Luffa

We had purchased Luffa seeds from Native Seed Company, and we finally got one to grow. It grows along a vine, so it's supported by the halloween trellis out by the garden shed. Once (if) the gourds start to develop, we can support them off of the garden shed. 

 As the yellow flowers develop, we have been using a small paintbrush to pollinate them. It's been a little difficult as the flowers bloom after we leave the house and close up before we get home. Also noticed a lot of ants on the plant, so today a little neem oil was sprayed to hopefully kill the aphids/white flies that might be around the plant. 

 

                                                                         Photo credit: Native Seeds

Wild Luffa

Luffa operculata. From dooryard gardens along the Rio Mayo. Produces dozens of 2-3" fruit. Once dry, remove the thin skin to reveal the small scrubber “sponge.” In low desert, plant with summer rains. The small yellow flowers and unusual fruits makes wild luffa an attractive plant for a trellis

Backyard, Then and Now

The current look of our back yard.

From Corn, Radishes, Lemons, Tomatoes, Green Onions, Egg Plant and a whole bunch more. You can defiantly grow a lot of food in such a small space.

Hard to believe at the beginning of the year - it was all wiledlia and mud. 

Gulf Fritillary (lilikoi caterpillar)

 What a scare we had this morning!

 Diane and I were just weeding, cutting and cleaning up all over the garden. I headed into the garden shed to water the seedlings and to plant a few more things. When I noticed the Lilikoi plant was sending runners inside the shed.

 So with gentle hands, I was moving the runners back onto the main plant, making sure I don't bend and snap them. Thats when I noticed this!

 My 1st instinct was to smash it! Then I thought I better take a picture to find out what it was. After I had carefully taken a few photos, I took this caterpillar off of the plant then sealed him up in a plastic container. With that done, I did some searching online.

 Some of the first results came back as a stinging nettle. yikes! I read they had a bunch out here in a nursery in Mililani. But our orange and black friend didn't match the Nettle descriptions. 

So more searching...

 Here we go... from the http://hawaiinaturejournal.weebly.com web site, I found that we had a Gulf Fritillary Caterpillar. The black and orange colors, along with the spikes are a defense. Yet the spikes are soft and non-poisonous. *WHEW!*

 So, since this guy just eats lilikoi plants, and all I see is one, and a whole lotta plant. Diane and I figured we would let him eat his fill. Besides, we are hoping he will visit us as a butterfly and help pollinate our flowers and in turn produce fruit. 

A Gulf Fritillary sipping nectar. Photo: Jeanne Lindgren

Welcome to the Garden new friend