The heat has defeated my Ghost Peppers!

[Siwsan]

I put in 4 plants. I always put them by the area of the fence where the local ground hog has been known to plow through. I figure if it defeats my attempts at reinforcement, and that's the first plant it chomps, perhaps it will rethink the intelligence of its invasion.

But despite my best efforts, 2, and maybe 3 of the plants just shriveled in the scorching heat. Everything else is holding up - just not the super hot peppers.

So today I bought 4 Scotch Bonnet plants and will try, again.

BTW, I don't use the fruits of these plants. Besides their potential deterrent value, I grow them for my brother who has a stomach made of iron.

[Ohiogal]

1. I feel your pain!

Please update us on whether or not the ground hog gets too much to handle with those Scotch Bonnets!

We recently found four of our tomato plants chomped down to a stub, despite the fact my husband put a coated wire fence around the garden a couple summers ago. One morning a week or so ago, we looked out and saw a little rabbit inside the garden. I went outside to chase him out, and *poof* he zipped right through an opening in the wire fence.

Of course to my husband, This Means War. He bought some chicken wire and wrapped the perimeter fencing with it and fastened it down with plastic zip ties. Now it looks like a mini Fort Knox. If I ever figure out how to post pictures, I would post a couple. I would like to hang a sign on the gate, "Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here."

[Siwsan]

3. I had the same thing happen with a little bunny - hopped right through the fencing

It chomped down all of my beans and peas. So I did an overlay of chicken wire and that solved the problem.

After my latest reinforcement efforts in the veg garden, the ground hog headed to my herb garden and had a feast. So I cut some lavender and garlic, and laid it down around the surviving herbs, put out some saucers of ammonia and a bit of "used" kitty litter. So far, so good. I also heard that shavings of Irish Spring soap is a good deterrent. They hate the smell

Of course, one of my neighbors may have used a more permanent method to remove the neighborhood groundhog because I haven't seen even a sign of it trailing across the yards. I'd rather not know because I prefer a more benign method of deterrent.

[TexasProgresive]

2. Have you ever seen a Texas ground hog?

If they could be trained there would be no reason to own a rototiller.

[Siwsan]

4. Yikes!

I have to say that this groundhog was the size of a Stegosaurus. Or, at least it was the biggest one I've ever seen.

Last year I had a mob of groundhog babies destroying my herb garden. This year I've only seen the monster.

[Donkees]

8. You might need a pet pangolin

[Siwsan]

9. I watch NatGeo's 'SafariLive' on-line safari show, and they are always looking for Pangolins

They've seen signs of one in the area they traverse for the show, but still no actual sighting. That would be pretty epic.

[Ohiogal]

5. I wouldn't want to mess with that critter!

[northoftheborder]

6. It's harmless --

--except for excessive digging around plants. He curls up and plays dead retreating into his shell, upside down, when provoked.
Texas armadillo

[TexasBushwhacker]

7. And they can carry leprosy

The upside is they can use them for leprosy reseach.

[Demovictory9]

12. cute.

[TexasProgresive]

13. The young ones are really cute- pink.

Armadillos are odd in more than having armor. They always have 4 young who come from the same fertilized egg so they are identical quadruplets.

[Fla Dem]

16. We have those in Florida too. But I believe they're armadillos.

Actually timid little things. Mostly come out after dark. See a lot as road kill.

[Laffy Kat]

17. I think it was a joke.

Where I grew up in Tennessee, we called the possums on the half-shell.

[MissB]

10. They may not have been properly hardened off.

Nursery plants sometimes aren’t hardened off properly. Even when I grow them myself from seed, I tend to shelter them for a few days if I’m planting right before it’s going to be really hot. A simple bamboo support made with 4 poles stuck in the ground and lashed together, covered with a piece of white sheet held on by clothespins. It looks like the worst makeshift small animal teepee but it works. I remove them after a few days.

[Siwsan]

11. It's weird because they are the only plants that seem to be failing

A few tomato plants looked pretty rough, at first, but after I watered they sprang back to upright sturdiness. All of these plants were bought at pretty much the same time, and kept on a screened in porch for about a week. It's the same routine I've used for years.

I just think it's hilarious that the hot peppers couldn't stand the heat! Fortunately, things should start returning to 'seasonal', over the next few days. Who knows - they may rebound.

[jcgoldie]

14. I grow a couple hundred mostly poblanos and jalapenos

My wife sells them at the farmers market with her free range eggs, honey, tomatoes, and goat milk soap. My experience is when they are still small and delicate you have to water the hell out of them when the heat gets like this. My fear is if its like this in May, what will July be like?

At least we've continued to get rain so far here in southern Illinois. Last year this is about the time the drought began that lasted till February.

[Siwsan]

15. I had great luck with them last year but we had a milder start to the season

I've been giving the garden a good soak, just before sunset. Fortunately the weather is supposed to cool down and (hopefully) rain is on the way.