flies cannot enter the fruit through the stem cutting but are all over that attachment area if thosee fruit detach from the stem...